Fast Acting Treatments To Improve Your Teeth In Bedford

If your teeth are showing wear or damage, how can you restore them quickly and effectively?

For some patients, there might come a time when they suddenly realise how much they have neglected their teeth. This doesn’t always happen when they find themselves in pain either. The realisation might have been due to a glance in the mirror, or the less than discrete look of disappointment in a prospective date’s face.

Long term neglect of the teeth and gums could potentially mean a longish treatment period. Understandably, patients in this situation would prefer things to happen much faster. With this in mind, let us take a look at what any of our Bedford patients can do to make improvements in their smile as soon as possible.

First of all….

Most of us have the tendency to self diagnose a number of things. We might think that a cracked tooth might need to be extracted or a stained tooth is going to stay that way as it is too far gone. Quite often, this is a long way from the truth and the only way to find out is to book into The Dental Centre Bedford to have an examination of your teeth and gums carried out by a dentist. By doing this, we can make an action plan and start the process of helping you.

Fillings and crowns

The first step is most likely to take care of the more common restorations. Cavities or decay will need to be treated. This is a routine dental treatment that involves the use of either amalgam or tooth coloured dental fillings. These are usually quick and straightforward with the procedure being carried out using a local anaesthetic. In more significant cases, a crown may need to be used to restore a tooth to a functional state. Extractions can hopefully be avoided, but there are quick replacement options such as dentures if speed is a priority.

Where fillings are needed, it is fair to say that if you are looking to improve the appearance of your teeth, it is best to use white teeth fillings instead of amalgam. There are also, of course, cosmetic dental treatments that can help to improve the smile but there is one step in between that is worth taking.

Scale and polish

Although this treatment is specifically designed to improve the health of your gums and remove hardened tartar from the teeth and gum line, it can also be reasonably effective at removing some surface staining from the teeth, making them appear whiter than before. This is a fast acting first step that can also help you to avoid gum disease.

Small restorations

One popular way to restore the appearance of teeth that have perhaps suffered from small chips or cracks is to use cosmetic bonding. This is a non-invasive treatment and is like a putty that is placed on the affected area and shaped, smoothed and hardened to restore the tooth. In some cases, we might suggest that dental veneers would provide a longer lasting solution. Each case is different though and we will discuss these options with you.

After the fillings etc and a scale and polish, you might wish to re-assess and, if still not happy with your smile, consider some of the faster acting cosmetic treatments we have at our Bedford dental clinic.

Teeth whitening

One of the quickest acting treatments that we have available is the extremely popular tooth whitening procedure. This is ideal for those whose teeth are mild to moderately stained and who would like to restore them to a natural whiteness again.

We will need to check the health of your teeth and gums before we administer this treatment. There is little to no point in whitening teeth that are decaying or where gum disease is present. If there are no issues though, we will discuss with you your aims and what you hope to achieve. The treatment can be adjusted to provide a level of whiteness that you are happy with. Some patients prefer as white as possible whereas others prefer a smaller and perhaps more natural looking improvement. It is up to you, within the limits of what is possible with this treatment.

We will take impressions of your teeth which are used to produce trays that the whitening gel will be placed into. This is important as it not only makes the experience more comfortable but reduces the risk of the gel coming into contact with the gums, potentially causing some discomfort. You will then be given the gel along with instructions on how to use it. Generally, you will wear these trays at home for a few hours each day to allow the gel to do its work. You should expect some improvement after a week or so and the full effects after around two weeks.

For more severely stained teeth, dental veneers may be a more appropriate solution. Again, these can be attached quite quickly.

Orthodontics (braces)

This is an issue that usually takes longer to correct. Uneven and crooked teeth have to be returned to their natural position very gently. Putting too much pressure on a tooth to ‘push’ it into position would be likely to damage it and the bone beneath it. Many orthodontic treatments take over a year to succeed, but there are some situations that can be resolved in a much shorter time. If you want to have straighter teeth, we recommend that you talk to us so that we can discuss the best way forward.

Where very small gaps appear between the teeth, cosmetic bonding may be able to be used to restore the appearance. The solution might just be quicker than you think.

If you suddenly find that you are fed up with the way that your teeth look but don’t want to spend years having these issues sorted, why not contact The Dental Centre Bedford for an initial appointment and assessment? You might be surprised how quickly we can restore your smile. To make an appointment with us, please call our dental practice team on 01234 819868 today.