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How a Dental Crown Can Help Save Your Teeth

February 17th, 2017

If you have a broken or decayed tooth, you may assume that you’re going to lose that tooth. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. With dental crowns, we can save your teeth and restore your smile.

What exactly is a dental crown?

A dental crown is a type of restoration, which is used to treat infected, damaged and decayed teeth. If your tooth is need of some TLC, we may recommend crowning it. Crowns can help to save teeth that would otherwise fall into further disrepair.

Crowns are also known as caps because they are placed over the top of the damaged tooth. They fit onto the existing tooth structure, and they are custom-made to ensure a perfect, seamless finish. Crowns can be made from metals or ceramic materials. Many people choose to have ceramic crowns because they look more natural. If you have porcelain crown, for example, you won’t be able to tell the difference between the crowned tooth and the rest of your teeth.

Crowns should last anywhere between 5 and 15 years. It’s important that you look after your crown in the same way as your other teeth. When you come in for a check-up, we will have a look at your crown every time. If the crown is showing signs of wear and tear, we can replace it with a new crown.

At Liverpool Dental Spa, we can offer same-day crowns thanks to Cerec.

Why would I need a crown?

You may need a crown if your tooth has been damaged when playing sport or you’ve been involved in an accident. Alternatively, a crown may be recommended if you have a decayed tooth, or you’ve had an infection treated with root canal treatment. Placing a new crown helps to strengthen the tooth following root canal therapy. If you have a missing tooth, we can attach a new crown to a dental implant.

Scared of the Dentist? How Liverpool Dental Spa Helps With Dental Phobia

February 15th, 2017

Dental anxiety is very common. Many people feel apprehensive about having dental treatment, but for some, their phobia prevents them from getting the treatment they need. At Liverpool Dental Spa, we understand the damaging impact of dental phobia, and we pride ourselves on offering first-class standards of care for nervous patients. If you’re scared of the dentist, we are here to help.

Treatment for nervous patients at Liverpool Dental Spa

We recognise that many patients feel anxious at the thought of having a dental procedure, and we realise that the approach we take and the techniques we use make a massive difference. We have a very compassionate, experienced and approachable team, and we will always go the extra mile to make anxious patients feel more relaxed.

Sedation

We offer treatment under sedation for patients who feel very nervous about having dental treatment. Sedation is not the same as general anaesthetic, but it does prevent you from feeling pain, and you will be completely relaxed during the procedure. When you’re sedated, you’ll feel drowsy, and you won’t have much recollection of what happened during the session when the effects of the medication wear off, but you will remain conscious throughout. Sedation may be an option worth considering if you have dental phobia or you’re nervous about major dental treatment. It takes a while for the effects of the sedative to wear off completely, so we recommend bringing a friend with you who can accompany you home. It’s best to rest for the next 24 hours and avoid exercise, drinking alcohol and making any important decisions.

The Wand

Some patients have a phobia of going to the dentist because they are worried about having injections. A fear of needles is common, and it often stems from negative experiences in the past. If you’ve had an injection, which was very painful, it makes sense that you’d be afraid to have another one. The Wand is a device we used to eliminate the possibility of painful injections. This innovative concept controls the speed of the flow of fluid through the needle, which prevents you from experiencing pain when the fluid flows too quickly or there is a sudden surge through the needle. The Wand looks like a basic pen, which is much less threatening than a traditional injection, and it is attached to a small computer.

If you’re nervous about seeing a dentist, please don’t hesitate to call us. We are here to help you, and we’ll do everything possible to make sure you have a positive experience.

Which Clear Braces Are Right For You?

February 10th, 2017

More and more people are choosing to have braces, and one of the main reasons is the introduction of invisible braces. In the past, patients particularly adults, were reluctant to have orthodontic treatment because they didn’t want the hassle or stress of wearing visible braces. Braces have never been something that boosts your street cred, but now, everything is different. With clear braces, you can achieve the smile you’ve always wanted without having to worry about your appearance or what other people think. If you’re considering invisible braces, here are some of the most popular clear brace treatments.

Invisalign

Invisalign is one of the world’s leading orthodontic systems. It’s a great option for patients who want to undergo treatment without compromising their image or self-esteem in the process. Invisalign aligners are made from transparent plastic, and this means that they’re virtually undetectable when you smile. They’re also removable, so you can eat without any anxiety about getting food trapped in your teeth and clean your teeth without any hassle at all. Invisalign is usually recommended for patients with minor or moderate orthodontic concerns.

Clearstep

Clearstep braces work in a very similar way to Invisalign. They are clear, removable braces, which slide over the teeth in a similar way to a mouth guard. Clearstep may be a cheaper option, and it can be a viable choice for most patients over the age of 14.

Perfect Clear

Perfect Clear uses a series of bespoke K positioners to gently guide the teeth into position. These positioners are similar to the aligners used by Invisalign and Clearstep. Treatment time will depend on the nature of your orthodontic needs and the amount of movement required.

CFast10

CFast braces offer an alternative to the removable braces mentioned above. These clear braces are fixed braces. You may assume that fixed braces are highly visible, but with CFast, you can enjoy the reliability of fixed braces, as well as discretion. CFast braces are very delicate, and they are made from clear and tooth-coloured parts, which makes them much less noticeable than traditional metal braces. CFast treatment is ideal for those who have problems that affect the social 6, the front teeth. The average treatment time is around 6 months.

We understand that for many patients, aesthetics are everything, and we are delighted to have an impressive array of clear brace systems on offer. If you’d like to learn more, or you’re wondering which brace would be best for you, why not ring us today and book a consultation?

Five Tips To A Pain-Free Surgery

February 8th, 2017

At Liverpool Dental Spa, we do everything we can to ensure our patients suffer from minimal pain and discomfort. If you need oral surgery, such as wisdom tooth extraction, for example, we can assure you that you’re in the best hands.

When you have surgery, our dental team will talk you through what’s going to happen and answer any questions. They will then make sure you don’t feel any pain during the procedure by providing you with a sedative or anaesthetic. After surgery, there are certain things you can do to try and prevent pain. Here are five tips to help reduce pain during and after surgery, and help you recover quickly:

  1. Avoid eating hot food: when you have surgery, your mouth will be numbed. If you eat hot food after your procedure, you may find that you risk burning your mouth. It’s best to avoid anything hot for around 24 hours. We also recommend sticking to soft foods that are easy to eat for the first couple of days.
  2. Keep your mouth clean: you may find it uncomfortable to brush around the affected tooth for a short period of time, but try and maintain your oral hygiene regime. It’s important to keep your mouth as clean as possible to reduce the risk of infections.
  3. Don’t attempt to dislodge a clot: if you’ve had a tooth extracted, a blood clot may form in the socket. Don’t try and dislodge this clot, as it can cause excessive bleeding. Clotting is part of the natural healing process.
  4. Take painkillers: you may experience pain after oral surgery. If you are in discomfort, you can take over the counter painkillers. If you have any questions or you need advice, simply give us a call.
  5. See your dentist if pain persists or gets worse: if you can’t shake off pain with tablets or you have pain that has suddenly got worse, call us, and we’ll do our best to make you feel comfortable as soon as possible.

Top Five Biggest Risks for Your Teeth

February 3rd, 2017

Your teeth are made of sturdy stuff, but they’re not immune to disease, infection or damage. If you want to enjoy a bright and healthy smile for years to come, it’s important to take good care of your teeth and minimise the risk of dental problems. Here are five of the biggest risks for your teeth to bear in mind:

  1. Smoking: Smoking is harmful for almost every part of your body. Smoking stains the teeth and increases the risk of gum disease. It’s also the most significant risk factor for mouth cancer.
  2. Sugar: We all enjoy a sweet treat now and again, but excessive sugar consumption is one of the biggest threats to dental health today. When you eat sugary foods, bacteria feed, and this results in them producing harmful acids, which erode the tooth enamel. This puts you at risk of cavities, dental injuries, infections and gum disease.
  3. Snacking: You may think the most important consideration when it comes to your diet and dental health is the amount of sugar you eat, but the frequency with which you eat is actually even more important. This is because your enamel becomes weak when you eat. At this point it is vulnerable, and it takes time to recover. If you’re snacking all the time, your enamel never has a chance to recover, and there’s an elevated risk of cavities and sensitivity. If you are hungry between meals, stick to sugar-free snacks.
  4. Poor dental hygiene: If you neglect oral hygiene, you have a much higher risk of developing gum disease and dental decay. Every morning and night, devoting just two minutes to oral care will stand you in good stead to enjoy a healthy, attractive smile for the foreseeable future. We recommend using fluoride toothpaste, and setting an alarm to make sure you brush for long enough.
  5. Missing dental appointments: Research suggests that if you attend regular dental appointments, you can reduce your risk of developing cavities and gum disease by up to 60 percent. If you haven’t been to the dentist in the last 12 months, we strongly recommend booking a check-up. Call us today, and we’ll arrange an appointment for you.

If you have questions about oral health or you’d like some pointers, our dental team will be happy to help.

Did you Know Dentists Can Help With Headaches?

February 1st, 2017

If you suffer from headaches, you’ve probably tried taking painkillers, and you may have been to see your doctor, but did you know that dentists can also help with headaches? If you have headaches on a regular basis, they can make your life a misery. We may have the solution you’ve been looking for, and hopefully, we can make your pain a thing of the past.

How can a dentist help with headaches?

There are lots of different causes of headaches. In many cases, headaches are linked to dehydration, and they can also occur after an injury or accident. It is also possible for headaches and migraines to be associated with TMJ disorder. TMJ disorder is a group of symptoms that affects the TMJ or the temporomandibular joint. This is the joint that joins your skull to your lower jaw. When you open and close your mouth or move your jaw from side to side, you can feel the joint moving. Symptoms of TMJ disorder include clicking and popping noises in the jaw, head, shoulder and neck pain, stiffness in the jaw and a limited range of movement in the joint.

If you have signs of TMJ disorder, we may be able to help. One of the most common causes of TMJ disorder is bruxism, or grinding the teeth. Bruxism can damage the teeth, but it can also increase tension in the muscles surrounding the jaw.

Treating bruxism

Bruxism can be difficult to diagnose because most people grind their teeth subconsciously during the night. When you’re asleep, you’re not aware of what’s happening, and you don’t know that your clenching your teeth. When you see your dentist with symptoms related to TMJ disorder, they may be able to spot the sighs of bruxism; if you share your room with a partner, they may also tell you that you’ve been grinding your teeth in your sleep.

Bruxism can be linked to dental issues like broken crowns, but it’s often caused by anxiety or stress. If you have signs of TMJ disorder linked to bruxism, we can help by providing you with a custom-designed bite guard. This is a device, which you wear while you sleep. It helps to prevent the top and bottom arches of teeth coming into contact when you sleep.

If you’re sick of headaches, give us a call today. Hopefully, we’ll have you fighting fit in no time.

Gum Contouring – Get Rid of a “Gummy Smile”

January 30th, 2017

Do you have a gummy smile? Do you feel self-conscious when you smile? Are you constantly analysing the way you look in photographs? If you have a gummy smile, you don’t have to hide your teeth away for the rest of your life. With gum contouring, we can help you to feel confident when you smile.

What is a gummy smile?

A gummy smile isn’t a dental problem, as such. It doesn’t cause any negative symptoms or put your dental health at risk. However, it can have a detrimental effect on your self-esteem. The term gummy smile is used to describe the aesthetic of the smile when there is a larger than normal amount of gum tissue on show when you smile. It tends to mean that the teeth look short and small.

What is gum contouring?

Gum contouring, or gum reshaping as it is also known, is a technique that is used to improve the overall look of the smile by removing tiny amounts of gum tissue, and reshaping the gums to expose more of the tooth tissue. The end result is longer, larger looking teeth, and a beautiful, balanced smile.

Could gum contouring benefit me?

Gum contouring could be beneficial if you lack confidence when you smile because your teeth look small and a large portion of the tooth tissue is covered by gum. If you’d like to feel more attractive and comfortable when you smile in public, this could be the procedure for you.

If you’d like to find out more about gum contouring, our dentists will be happy to give you more information, and answer all your questions. Simply fill in an online enquiry form, or give us a call.

Chipped a Tooth Over Christmas? Tooth Repair Solutions

January 27th, 2017

If you’ve chipped or broken a tooth over the Christmas holidays, don’t panic. We have a range of solutions available to patch you up and restore your confidence.

Minor chips

Minor chips don’t usually cause any long-term dental problems, but they can affect the aesthetic of your smile, and therefore make you feel less confident. Thankfully, we are able to offer a highly effective remedy for chips and worn teeth. Composite bonding, also known as aesthetic or cosmetic bonding, is a single-session treatment, which can restore your smile to its former glory with no pain at all. Bonding is a technique we can use to build up worn surfaces, fill in chips and even reduce the size of gaps between the teeth. Your dentist will use dental material called composite to carry out minor repairs to the tooth in question. At room temperature, composite has a similar consistency to putty, and this means that your dentist can mould it to fit gaps perfectly. Your dentist will select the closest shade to your natural tooth colour to ensure the best possible aesthetics. When the composite is in the right place, it will then be set using a curing light. This makes it hard, and resistant to further damage. When your dentist has carried out any final adjustments, they will show you the fruits of their labour, and hopefully, you’ll be beaming again!

Broken teeth

If you think you may have broken a tooth, it’s advisable to see your dentist as soon as possible. If the tooth is broken, it’s best to try and repair or strengthen it, as leaving it may result in further damage and an increased risk of infection. If X-rays show that the tooth is fractured, we may recommend a new crown. Crowns are placed over the top of damaged teeth to make them stronger and more stable. Veneers may be another option worth considering for more extensive damage.

If you have a chipped or broken tooth, call us today and book a consultation. We’ll have you smiling again in no time at all!

Top Tips to Relax after Dental Surgery

January 27th, 2017

Medical and dental treatment can put your body through the ringer, so it’s vital to relax and take it easy afterwards. If you’ve had dental surgery, here are some top tips to help you rest and relax.

Arrange a lift home

If you’ve had oral surgery or you’ve had treatment under sedation, you won’t be able to drive, so make sure you arrange a lift home. Ask a friend or relative to stay with you while you have treatment, and then drive you home.

Book time off work

If you know you’re having dental treatment, it’s a good idea to book a couple of days off work. You don’t want to do anything too strenuous when your body is healing, and you probably won’t feel like working even if you haven’t got any pain.

Take it easy

When you get home, it’s important to take things easy. Don’t try and start cleaning, doing household chores or working. Relax with a book, have a nap or put the TV on.

Avoid strenuous activity

Even if you feel fine, don’t do anything strenuous for the first few days after you’ve had dental surgery. You may feel like you want to get back to normal and start going to the gym, for example, but give your body a bit of time to rest and recover first.

Stick to soft food

If you’ve had surgery your mouth may feel sore for a short period of time. Biting down on hard foods may cause you added discomfort, so opt for foods that are easy to eat like mashed potato, scrambled eggs and yoghurt.

Which Veneers Are Right for You?

January 26th, 2017

If you dream of a flawless white smile, you may have considered having veneers. Veneers are a very popular treatment, which shot to fame as a result of celebrity endorsements and TV features. Today, anyone can have a Hollywood smile.

We are delighted to offer a range of veneer treatments, and we are confident that we can find the perfect match for you. Here are some examples of the stunning treatments we have on offer.

Da Vinci Veneers

Da Vinci veneers are synonymous with the rich and famous, and they really put veneers on the map. These porcelain veneers are known for creating glamorous, beautiful smiles. These veneers are thinner than traditional porcelain veneers, and they also stain-resistant. They have been used for more than 25 years and treatment can usually be completed in 2-3 sessions.

MAC Veneers

MAC veneers are made from pressed ceramics, and they are up to three times stronger than some other types of veneer. MAC veneers are famed for creating natural smiles, as they are coloured from within using 16 tooth-coloured hues. They are custom-designed in California, and they last much longer than traditional porcelain veneers.

Lumineers

Lumineers differ to other types of veneer because they’re made from a patented Cerinate ceramic. They are custom-designed in the US, and they are incredibly thin. Although Lumineers are very thin, they are also very strong, and they last up to twice as long as some porcelain veneers. As Lumineers are so fine, they can often be bonded directly onto the teeth, eliminating the need for preparatory work and ensuring that the tooth structure remains intact.

If you’re interested in veneers, we will be delighted to go through the different options with you and help you decide which system is best for you. A gorgeous new smile could be just a couple of visits to the dentist away.

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6 Dentistry Awards!

Winners for National UK Award

  • > 2009 Best Dental Team

Winners for North West Awards

  • > 2009 Best Dental Team
  • > 2008 Best Dental Practice

Finalists for North West Awards

  • > 2009 Best Practice
  • > 2008 Best Dental Team

Finalist & Highly Commended for

  • > 2007 Best Young Dentist Dr Marius McGovern