A crown is a type of dental restoration used to fix teeth that have been broken, weakened by decay or have a very large filling. The crown fits over the remaining part of a prepared tooth, making it strong and giving it the shape of a natural tooth. It will also be tooth coloured, giving the restoration a more natural appearance so it fits in with the rest of your teeth.

A crown could be a good solution for you if you have some discoloured fillings and would like to improve their appearance. Crowns can be used to replace these to give you a more aesthetic smile. Also, if you have had root canal treatment you will need a crown to protect or cap the restored tooth, allowing you to eat and bite down on it as if it was a real tooth. Crowns are also used to anchor a bridge or denture firmly in place in the mouth.

If you require a more extensive restoration than a crown or have more than one tooth that needs to be repaired, a good solution is a bridge. Bridges are usually made of a precious metal base which gives them a solid structure and makes them hard-wearing. If you need a bridge in your smile line, porcelain is usually added to the base to make it look more like real teeth. A bridge helps to strengthen the prepared teeth and makes chewing and eating easier because they are fixed and can’t come out.

Some bridges can also be fixed to your jaw with dental implants, if you have several teeth next to each other that are missing.

Once you have a bridge fitted, you will have to take extra care of your daily hygiene regime to ensure it stays plaque free and that you can prevent bad breath.

If you have lost all or several of your natural teeth, one solution is to be fitted with a denture. Dentures are false teeth made of metal or acrylic. They are removable and fit snugly over your gums, replacing missing teeth and preventing potential problems caused by gaps in the teeth.

Complete dentures replace all of your upper or lower teeth, while partial dentures can replace one or more missing teeth. If you have lost a tooth or teeth you may have problems with speaking and eating certain foods, and any remaining teeth may move into the space left behind. Dentures can help to prevent these problems and can give you back confidence in your smile. They are used in some cases when you are not suitable or do not want other tooth-replacement solutions, such as dental implants or bridges.

Complete dentures

If all your upper or lower teeth are missing or need to be removed, you may benefit from a full denture. This is usually fitted as soon as your teeth are removed so you won’t be left without teeth for any period of time, although in some cases you may need to wait for your gums to heal before your dentures are fitted.

When you visit us for complete dentures, we will take measurements and impressions of your mouth, which will be sent to the laboratory for your dentures to be made. You will first be fitted with a trial denture to check everything fits correctly and that you are happy, before your permanent denture is created.

Partial dentures

Partial dentures replace one or more missing teeth. They comprise a plate of plastic or metal with false teeth attached to it. It clips into your mouth using some of your natural teeth to hold it securely, and can easily be removed for cleaning.

We will take measurements and impressions of your mouth and send these to our laboratory for our technicians to make your dentures.

Dental Implant Consultation with our Dentist

Dental implants are a permanent solution for one or more missing teeth. Losing a tooth or teeth can happen for a variety of reasons, from gum disease and dental decay to sports injuries or accidents. Whatever the reason, having missing teeth can cause a great deal of embarrassment and can dent your confidence.

As well as the aesthetic benefits of replacing missing teeth, there are also health implications to consider. When a tooth is lost the bone that supported it eventually starts to shrink back, while other teeth around the gap may move to try to fill the space, causing them to become crooked. This can cause problems with biting and chewing food, having a restrictive effect on your diet.

Unlike other missing tooth solutions such as unsecured dentures, dental implants act much like the root of a natural tooth, assimilating with the bone and preventing it from shrinking.

Dental implants are titanium posts or screws that are placed directly in the jaw bone to replace a missing tooth and to provide support for artificial teeth in the form of crowns, bridges or secured dentures.

Our dental team are experienced in placing dental implants, and for complex cases we have a consultant who visits the practice.

The implants are carefully positioned in your jaw bone in the precise position you need a new tooth. You may have temporary healing abutments fitted while the implants heal and start to integrate with the bone. Once healing has taken place, crowns, bridges or secured dentures are then attached on top.

Implants act very much like natural teeth, and require brushing, flossing and regular dental check-ups just as the rest of your teeth do.

For more information about dental implants or to book a consultation to see if treatment with dental implants are suitable for you, please contact the practice today.

If you have loose or ill-fitting dentures, your ability to eat and speak may become affected. Due to advances in dentistry, there is now a procedure whereby your denture can be fixed to your jaw with dental implants. This treatment, known as implant overdentures or denture stabilisation, offers patients with dentures a more permanent solution and can improve your quality of life significantly. You will be able to enjoy your favourite foods again and feel comfortable smiling, safe in the knowledge that your dentures are staying put.

As part of this treatment, you will require surgery to have the implants placed into your jaw. Once they have integrated with the bone and surrounding tissues for a period of time, your dentures are placed on top of the implants through a range of special fixtures. This means your dentures can still be removed for cleaning, but will stay put once in place.

Some of the other benefits that you will enjoy with this type of treatment are a natural looking smile, improved confidence, less irritation of your gums and you don’t take your teeth out at night.