Cosmetic Treatments
Cosmetic dentistry can help people with their confidence as well as its many remedial qualities. St. Pauls offer you a comprehensive range of cosmetic treatments, supported by expert advice to help you choose the way to achieve what you’re looking for – from repairing dental damage to brightening up your smile.
Crowns and most bridges are fixed dental prosthetic – that’s to say, artificial – teeth. A crown is used to entirely cover or “cap” a damaged tooth. Besides strengthening a damaged tooth, a crown can be used to improve its appearance, shape or alignment. Crowns can be made in different materials to achieve the best balance between strength and appearance.
A bridge may be recommended if you’re missing one or more teeth. Gaps left by missing teeth eventually cause the remaining teeth to rotate or shift into the empty spaces, resulting in problems with your bite, gum disease or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.
Bridges are cemented to the natural teeth or implants surrounding the empty space. As with crowns, you have a choice of materials for bridges. Crowns and bridges are also placed on implants.
Frequently asked questions
How are crowns and bridges made?
Before either a crown or a bridge can be made, the tooth – or teeth – must be reduced in size so that the crown or bridge will fit over it properly. After reduction, we take an impression to provide an exact model for the crown or bridge, custom made in a specialist lab
What happens while my crown or bridge is being made?
A temporary crown or bridge will be put in place to cover the prepared tooth while the permanent one is being made.
How long do they last?
Crowns and bridges can last a lifetime but the most important step you can take to ensure the longevity of your crown or bridge is to practise good oral hygiene. They can lose their support if the teeth or bone holding it in place are damaged by dental disease.
To prevent damage to your new crown or bridge, avoid chewing hard foods, ice or other hard objects.
“Following a recommendation from a friend, I consulted you and after some discussion you proposed a course of treatment to fit crowns and bridges. The end result has been a smile without gaps or plates and increased confidence in face to face contact. However, what really helped was the calm manner in which you carried out the work and the confidence that that inspired.”
“Hello Dr Cracknell, I would like to congratulate you on the fantastic work you have done for me and my new ‘smile’. My teeth feel natural and complete in fact they’re so good I have almost forgotten I have had them done. It was worth it. Most of all I would like to say a big big thank you for going that extra mile for me. I think it is a true reflection of you both professionally and as a person.”
Teeth whitening is one of the easiest ways to enhance your looks.
Both at work and in your social life, your appearance is very important and whitening will help to achieve this in a way that is simple, affordable and safe.
Many people say they feel years younger after the treatment, having erased the effects of ageing, coffee, tea, red wine, curries and cigarettes.
At St. Paul’s we use up-to-date tooth whitening. This is available as a Home Whitening Kit or an In-Surgery Whitening pack and has received many accolades in comparison tests in the media.
The home whitening method uses custom made trays which fit comfortably and securely over your teeth. Carbamide Peroxide is placed into the trays and they are worn overnight for 2 weeks.
The In-surgery pack contains 6% Hydrogen peroxide gel which is placed on to your teeth in the dental surgery under the supervision of your dentist.
The two treatments can be combined, the In-Surgery treatment following on from your two weeks of home whitening.
A few of your questions answered –
How white will my teeth get?
Whitening can whiten up to ten shades. Results vary for many reasons including diet, tooth porosity, oral hygiene and tooth density.
Will my fillings, crowns, veneers change colour?
No, sometimes you may need to change some of these after whitening.
Is there any pain or discomfort?
Rarely there is a little sensitivity but you will be supplied with desensitising swabs and tooth serum toothpaste to last throughout the process.
How long does it take?
It takes a few days to make your customised trays after your dentist has taken impressions. You then whiten for fourteen consecutive nights at home and then have your in-surgery appointment as soon as possible, usually within two days.
How long does it last?
Results can last indefinitely with some good oral hygiene and maintenance. Diet and poor oral hygiene will affect how long the results las. You can continue to purchase single syringes of home whitening gel to use with your customised trays to maintain the level of whiteness you want or to ‘top-up’ at any time.
Is it safe?
Completely. The materials used in Whitening have been used in dentistry for over 100 years.
Veneers are an option for creating a brand-new straight white smile. They’re thin porcelain shells fixed onto the outer surface of the teeth to improve their colour and hide any defects like mottling, cracks or severe discoloration. A precise shade can be chosen to match your natural teeth.
Veneers can also be used to improve the shape and positioning of the teeth – narrow or peg shaped teeth, small gaps or slightly misaligned positioning can all be disguised.
“I’m absolutely thrilled with the end result of my treatment from Miss Gibney. I can smile again!”
ER
Facial aesthetics treatments can improve your confidence by giving you a fresher more youthful appearance. We have extensive experience in this field, and offer the latest facial aesthetics techniques including Anti-Wrinkle Injections and Dermal Fillers.
Consultation
The opportunity to get to know each other, what you want to achieve, discuss together what is possible and ensure we share the same vision for your end results. There is no pressure to go ahead with any treatments but a consultation is best way to get answers and advice you are looking for.
Anti-Wrinkle Injections
Anti wrinkle injections can subtly enhance your appearance to give a more youthful look through relaxing the facial muscles, smoothing the appearance of wrinkles which naturally occur naturally with age and helping to prevent further ageing of the skin. Areas of treatment include the forehead lines, frown lines and lines around the eyes (crows feet).
Also botox can be placed where appropriate for:
- Gummy Smile
- Lip Flip / smokers lines
- Bunny Lines
- Puckered chin
- Nefertiti lift
Hyperhydrosis
Excessive sweating may disrupt normal daily activities and can cause social anxiety and embarrassment. Botox injections may be used to treat excessive axillary sweating and results last 9-12 months.
Profhilo / Skin boosters
An injectable skin remodelling treatment containing one of the highest concentrations of hyaluronic acid on the market. It is designed to improve skin laxity and promotes the restoration of firmness, tone and elasticity of tissues.
Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers can be used to plump out lines and wrinkles that occur with age, to help restore a fuller and more youthful complexion. Areas of treatment include the nasolabial folds (‘smile lines’) and marionette lines (corners of the mouth).
Lip enhancement – Lip fillers can help restore shape, volume and structure to the lips.
Cheeks / Jawline / Chin – Dermal fillers are an excellent way to shape and adjust to a more satisfactory profile and restore lost volume.
Dissolve – Hyaluronidase is the enzyme used to break down the hyaluronic acid found in dermal filler
Many different types of dermal fillers are available. Our experienced practitioners will be happy to talk to you about your options.
Composite bonding is a cosmetic technique where a type of tooth coloured dental material is bonded to your teeth. It is shaped and moulded to give the appearance of straighter teeth. It can be used to treat patients with chips in their teeth or small gaps.
Dentures are a great option when crowns, bridges or implants are impractical or inadvisable due to medical or dental complications. They are made to look just like your natural teeth so that little change in appearance is noticeable (unless you ask for it, to make your teeth look better!).
- Dentures can be used to replace one tooth or any number up to a full set of twelve
- Having a technician on site enables us to tackle complex treatments and aesthetic issues.
- We also offer a same day denture repair service.
“I just wanted to say thank you for my new teeth. They are so comfortable, so much so, I went out for lunch the same day and enjoyed every bite with no problem. I am a very happy lady, smiling without fear of them dropping down.”
J
