Frequently asked questions

It is a well known fact that 9 out of 10 patients do not relish a visit to the dentist. Making this a priority we have created a relaxing, comfortable environment in which to provide your dental care.

We are committed to continuous improvement and always looking to implement changes that will further benefit the patients.

All our staff are highly experienced and work as a team to ensure smooth transition from introduction to our practice to achieving your ultimate dental fitness.

A to Z of dental care is offered at our practice, from the basics of making you ‘dentally fit’ free of disease to taking it a step further with cosmetic dentistry to give you the smile you want & deserve.

All options are discussed. The cost with written estimates are given in advance. You are then left to decide for yourself the best option that you would like to pursue.

Evolution has not been perfect and it certainly did not count on human beings in a very short period exposing their mouths to refined foods especially refined SUGAR.

There are natural bacteria in all our mouths. These have a good function. However, if allowed to multiply unchecked they can reach levels that are harmful.

Despite best ‘brushing and oral hygiene’ techniques there can always be areas that we all miss. Regular checks with the dentist help you to become aware of these problem areas and reduce the chances of painful dental disease.

This is time related.

Basic examination relies on an overview of the patient’s oral status. It looks for any obvious problems with just screening x-rays that show a ‘snap shot’ of a few selected teeth.

Full case assessment will involve testing each tooth for Vitality, gum and bone support, Panoramic X-Ray of the entire mouth , the alignment of the teeth and their relation to each other, any jaw joint problems etc. Clinical Photos can be taken to assess improvement in smile, impression taken to make models of your teeth to be studied later.

The information collected is then analysed and a report made detailing current condition, your expectations, the dentist’s suggestions along with costs and a schedule of appointments.

The cost is based on time spent for each procedure. The basic examination takes approximately 15 min but a full case assessment can take up to an hour. Full case assessment also involves a lot of non surgery time eg. to cast up the models, to assess the results, write a report etc.

Every one should have a full case assessment at some time. This creates a good bench mark to work from. It is a must for anyone contemplating a long course of dental treatment.

No. Each case is different. However, experience has shown that on average this system has been successful in prevention of dental disease and creation of stable, healthy mouths.

It is only after a patient has been following the basic system for a time that a dental team can reflect and recommend the correct frequency for that individual patient.

This is an issue of division of labour. In an ideal world all oral hygiene issues should be carried out by the Hygienist, who is a specialist member of the dental team and whose skills are refined by performing the same task every day.

Examination with a dentist is essential as she is responsible for assessment and treatment planning. Time limitation allow for some basic scale at the same appointment.

However, many would benefit from a detailed fine scale and more time for oral hygiene instructions. This is the true ‘preventive treatment’.

Ideally, for those who need it the Hygienist appointment should alternate three monthly with the recall with the dentist. This would then involve four visits to the practice at three monthly intervals.

A thorough check up to establish the cause of your yellow teeth is a starting point. If you are ‘dentally fit’ then the simplest and non invasive treatment to improve the colour is bleaching of your teeth. (see our advice sheets under treatment).

Simplest way to answer this question is ‘you get what you pay for’. There is a lot of preliminary assessment involved before treatment of bleaching can be started. There are many different systems on the market.

Studies have shown that the best longer lasting results are obtained from using lowest concentrations for at least 15 to 20 days.

Once again you need to compare carefully what you are getting for your money.

This is taken with a special machine which goes round your head in less than 30 seconds.

It takes a x-ray view of your entire lower skull. It goes right across from one jaw joint to the other showing all the structures in between. Eg all your teeth with full roots, bone levels, any bone disease, all your existing dental work and much more.

To get the same information about all your teeth with small X-rays taken in the mouth we would need at least 16 small films. Even then we will not see what the Panoramic view can show.

Many patients dislike the small films that have to be placed directly in the mouth. Hence it is ideal for such patients.

(N.B. at Dene Dental Practice all our X-ray equipment is fully digital and Eco-friendly. This means the radiation is reduced to almost by 90% compared to standard X-ray machine. Further more this modern technology means that the image can be seen immediately on the computer screen and diagnosis can be made the same visit.)