It can happen to the best of us; we are going about our regular daily routine when suddenly, we are hit with a bout of dental pain that knocks us backwards.
At Plowman & Partners, we are often concerned by how few of or patients are aware of which situations warrant an emergency appointment with one of our dentists in Marylebone. We have compiled a list of our most commonly seen dental emergencies with conditions and scenarios that should be treated as an emergency, to help you identify when you, or a loved one, needs same day treatment.
Intense pain
Pain is a somewhat subjective experience, but if you are worried about the level of discomfort you are feeling, it may be time to see your dentist in Marylebone.
Dental pain that requires urgent treatment is sharp, stabbing or throbbing in its intensity, leaving the area around the tooth feeling bruised or extremely tender to touch, it may also react painfully to any pressure.
It is important to contact us for a same day appointment in this instance, as it may indicate an infection, which requires urgent treatment.
Lost filling or crown
Nothing lasts forever and our dentists in Marylebone are used to seeing patients who have lost fillings or crowns, almost on a daily basis.
It is important to note that a lost filling or crown may not be painful, so it is worth checking that all of your fillings and crowns are present and stable as part of your daily dental routine.
Sudden swelling
Swelling of the face, tongue, gum or inner cheek requires urgent medical attention, even if you are in no discomfort.
Though it is unlikely to have a pain free abscess, it is possible under a tooth that has had a root canal, so it is worth checking with a member of our dental team just to be sure. Other possibilities include an allergic reaction or periodontal disease, which need to be identified and treated as soon as possible.
Cracked or chipped tooth
If you are into contact sports or are prone to falling, you may experience a chipped or cracked tooth.
When this occurs, it is vital that you book a same day dental appointment and if possible, save any fragments of teeth in a container, soaking in milk.
A cracked or chipped tooth requires repair and delaying this can lead to the crack or chip deepening. It can also be a gateway for bacteria to attack the pulp of your tooth, which can cause a very unpleasant infection in the long term.
Unusual lumps
If you notice a lump anywhere in your mouth, do not wait until your next check-up.
An unusual lump in your mouth may be indicative of oral cancer, which is more likely if you smoke. Contact our dental team for an emergency appointment as soon as you notice any strange lumps or bumps.
At Plowman & Partners dental surgery, we know how important your smile is to you.
In the modern world, we are bombarded with images of the Hollywood elite with their perfectly straight, white smiles; if you are not blessed with a similar smile naturally, it can make you feel less confident.
Luckily, due to an increased demand, many dental surgeries are now able to bring the glamour of Hollywood to you and can offer you many cosmetic options when it comes to your teeth.
At Plowman & Partners, our dentist in Marylebone is proud to be able to provide our patients with a range of different cosmetic options, to leave them with the gorgeous smile they deserve.
Our team of dentists in Marylebone have listed our most popular cosmetic procedures, to help you decide which treatment may be best suited to your individual needs.
Dental implants
Perfect for restorative dental work, if you have a few teeth or many teeth missing, implants are a suitable alternative to dentures.
Fitted to your jaw by our dentist in Marylebone, implants provide an immovable way to fill gaps in your smile, while also restoring functionality to your mouth.
Porcelain veneers
Do you need whiter teeth for an upcoming wedding? Do you have a minor gap in your smile?
Porcelain veneers offer a quick way to whiten your teeth and can be adapted to cover any minor gaps, cracks or chips in your smile. Similar to an acrylic nail, veneers are fitted over the front of your teeth, providing you with an instant boost to your smile in a timely manner.
White fillings
Once considered somewhat of an eyesore by many, at Plowman & Partners, we are able to offer our patients a combination of restorative and cosmetic treatment with our white, composite fillings.
Eliminating the appearance of the filling, our team will also shape the composite, to restore a more natural look to your teeth, regardless of the tooth’s position in your mouth.
Porcelain crowns
When you need a bit more than a filling and need a bit more restoration, our team are able to provide you with a porcelain crown, to restore your teeth and give a more natural look.
If you want something a bit more extravagant, our team are also happy to fit you with a gold crown.
Fitted bridges
Our team at Plowman and Partners provide a full range of bridgework, which may include the use of dental implants.
Alternatively, if you do not want to have dental implants fitted, we are able to offer you a fitted bridge, which secures a partial denture in place by anchoring the prosthesis onto neighbouring teeth. However, this will require these teeth to be prepared and fitted with crowns to ensure that the bridge stays firmly in place.
Whether you are looking for dental implants or just want your teeth whitened, Plowman and Partners can help!
You’re never too old to have a little touch-up work done, especially on your teeth. Thanks to improvements in modern dentistry over the years, we now have a multitude of options for treatment to help your smile last longer.
If you’re interested in buffing up those pearly whites, then here’s a few cosmetic treatments that our dentist in Marylebone can offer you.
Dental implants
First up on the list is our dental implantation procedure. This involves the fitting of a prosthetic tooth, either porcelain or ceramic, into the section of your gum line that needs improving. This can be done to fill in gaps or to replace cracked teeth and those that are damaged beyond repair.
We use a sterile Titanium screw to bond the tooth to your jawbone and, over time, the bone cavity should heal back over the inserted prosthetic to help create a sturdy natural looking replacement.
Crowns
Next on our list of cosmetic procedures, available from our dentist in Marylebone, is crowns. We use a prosthetic cap to entirely cover your tooth. Primarily we use it for covering damage, but it can also be used to strengthen or aesthetically improve the look of your teeth.
At Plowman and Partners Private Dentistry, our talented team will provide a range of natural looking crowns to give you a more natural looking smile.
Veneers
Similar to crowns, veneers are a prosthetic cap that we use to cover up cracks, chips, damage and staining that can build up on your teeth over time. First, we will normally remove a layer of enamel from your teeth and, inside this little divot, we will fit the cap into place with an adhesive, that is later cured and solidified to keep the new cover in place.
It’s a relatively non-invasive procedure, but there can be some mild discomfort during the enamel removal stage.
Whitening
If you want to get that Hollywood white smile, then you can’t go wrong with a whitening session from one of our team. We provide in practice sessions or kits to use at home if your schedule isn’t free for an appointment.
Invisible braces
Last on our list is our invisible braces. These are essentially a custom moulded see-through brace that places a small but gentle amount of pressure onto your teeth. Over time this will cause the crooked parts to realign themselves in a straighter position.
The process of being fitted for these braces is pretty high-tech, as we will use LEDs or lasers to map out the topography of your teeth. We will then use this to create a 3D image of your teeth that we can manipulate to show you how we will realign the specific area being worked on.
This is then used to create a mouthguard that you will have to wear for around 12 months, as your teeth start to straighten out.
These are just a few of the various cosmetic treatments we have available at our practice. Just ask one of our team on your next visit to see how we can help you improve that smile.
In our practice we have plenty of great treatments to offer, and each one can help you improve your smile in its own way. From gaps to cracks, or crooked teeth, we have a solution for a wide range of problems. One of our treatments that our dentist in Marylebone might recommend for patients with damaged or gap filled teeth is implants.
Here is a quick summary of what you can expect with this treatment.
Brief summary
This treatment is fairly simple and involves the insertion of a prosthetic tooth; usually made of ceramics or porcelain, below your gum line and into your jawbone. We use a sterile Titanium screw to attach the new tooth, and then over time, the displaced bone should naturally heal back over the screw to provide a solid base for the implanted tooth.
Outline of treatment
Generally, this procedure tends to be pretty quick and our dentist in Marylebone will walk you through the process in an easy to understand manner during your initial consultation. Afterwards, an inspection and cleaning may be done of the area, followed by a quick casting and shade matching. This is done to allow us to craft a prosthetic that is going to seamlessly blend in with your surrounding teeth.
This information will then be used to create a new fake tooth, or teeth if it’s a bridge implant, and we will insert it through a relatively fast minor surgery, using local anaesthetic to numb the area in order to provide minimal discomfort.
Afterwards you’re free to go home, although you may want to have transport sorted first, as the anaesthetic will impair your ability to drive or safely ride public transport. So, ask someone to give you a lift or book a taxi.
At Plowman and Partners Private Dentistry, our team will perform your implantation in a quick, safe and professional manner to leave you with a smile you will love to show off.
Keeping your implant clean
After leaving the practice, it’s important that you keep your implant clean, to allow for the healing process to progress uninterrupted, and to avoid infection like Peri Implant Mucositis. This is an inflammation of the implanted area and can lead to degradation of the bone if it’s left untreated.
Generally, we recommend that you practice a normal brushing routine, but be careful with how hard you press the toothbrush. Too much pressure could dislodge the implant or impede your gums natural ability to heal. The same applies for floss; avoid pulling too deep on the floss and don’t go too near your gum line.
For mouthwash users, we advise that you avoid using it if you can, or try to use weaker strength brands, as the chemicals can irritate your gums.
Finally, your mouth is going to be a little sensitive for a while after the surgery, and you may feel some discomfort eating hot and cold meals. This will pass after it becomes fully healed, but you can use painkillers to help during this.
These are just a few of the interesting reasons our patients pop by for implants. If you’re interested in seeing what they can do for you, then check in with our team on your next appointment.
It’s no secret that we all sometimes get nervous when visiting our dental practice for treatment. Here, at Plowman and Partners Private Dentistry, we try our best to be non-invasive with our treatments, and understand that many of our patients may suffer anxiety at the thought of someone poking around in their mouth. With that in mind, here’s a few tips from us on how you can keep calm when you stop by our dentist in Marylebone.
Listen to music
One of our first tips for staying calm, when visiting our dentist in Marylebone, is to just listen to some of your favourite tunes. Having that familiar thumping track in your ears can distract you and calm you down when things are getting a little too much.
Although we do recommend that you try to avoid any loud electronic music, dubstep or heavy metal, as the fast tempo of their beats can get your heart rate skyrocketing. Try swapping this for some gentle or classical music, the lower the tempo the more calming it will be.
Communicate with our team
Perhaps the most important tip that we can provide is about the importance of communicating with our team, especially if you find that you’re struggling. Take a few minutes before your procedure to talk with our staff; not only will this help you feel more relaxed, but it gets everyone on the same page, to make the upcoming treatment experience a little smoother.
If your anxiety is getting the better of you, then a simple hand gesture will also suffice. The key is to be as communicative as you can; we can’t read your mind, so you have to let us know.
At Plowman and Partners Private Dentistry, our team will work with you to go at a pace that suits you. After all, we want you to have a calm, quick and professional experience with us.
Bring in a soft plush
Although it may seem kind of strange to bring in a plush to the practice, having something familiar and fluffy from home is a great way to stay calm during your treatment. We’re generally happy with anything you bring in, as long as it isn’t too large or will get in the way of us doing our job efficiently.
Practice calming breathing techniques
One of the biggest side-effects of feeling anxious, is that your system becomes flushed with Adrenaline. That’s why many nervous patients can experience shaking, sweating and a panicked feeling, because the Adrenal gland is working overtime to get you through a stressful situation.
To counteract this, we recommend you try meditative breathing techniques; these oversaturate your body with oxygen, which allows it to break down the Adrenaline much quicker. Just keep breathing slowly for a few minutes and you should eventually feel yourself start to calm back down.
So, if you’re feeling nervous about that upcoming appointment, or are just looking for a few stress-busting tips, then try keeping a few of these helpful hints in mind to make your next visit to the practice a relaxing one. Hopefully, they should help it become a calm experience, that will leave you with a fantastic looking smile.
Some of us do not have the time to undergo lengthy cosmetic dental treatments in order to obtain the smile that we desire. Should it be a major treatment, such as veneers or teeth straightening, then of course we take time out of our busy schedules to ensure that we are available to make these drastic changes to our smile.
For smaller treatments however, by being able to do the treatment at home yourself, there is a great advantage meaning you do not need to spend time in the practice unnecessarily.
Teeth whitening is a very popular and successful procedure. Many patients enjoy whitening their teeth before a special occasion or simply to make them feel more confident with their smile.
Your dentist in Marylebone is able to determine whether your smile is suitable for teeth whitening. We take a look at the condition of your teeth and determine the level of staining they each have. Staining can be from a number of things and some people’s teeth just tend to discolour much easier than others.
A trip to the hygienist may be recommended in order to obtain ideal results. Some discolouration can be due to a build-up of plaque and the harder-to-remove tartar. Only with specialised tools can we, your dentist in Marylebone remove these coatings and reveal the healthy white teeth underneath.
After a scale and polish, many of our patients find that their teeth appear to be brighter and whiter simply from this. By adding a teeth whitening treatment shortly after this procedure, the results can be astounding.
Teeth are stained by certain foods and drinks, smoking and other lifestyle habits. These stains can generally be removed with the use of a bleaching agent that is applied to the outer surface of your teeth. Other discolourations from dental procedures may not be able to be removed and a porcelain veneer may be offered by us to protect and cover up the tooth in question.
What happens if it is deemed OK for me to proceed?
Should we believe that we can make a significantly positive change to the colour of your teeth, then we will create a custom-made tray for you so that the bleaching agent is able to be applied to every surface of your teeth evenly.
You can choose whether you want to have the treatment done by us in the practice or you can take another version that is specifically designed for home use home with you. You can use the at home whitening kit overnight as it is a diluted version of the bleaching agent that we use in practice.
The effects are the same, it is just the amount of time that you can safely leave the whitening gel on your teeth that is the difference.
After you have completed your teeth whitening experience, we often suggest to our patients that you consider using a whitening toothpaste. The elements in the toothpaste consistently remove stains, allowing you to enjoy your pearly white smile for longer. Whatever you decide, come and speak to your dentist in Marylebone for the best advice.
We aim to provide you with an all round oral health care that leaves you with a healthy mouth that will stand the test of time, with you being confident and proud to share your smile.
For some people, this means a simple biannual check-up with a scale and polish to keep at bay any build-up of plaque and tartar that has not been able to be removed through standard at home oral hygiene methods. With the implementation of specialised tools that can only be found at a dentist in Marylebone these deposits can be removed efficiently.
Other people may have avoided us for several months or even years and as a result, some issues of the tooth and gum have slipped by unnoticed. This may mean that some restorative work is needed in order to maintain the health of a tooth. Even if your teeth are not causing you pain, you may find that decay is eating away at your teeth which can lead to many serious, detrimental effects.
We, your dentists in Marylebone will be able to identify any issues that you may have with the use of specialised and highly advanced technology that we have available at our practice. It has become common practice for us to use the latest in high magnification and lighting to be able to find even the smallest signs of decay within your teeth.
Digital scanners allow us to reduce the impact that X-rays have on your body, however slight they may be, as we understand that patients are concerned about radiation exposure and rightly so. Even with education regarding the impact of a dental X-ray showing it to be minimal, we still understand and so have welcomed technology advances that result in less exposure.
For those of you who are pregnant, it is very important that you come in to see us as hormones can play a big part in changing the integral structure of your teeth. Morning sickness can also contribute to enamel erosion and many women find that they develop pregnancy tumors in the second trimester which usually are found on the gums and are non threatening.
We take extra precautions taking X-rays on pregnant women, placing protective screens on your thyroid and abdomen. We are extremely sensitive to any dental fear and concern and do our absolute utmost to make you feel heard, understood and respected.
There is no judgement coming from any one of our staff members and we are simply here to ensure that you receive a level of care that is above and beyond. The health of your smile is important to us, it contributes to your overall health and well-being in ways that we don’t even know or understand yet.
We hope that you understand the importance of frequently visiting your dentist so that they can monitor any changes that occur within your mouth. By getting onto any conditions early, there is a much greater likelihood that we will be able to halt a condition in its tracks. This means that less restorative work is needed. Prevention is known to be the best cure and we wholeheartedly believe this as your dentists in Marylebone.
A lot of us are not entirely happy with how our smile looks. There may be a few unique kinks and curves that over the years you have told yourself that you love, but there is always that nagging self-conscious doubt that leads you to feel like people are judging you on your smile.
Unfortunately, first impressions are important and research continually suggests that bad teeth lead people to assume that you are less intelligent, less trustworthy and less attractive to your straight, white teeth counterparts. There is some evidence to say that someone with a healthy, straight and white smile may get the job over another person, should it come down to a 50/50 decision.
In order to improve your self-confidence as well as the potential unconscious respect of others, it is important that you look after your entire health and well-being. This can start with your mouth. Your dentist in Marylebone would be happy to meet you during an initial consultation to find out what your dental desires and potential concerns may be regarding a plan of action in restoring and repairing your smile to discover it’s natural beauty.
Your cosmetic dentist in Marylebone has the desire and natural talent to discover the true beauty that is within every person’s unique and natural smile. Rather than take this away, a truly talented professional will correct what needs to be corrected whilst enhancing your natural attributes.
You may wish to have uniform, picture perfect, white teeth and this is generally the case. Porcelain veneers are a brilliant way in allowing patients to have celebrity style teeth in a matter of just a few appointments.
These smile makeovers can be subtly altered to fit your unique style should you with them to be, with a magnitude of different looks achievable. By sitting down and speaking with one of us, we can explain to you the subtle nuances that make a smile look natural compared to one that does not.
Size, shape and colour are but a few of the small details that we pay close attention to. Should you want just one veneer, then it is even more important to ensure that this shell is matched very closely to your natural teeth in order for it to look natural and in place.
Are there other treatments that can be applied?
There are so many different treatments available for each and every one of our patients. We work to a bespoke system, creating treatment plans that are individually tailored to meet your specific and unique needs. This means that you could be receiving several different treatments in order to obtain the final, perfect result that you have been seeking.
From teeth whitening to teeth straightening and everything in between, we are here to hold your hand and guide you through every step of the way. We invite you to our dentist in Marylebone where sincerity, compassion and a non judgemental attitude is the foundation of our services. We are here to let you see the true positive energy that is within your smile.
Thanks to improvements in the way we look after your teeth there are now a lot of high-tech methods at our disposal to help you try to improve your smile. One such technique that we highly recommend at Plowman & Partners is the use of clear braces.
What are clear braces?
Although they may sound extremely technical, they are basically a small see-through brace that we fit to your mouth to help with crooked teeth. Then over time we swap them for one that fits a little differently around every 2 weeks and this should slowly realign your teeth to more aesthetically pleasing positions within your mouth.
The treatment process
Being fitted for one of these braces is a fairly simple and stress-free process. When you come in for your first appointment with a dentist in Marylebone, we will take a series of scans of your mouth. Then using these images, a 3D representation of your teeth will be created. Using this picture, we can manipulate misaligned teeth to show you what your smile will be like when we’re finished.
From there a brace will be made that will fit your mouth with a gentle amount of force still being applied to your teeth. Then over time your brace will change and your teeth should slowly start to move into their new positions.
What are the benefits?
There are numerous positives to be gained from this treatment by your dentist in Marylebone.
As an example, because the brace is clear you will be able to feel less self-conscious about wearing orthodontic gear out in public. The apparatus is also easy to clean and maintain. We recommend you use a small amount of brace cleaning solution mixed with water that’s then lightly scrubbed across the surface of the brace. You should clean it at least once every two days to remove bacterial build up and to help reduce staining of the brace.
The mouthpiece can also be removed if it’s starting to become too uncomfortable, although you should only do this for short periods. The brace needs to be in your mouth for a minimum of 22 hours a day, if you take it out for too long you could potentially damage the realignment process.
There’s also no leftover dental goop or gagging involved when you’re fitted for the brace as the process just involves lasers or LEDs to map out your teeth.
Post appointment tips
After leaving your dentist in Marylebone there are a few things to keep in mind to make sure your realignment goes smoothly.
First, there is going to be some discomfort involved when wearing this apparatus as it is moving your teeth. Most patients have described feeling “pressure” in their mouth, but we recommend using over the counter pain relief to combat this whenever it gets too uncomfortable. And second, the treatment can take up to 12 months so you need to be patient and not remove the brace as it can impact your teeth’s progress.
Keeping a healthy smile can be difficult and over time things like cracks, staining and general wear and tear on the enamel occurs which makes maintaining that gorgeous grin harder.
However, through proper orthodontic treatments you can make your smile look a little brighter for a bit longer. One such treatment that you should consider are veneers, offered at our Plowman and Partners private dentist practice these are a good way to cover up staining or damage to your teeth.
Here’s a rough outline of what you can expect.
What are veneers?
For those that are not familiar with them, they are basically a small bit of porcelain that’s been matched in colour and shape to your teeth which is then placed over the area that’s being cosmetically corrected. Your dentist in Marylebone will normally offer this to cover the likes of chips, cracks and gaps. The cap is also custom moulded to blend in with your mouth and fixed with an adhesive to keep it in place.
Is the procedure painful?
The biggest concern patients have is if a procedure is going to cause any pain and rightly so, the mouth is a very sensitive part of the body. With veneers there is a chance you may feel a small amount of discomfort. This is normally when the dentist is removing a tiny part of enamel from your teeth to create a space for the porcelain cap.
How long does it take?
Another big question patients have is how long they’re going to be sitting in the chair at the practice. Luckily it’s not an overly long procedure and you should find that it takes around 30 minutes or so to have a cap fitted. Although, if there’s more than one area being altered it could take up to several hours. But, this is normally something your dentist in Marylebone will discuss with you first to make sure you have time for the treatment.
Benefits of veneers
For those that are still unsure, there are numerous benefits to having veneer treatments performed. The biggest of which is the self-confidence boost it provides by giving you those lovely pearly whites you deserve.
There’s also the fact that the caps are durable and don’t require a lot of maintenance, just brush them as you would the rest of your teeth. Although, be careful not to apply too much force with the brush as you could dislodge the cap. The same goes for flossing, avoid pulling too hard or deep as it could damage the veneer.
Being so easy to maintain means you won’t have to attend multiple appointments for a follow up on your progress. Although, you should still book a check-up every 6 months just to keep an eye on things or to see if you require further treatments.
Hopefully this has answered a few of your queries about veneers. There are a lot of benefits to having them, so ask your dentist in Marylebone about them on your next appointment.