Amalgam fillings

Once a standard treatment, amalgam silver coloured fillings have now been replaced by composites to white ones.

Bleaching

Can improve colour of teeth by up to 70% but not stains caused by the antibiotic tetracycline or the white patches caused by demineralisation – need to use micro-abrasion. The latest treatment is laser whitening, in which a hydrogen peroxide solutions is painted onto the patients teeth and subjected to a laser that speeds up the procedure.

Bonding

Tooth coloured material is stuck. Tooth is etched using a week acid to create grooves to enable the material, such as veneers (see below) to bond.

Crowns

These are coverings that replace the top part of the tooth. This treatment is used when the teeth are severely decayed, factured or for cosmetic reasons. They are usually made of porcelain, with metal or glass bases.

Endodontics (root canal therapy)

This is the removal of dying or dead nerves which are replaced with a filling material, which can give a tooth an extra ten years of life.

Implants

Used to replaced lost teeth but could only be used if there was enough bone to screw in the implant made of titanium. Now however surgeons are able to graft the patients own bone into the mouth to create a base.

Light curing

This is used to harden fillings, to whiten or bleach teeth.

Orthodontics

The process of aligning the teeth using fixed braces and in difficult cases may also involve surgery. The latest braces are ceramic.

Scaling and polishing

3-6 monthly appointments with hygenist to get rid of plaque and stains. Now use ultrasonic descalers and the air-abrader
that uses an abrasive powder to clean the teeth.

Veneers

A thin layer of porcelain is bonded to the tooth. Disadvantages is that they can easily chip or even fall off and may cause damage to teeth.