Unsung Heroes #1: The Technician

The latest ten year survey of dental health in the UK shows what we all kind of know - more people are keeping their teeth for longer. Which is great if you're one of them.

But if you're not one of those fortunate people and have missing teeth, what do you do? Most of us have got, or have known, elderly relatives who went to their dentists and had false teeth made.

But here's a trade secret - the dentist didn't "make" them.

The dentist did check the mouth, plan the treatment, take the impressions and the measurements, did dictate the aesthetics and check the results, but actually they worked with a Dental Technician who crafted the final result. And it is these latter Heroes I want to give a big Up to today.

Dental technicians make precision stuff that we can't make in the surgery.

So that might be :

• Acrylic teeth to replace your missing teeth, from one tooth to a whole mouthful.
• Gumshields to protect your teeth when thumping round a rugby field.
• Ceramic teeth and veneers to create your fantastic new smile.
• Highly technical bits of precision engineering to sit on top of your new dental implants.
• Braces to straighten your teeth.
• Splints and plates to fix fractured facial bones.
• Mouth appliances to relieve your headaches.
• Bleaching trays to whiten your teeth.

And some of them have studied long hours to be qualified to actually make dentures directly for patients.

And they are in the most part entirely dependent on those prima donnas called dentists for their living and they run their own businesses to boot. Its not easy!

I can assure you, they're good. A bit like secret jewellers. Massive advances in dental technology, more post qualification training, new ways of team working, and more face time with the patient have pushed back the limits of the possible and its an exciting field to be in right now.

I have the pleasure of working with some fantastic technicians, locally and nationally, who produce little marvels on a daily basis. One of whom is in Carlisle and was in surgery with me yesterday working on a denture project with a patient. Its looking very, very good and we should be seeing a great result in a week or so. If you're interested, take a look at Rob Taggart's website:

http://www.roberttaggartdentallaboratory.co.uk/

...and lets not forget Steve, Andy, Melvyn, Lee, and all the others - thank you!

York Place Tips: Spit - Don't Rinse!

Most people use toothpaste when they clean their teeth (you'd be surprised how many don't......).

Most people are aware that there's usually some fluoride in there, along with little cleaning granules and some minty flavour.

Most toothpastes even have something to kill mouth bugs and some have stuff that stops sensitivity.

Some even claim to whiten your teeth - which they don't, so save your cash.

But none of the above works if it doesn't have time to soak in to your teeth. So, it follows that the toothpaste must remain in contact with your teeth long enough to have the desired effect. Even if you do brush for the recommended two lots of two minutes twice daily, you won't get the benefit if you then take a big old mouthful of water and rinse it all down the sink - think about it!

So - spit the excess toothpaste out at the end of brushing, but don't rinse! Better still, make sure your toothbrush is the last thing that goes through your mouth before you hit the sack.

Does that make sense?

The Power of Plastic...

Over the years, I've found that most people are genuinely surprised at what a dentist can do for them - right when they don't expect it.

At events where maybe we've been promoting our more "headline" services - such as tooth whitening and invisible braces - we also get into conversations about things which we don't realise that people don't know about and as a profession maybe take for granted......

So, heres an example: Invisible repairs to teeth.

How many people do I end up talking to whilst having to force myself to look at the floor, because they've got an alleged white filling on a front tooth that is the colour of vegetable soup and in dire need of retirement?

If this is you - rejoice - it needn't be like that. Neither do you need wall to wall veneers or a remortgage. You know how you can get stone chips in your windscreen fixed with that big sucky thing and some clever clear resin? I think its someone like Autoglass.....Well, this the toothey equivalent - we can repair the damaged bits and leave what is good well alone.

I spent an great day with a superb teacher in London last week building teeth, which to me is about as good as it gets - yes, sad I know. If you're brave you can check out the pic on my FB page: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=62792&id=100000194880472&l=79d3fd0f7b

Using the latest plastic resin techniques, built up in tiny layers with coloured tints and spots to mimic tooth structure, we made the teeth of 20 year olds, of 50 year olds, and 70 year olds. All different, all constructed to reflect the effects of time on our little enamel friends.

The benefit? Simply that a properly trained dentist can make good the bits of a natural tooth that are missing or damaged, leaving the good bits alone - and you can't see the join.

I don't refer this work as "doing fillings" - its art.

How does that sound?

Teeth and tarmac don't mix....

A young lad , lets call him Zak, came in as an emergency with his mum this afternoon.

Zak’s eleven, and he’d taken a flyer over a skipping rope at dinnertime. Sadly, the inevitable impact was right on the end of one of his top front adult teeth, and the tooth snapped.

The school rang mum, and she quickly phoned us. Within an hour he was with me and we did what we needed to do.

We fixed the broken bit – you can’t see the join. Importantly we repaired the damaged nerve, which was there for all to see in all its glory and not a Good Thing at all. Zak didn’t complain because he didn’t feel a thing…..

Mum was distraught but bravely hiding it. After we’d finished, and no doubt feeling all the guilt that mothers feel in situations like this, she asked me what would happen to Zak’s tooth in the future.

I said that it’s not certain, but the chances of the tooth recovering, remaining healthy and staying put for life were massively improved by the quick actions of both the school and mum. She cheered up and smiled.

So:

If you have a kid who falls over and cracks a tooth, or worse, knocks it out – remember this:

If the tooth is right out, be brave, put it right back in the socket and get to your dentist fast.

If the tooth’s not out, but has snapped – get to your dentist fast – the nerve might just be damaged.

Nuff said