Dentistry.ie Blog – dental tips & advice from our dentists in Dublin & Kilkenny

What is composite bonding?

Composite Bonding makes use of special composite material to smooth and patch over imperfections in your teeth such as chips, gaps, and rough edges. In some cases, If this is performed by a highly skilled practitioner, this can create the illusion of perfectly straight teeth and may even mitigate the need for an orthodontist. Composite bonding isn’t suitable for every case but it may be a solution for those who want to avoid wearing braces.

It can also benefit you by strengthening chipped and worn-out teeth.

How is it done?

A special tooth-coloured composite material we call resin is used to polish over the teeth. Composite materials have been around for almost 40 years. In this space of time, through improvement via chemistry and nanoengineering, the composite materials have become if not identical, a superb mimic of human enamel. In a lot of situations, real teeth and composite bonding can be indistinguishable.

What are the benefits?

• Improve the appearance of your smile quickly
• Long lasting – a dental bond can last up to 10 years
• Retain the health and natural structure of your tooth
• Can usually be completed in just one appointment
• Predictable aesthetic and functional results
• No drilling of the tooth is necessary and therefore no injection is required.
• It’s pain-free
• Future treatment options are wide and varied in most cases. Failure is rare and very easy to fix.
• Suitable for patients of all ages with good dental and gum health.

Prices

• ‍Composite Bonding from €180
• Easy Finance / Progressive Credit Union Link

Before & Afters

“The kids think going to the dentist is a treat now with all the stickers you gave them. No fear of dentists here!” - Cathy Monaghan

IMPORTANCE OF DENTAL CHECK-UP

The standard check-up is the simplest of all dental procedures and provides the dentist with some key information which can then be used to tailor a customised treatment plan to the individual patient.

Whether it is your first visit in years or your regular check-up and clean appointment, the basic principles remain the same. We will do a thorough check of your lips and mouth for any signs of oral cancer in our oral cancer screening, exam the jaw joint and muscles, before moving on to examining the stars of the show, your teeth and gums.

We may take some X-rays to have a more detailed look at your teeth, their roots, and the bone around them, as well as checking fillings and other past dental treatment in a variety of other investigations.

How often we need a dental check-up is specific to each person but generally, every 6 months is advised. In this way, we can keep on top of your oral health and oral hygiene and anticipate any problems and deal with them before they arise, rather than down the line when things can get more complicated.

The check-up gives us a great foundation to form a treatment plan to get your mouth back to full fighting health. This may take a number of visits and involve different treatment options, or it may be as straightforward as a good cleaning to remove some tartar, plaque and superficial staining.

Our aim is to make your dental check-up as comfortable and meticulous as possible to ensure you have a successful and happy experience.

Dental Implants

Durable, long-lasting and natural in their appearance, dental implants are the most modern method of replacing missing teeth.

The procedure involves fitting an implant which is usually made of titanium, into the bone of the jaw. It is important that we have enough bone in the area and that this bone is of good quality. If this is not the case, a procedure called bone augmentation can be used, to help build up the bone levels prior to the implant procedure.

We then allow time for the bone to heal and grow in around the implant. The implant can now hold a single false tooth called an implant crown in place. This is generally the best way of replacing a missing tooth. Implants can also be used to hold multiple false teeth (an implant bridge) or to fix a full denture in place. An implant supported denture has advantages over a standard denture in that it can greatly increase the biting force. Also it won’t cover the roof of the mouth in the way that a traditional denture would.

Procedure time will depend on how many implants you’re having. It’s possible to have several implants fitted in the same procedure.

Dental implants are usually fitted under local anaesthesia. If you’re feeling nervous about the procedure we can arrange for you to have some sedation. Both nitrous oxide and intravenous sedation options are available.

At Sundrive Dental and Implant Clinic our implants are fitted by our specialist oral surgeon. If you’re interested in making an appointment to discuss implants or for an implant assessment give us a call.

01 443 8884