Dental Treatments

Patients require tooth fillings for several reasons. If you have a hole in your tooth, a filling may be added to prevent the tooth from decaying further. Sometimes patients require a tooth filling for cosmetic reasons, for example, if they wish to replace an old amalgam filling. Tooth fillings can also lend support to a weakened tooth. 

Yes, it is very common for patients to request to replace their old amalgam filling with a white or tooth coloured filling. 

An onlay or inlay tooth filling is a stronger form of white filling which needs to be made at a dental laboratory prior to your appointment. These tooth fillings are stronger than standard white fillings and are made from composite resin or porcelain. 

If you require a tooth filling, your dentist will normally advise you to book an additional dental appointment to enable the treatment to be carried out. White fillings can normally be replaced in one dental visit, however, if a stronger white filling is needed, this will need to be created at a dental laboratory and will require more than one visit.

Your dentist may recommend you need a dental crown for the following dental issues:

• For protection of a damaged/weakened tooth
• To secure a dental bridge
• To protect a dental implant
• To cover a misshapen or discoloured tooth
• To protect a tooth that has undergone root canal work

If you require a dental crown, your dentist will normally book you two appointments. During the first appointment, the dentist will examine the existing tooth, take x-rays, and perform any preparation work on your tooth. An impression will also be taken, and a temporary crown may be given to protect your tooth until the permanent crown is ready.

During the second appointment, your temporary crown will be removed, and the new dental crown will be permanently fixed in place using dental cement.  

You will normally require a minimum of 4 dental appointments before you can walk away with your new dentures. These appointments involve initial assessment and consultation with Chris Egan, followed by dental impressions, smile design, fitting and adjustment. We try to keep the whole process within 4 weeks where possible. 

New dentures have several benefits. Not only do they improve your overall quality of life, they can also enhance your appearance by providing support for your lips and cheeks, improving your smile and general oral health, and enabling you to eat a wider range of foods. They can also improve pronunciation issues caused by missing teeth. 

Partial dentures are designed to replace a tooth or several teeth and are held in place with an acrylic or metal framework which connects to the surrounding teeth. Full dentures replace a full row of teeth and are usually held in place by suction. To prevent slippage, we normally recommend an implant supported lower denture to ensure bite alignment is maintained. 

Not everyone is eligible for implant supported dentures. To find out whether you are eligible, your dentist will carry out an initial assessment to ascertain whether there is sufficient bone volume and bone density in your jaw to support the implants.