Why Book a Dental Check-Up?

A dental check-up allows your dentist to assess whether you have any dental issues, letting them help you keep your teeth and gums in a healthy condition

If you are experiencing any dental problems, leaving them untreated can cause avoidable pain and will just make problems harder to cure in the future.

That’s why it’s better to tackle any issues at the earliest possible stage, or, ideally, prevent them completely.

Even if you are the most conscientious daily brusher and flosser, your routine can still miss small areas of your mouth. As plaque — a sticky, clear layer of bacteria — builds, it becomes harder to get rid of. Indeed, it solidifies and turns into tartar, which can then only be removed by a dental professional — no amount of brushing or flossing will rid it.

Your dentist can also help you keep bad habits in check, some of which you may not realise you are doing, from grinding your teeth and smoking to brushing too vigorously, or drinking coffee or red wine.

Another benefit of a regular check-up is that X-rays of your teeth and jaw bone will be taken. These provide a view of what is going on below your mouth’s surface, identifying issues which may not be visible to the naked eye, such as jawbone damage. Other invisible issues, such as oral cancer, can also be detected via twice-yearly check-ups

What Happens during a Dental Check-Up?

Your dentist will examine your teeth, gums and mouth thoroughly during each check-up. You will also be asked about your general health, as well as any issues you’ve experienced since your last visit with regards to your teeth, gums or mouth.

There will also be the chance to discuss and get advice on your diet and your smoking, drinking and teeth-cleaning habits. Once your check-up is complete, don’t forget to book a date for your next appointment!

We Offer Dental Check-Ups West Midlands Residents Can Rely On

At The Dentist, Great Barr, Birmingham, we like to offer our patients the same level of care as we’d want to receive in the dentist’s chair ourselves. We constantly bear this in mind when we deliver all of our treatments. We’re aware that visiting the dentist can be nerve-wracking, which is why we do everything we can to put you at ease and make you comfortable.

We’ll take X-rays if you haven’t been to see us before or if your last appointment was over two years ago.

We won’t rush anything during your treatment and we’ll talk you carefully through next steps if any further treatment is needed. Finally, we’ll make your next appointment. This could be within the next three months or two years, depending on the condition of your teeth.

The cost of a dental check up including standard xrays if needed is £25.00 for children and for new patients and existing patients the cost is £45.00 including standard xrays.

Child dentists, adult dentists, pensioner dentists, a family dentist!

Make your appointment at the pleasant, modern premises of our practice, which caters to residents in Walsall,Great barr, Sutton coldfield, Birmingham and Birmingham. Give us a call today on 01922 624900 or book your check-up online via our website.

FAQs

What does an examination involve?

You will be greeted by a member of staff at reception, who will check you in on the system. If you have attended before you will be asked to take a seat until Dr Dhody calls you but if you haven’t attended before you will be asked to fill out a medical history form on our I pad.

You will be called into the dental surgery by Dr Dhody or the dental nurse, you will be asked if you are experiencing any problems such as sensitivity, bleeding gums and any changes to your health/medication.

Dr Dhody will asses your teeth to see if there are any problems visually and he may take x-rays if its your first appointment or it has been around 2 years since your last ones. X-rays allow Dr Dhody to assess your teeth underneath the gums to show any problems that may not be visible to the eye.

For a clean and polish, you will be booked in with our hygienist, she will remove plaque and tartar using an ultrasonic instrument which uses a vibrating motion to remove larger pieces of tartar. Once the larger pieces have been removed the hygienist will change instruments to a scaler which will remove smaller deposits of tartar and smooth the tooth surface. Once the clean has been completed a polish will then take place using a small rubber cup that spins which makes you teeth shiny.

Dr Dhody will then ask you to make your next examination appointment which will be anywhere from 3 months to 1 year depending on the condition of your teeth.

What causes sensitive teeth?

Brushing with too much force, with a hard-bristle toothbrush or brushing from side to side, can cause enamel to wear away – particularly where the teeth meets the gums. Gum disease, where the inflamed gum tissue pulls away from the tooth, leaving vulnerable areas exposed.

Grinding your teeth can also cause enamel to wear away from your tooth and leave the dentin exposed.

Cracked tooth or filling; a cracked tooth is one that has become broken. A crack can run from the biting surface of a tooth down towards the root. Extreme temperatures, especially cold, can cause some discomfort.

What Can Be Done To Reduce Sensitivity?

There are several products on the market that offer to help prevent sensitivity, such as tooth pastes or mouthwashes. When using a toothpaste, you should use these twice a day to brush your teeth. It can also help if you rub the paste onto the sensitive area and just leave it there overnight, like a gel rather than a paste. Your dentist will best advise you on which type of toothpaste would be right for you.

Should I Attend an Emergency Dentist?

If you’ve tried treating your sensitive teeth yourself using the products available on the market, and have seen no improvement, then yes do visit your dentist for help and advice. The dentist will be able to look at your teeth to find out what is causing the sensitivity and to find the best way of treating it. The dentist may treat the affected teeth with special ‘de-sensitizing’ products e.g. fluoride gels, rinses or varnishes that can be applied to the tooth. Sensitivity can take some time to settle, and more than one appointment may be required to treat it.

If even this fails to stop the problem then the dentist may seal or fill around the neck of the tooth, where the tooth and gum meet, to cover exposed dentine. In very serious cases it may be necessary to root-fill the tooth.

I have gum disease, what should I do?

Gum disease is a very common condition where the gums become swollen, sore or infected. Gum disease is caused by a build-up of plaque on the teeth. Plaque is a sticky substance that contains bacteria. Some bacteria in plaque are harmless, but some are harmful for the health of your gums. If you don’t remove plaque from your teeth by brushing them, it builds up and irritates your gums. This can lead to redness with bleeding, swelling and soreness.

This early stage of gum disease is known as gingivitis. If gingivitis isn’t treated, a condition called periodontitis can develop. This affects more tissues that support teeth and hold them in place. If periodontitis isn’t treated, the bone in your jaw may be damaged and small spaces can open up between the gum and teeth. Your teeth can become loose and may eventually fall out.

Most adults in the UK have gum disease to some degree and most people experience it at least once. It’s much less common in children.

Our dentist will carry out a thorough dental examination to check the health of your gums, which may involve inserting a thin metal stick with a bend in one end (periodontal probe) beside your teeth. A number of X-rays will be taken to check the condition of your teeth and jaw bone. Our dentist or dental hygienist will be able to give your teeth a thorough clean and remove any hardened plaque (tartar). They’ll also be able to show you how to clean your teeth effectively to help prevent plaque building up in the future. Mild cases of gum disease can usually be treated by maintaining a good level of oral hygiene. This includes brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing regularly. You should also make sure you attend regular dental check-ups.

Why should I floss my teeth?

Dental floss will remove plaque and bits of food pieces that may be lodged between the gaps of your teeth. It’s essential and best advised by dentist to use on a regular basis, as it helps prevent gum disease and keeps the areas around your teeth clean and plaque free. A high build up of plaque can cause gum inflammation and irritation therefore flossing is crucial especially if you’ve been advised by your dentist to use it.

What Is Dental Floss?

Dental floss is a thin, soft thread made of nylon or plastic that’s used to help get rid of tiny food pieces or plaque that may be trapped between the gaps of your teeth. It’s much easier to use in between your teeth as it’s so thin and the gaps in between your teeth can be very tight, not even your normal toothbrush can reach these areas.

There are different types of flosses available for you to purchase, you just need to find out which ones more suitable for your teeth. Many people find dental tape, which is thicker than floss, easier to use, however that can vary person-to-person.

When flossing follow these simple steps:

Use enough floss – Break off a piece about 18 inches long.

Wrap most of the floss around either the middle finger or the index finger of one hand, whichever you prefer, and a small amount onto the middle or index finger of the other hand.

Gently guide the floss up and down against the sides of the teeth and under the gum-line. When the floss reaches the gum-line, curve it into a C-shape against the tooth until you feel resistance.
Floss between every single tooth don’t miss any out.
And remember to floss the side of the teeth at the back of your mouth too. It’s important to do the front and back teeth, some people tend to leave the back and just focus on the front but you shouldn’t.

Don’t be alarmed if your gums bleed, as this is normal if your using floss for the first time also if there’s a build up of plaque. Once you start flossing often the bleeding will decrease as your gums will become healthier. If you still have regular bleeding after a few days, see your dentist, as they can check if you’re flossing correctly.

Types Of Ulcers And What Causes Them?

Traumatic Ulcers are the most common type of ulcer, they’re occur due to damage caused by you either biting your cheek or tongue, by sharp teeth, brushing or poorly fitting dentures.

Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis are ulcers that keep coming back and there’s more than one of them.

How To Prevent Ulcers?

Keeping your mouth as clean and healthy as possible.
Use a high-quality toothbrush, this reduces the risk of damage to your mouth.
Having a good diet, rich in vitamins A, C and E, and include foods like fresh fruit and vegetables, this lessens the risk of a mouth cancer.
Visit your dentist regularly.

Although mouth ulcers do heal within 10-14 days without causing too many lasting problems. There are treatments and things you can do to help the pain:

Use a soft toothbrush when brushing your teeth.
Avoid hard and sharp foods.
Use a mouthwash, spray, gel or lozenge to reduce the pain and help the ulcer heal faster. For example Bongela cream will help to reduce inflammation and fight the infection.

Is dental hygiene during pregnancy important?

For ladies who are pregnant its very important to maintain good oral hygiene. During pregnancy things can change for example:

As women are likely to eat and drink more throughout the day their sugar intake will be more which will increase the risk of cavities (a hole in the tooth). Which is why it is essential to keep brushing regularly and have a flossing routine.
Due to hormonal changes some women may develop more red, puffy gums during their pregnancy. If gums do become increasingly sensitive, try using a soft floss that easily gets between your teeth or an inter-dental brush.

It is best to avoid having dental x-rays as this avoids exposing radiation to your baby. However in an emergency an x-ray may need to be taken regardless but it’s important to let the dental professional know that you are pregnant so that they can take measure to minimise your exposure e..g by giving you a leaded apron to wear or leaded band around your neck to protect your thyroid.

During pregnancy maintain healthy eating and having nutritional foods as this is part of good dental hygiene.

It is important to tell your dentist the names and dosages of all medications you’re taking as then they are able to alter if necessary your dental treatment plan based on this information.

During pregnancy it’s advised to avoid using mouth washes that contain alcohol.

Skipping dental appointments because you are pregnant isn’t advised as now more than ever, regular dental examinations are very important as pregnancy causes hormonal changes that put you at increased risk of periodontal disease and for tender gums that bleed easily. It’s important to pay particular attention to any changes in your gums during pregnancy. If tenderness, bleeding or gum swelling occurs at any time during pregnancy, talk to your dentist as soon as possible.

And lastly keep following a good oral hygiene pattern to prevent and/or reduce oral health problems.

Different types of fillings

There are four main types of Dental Fillings:

Gold Fillings

Gold fillings last longer, a time scale of up to 15 years. Many people like the physical look of gold fillings, but they can cost more than other types. An advantage of gold is that it does not tarnish and has great strength.

Amalgam Fillings

Amalgam fillings are silver-colored, they’re a mixture of metals including silver, copper, tin and mercury. They’re long lasting and hard wearing. Amalgam has been used as a filling material for at least 150 years. This type of filling is usually used on the back chewing teeth.

Composite Fillings

Composite fillings are tooth-colored mixtures of glass and resin. Composite fillings are strong, but may not be as hard wearing as amalgam fillings. They may need to be replaced more frequently.

Glass Ionomer Fillings

Glass ionomer is a form of powdered glass, which reacts chemically with your tooth and bonds to it, releasing fluoride slowly over time. It is quite weak so is only often used on baby teeth or around the sides of teeth.

What is the Process of getting a filling:

Anesthesia – the dentist will firstly numb the area using local anesthesia.
Special Dentist Drill – once the surrounding area is numb, the dentist will then remove the decayed tissue using a special dental drill.
Cleaning – once the decayed material is removed, the dentist will clean out any debris and place the filling in the cavity.
Cleaning & Polishing – when the fillings in place, the dentist will do a final clean and polish it.
It is normal to feel some pain or sensitivity in teeth that are next to the filled tooth but this is normal at first. Be sure to continue your regular checkups after treatment!

What is an extraction?

We offer extractions at our practice whether it be a “normal” tooth or a wisdom tooth that needs to be taken out.

Why do we extract teeth?

There may be a number of reasons why an extraction may be needed not always just in emergency situations. For example:

Some people have extra teeth.
Some people may not loose their baby teeth allowing the adult teeth to erupt.
Orthodontics (teeth straightening) treatment may need require more room to maneuver teeth into a new position.
Wisdom teeth.

How is a tooth extracted?

You will first have a local anesthetic, which causes the area to become numb so there is a temporary absence of pain sensation.

Once the numbing is completely working Dr Dhody will use an instrument called an “elevator” Will you feel it ? We will make sure that it is numb before we start ! We pride our reputation on this.

A surgical extraction may be required with more complex extractions for example if a tooth has broken off below the gum line or a tooth that has not fully erupted. The area will be numbed using a local anesthetic and then a scalpel will be used to make a small incision into the gum to allow Dr Dhody to removed the remaining tooth or the tooth that has not erupted.

How to replace missing teeth?

Lots of options, need to discuss with your dentist

What Is A Bridge?

A bridge is a fixed device that’s cemented onto your existing teeth. A bridge is commonly used to cover gaps, if you’re missing more than one tooth. The treatment involves attaching artificial teeth to your remaining natural teeth either side of the gap.

Bridges can be made from different materials, they’re usually made of porcelain bonded to precious metal. However you can get bridges made of non-precious metals which are used in the base for strength.

An Emax Bridge would be the Private Option for a bridge, it’s the most aesthetically pleasing type of bridge that has precision fit. It combines high aesthetic vitality with high performance.

What Is A Crown?

Crowns are a type of casing that’s fitted around the whole of a tooth, it can be put in place of a missing tooth, a damaged or decayed tooth or simply to make an original tooth physically look better and healthier. Here at The Dentist we offer two types of crowns:

White Crown – which is more aesthetically pleasing and natural looking
Emax Crown – which is all ceramic and therefore longer lasting

What is a Veneer?

A veneer is a thin piece of porcelain that’s fitted on the front of the tooth, many choose veneers as a form of teeth whitening, for better shaping teeth, accurate positioning of the teeth or simply because veneers make teeth look perfectly in-sync if done fully. Similar to teeth whitening they’re cosmetic, therefore the costs are private however, they’re long lasting and so you will be getting value for money. Veneers are very natural looking in every way, even if you choose to have only one put in, due to a crack in a previous tooth, they will match the colour of your natural teeth therefore making it less obvious to the eye. So you can smile with confidence!

I want a denture, what are my options?

Complete Denture which is a full set of dentures, that can replace upper or lower teeth.

Partial Denture which replaces just one tooth or a few missing teeth.

Plastic: Optimized aesthetics and fit

Metal: Metal dentures are used for partial dentures only, as well as optimized aesthetics and fit, metal dentures are considered to be more permanent. They’re clipped to your natural teeth with what’s called a ‘Clasp’. The clasp holds the dentures firmly in place.

Cobalt Chrome partial dentures are more superior as they’re thinner which means that the gums stay healthier because the biting force is shared between the gums and remaining teeth.

Additional Options Per Denture:

Metal Clasps: as stated above clasps are ideal for partial dentures as they use your natural teeth to hold the dentures in place, by gripping them, which overall gives a better fit and hold.

White Claps: this type of clasp is the same as a metal clasp however it’s white in color meaning that when you smile you can’t actually see the clasp as it blends well with your natural teeth.

High Impact Acrylic: This material is of exceptional high quality and is incredibly strong. Sometimes with normal dentures what can tend to happen is that they get very worn, when the dentures are taken in and out, for example at night, however when this material is used this issue is erased, as these stress fractures are very less likely.

Soft Lining: this is a soft, pliable material that is fitted between the surface of the denture and your soft tissues. This type of lining is ideal as it’s more spongy therefore causes the dentures to have less of an impact on the gum as it’s more softer. This lining is recommended for patients with sore gums. It absorbs shock between the hard base of your denture and your gums.

“Enigma” Teeth: these type of teeth physically appear more natural looking and more real and in comparison to original teeth, unlike some dentures that can appear plastic looking.

I have toothache, what do I do?

Toothache is generally referred to as pain in the teeth and jaw. Toothache varies from person to person which can come and go or be constant. The pain can also vary from very mild to severe.

If your toothache lasts for more than 1 or 2 days, visit your dentist as soon as you can and be treated because the longer you leave it the worse it will get.

Why choose us?

Caring
Trustworthy
Reasonable Prices
Timings to suit
Strive to provide The Best Experience

Feeling Nervous?

Don’t worry. We deal with many nervous patients who are terrified of the dentist – you are not the first. Our aim is to make your experience the best it can be – we want to change the way you feel about the dentist! If you kindly inform us beforehand, we can put extra measures in place to help ease your nerves.

Why is sugar bad for my teeth?

After consuming sugary foods or drinks the plaque bacteria builds up and the mouth then starts to produce acids which dissolve and damage the tooth enamel causing cavities (holes) in the teeth, which is the biggest cause of tooth loss.

To help prevent damage to your teeth limit the amount of sugar you consume within your diet and try to brush and floss your teeth regularly and drink plenty of water to help dilute the acid within your mouth.

What People Say About Our Practice

Why should you choose The Dentist, in Great Barr, Birmingham? We’ve built a reputation for our friendly, highly qualified, best-value service. Our regulars love what we do because we have a passion for great dentistry. We think you’ll love what we do as well.

Dental Check-ups