The mainstay of any dental practice is the check-up appointment on a regular basis. Patients ideally should have these check-ups done before pain or problems arise - prevention is easier and less costly; and any procedure which can prevent pain or tooth loss is a winner.

Correct oral hygiene (OH) habits are the cornerstone of a patient’s pathway to good oral health. Good OH ensures healthy teeth AND gums.

Otherwise known as root canal therapy, the aim of endodontic treatment is to remove the pulp (which is the soft tissue inside the tooth which contains the tooth’s nerve and blood supply) of a tooth, disinfection of the root canal system, and then filling or obliteration of the cleansed canals.

As a general rule we adopt a conservative approach when restoring lost tooth structure, using a minimal tooth preparation technique so as to retain the maximum amount of tooth structure.

Unfortunately extractions or tooth removals are still with us, and it is a procedure that is necessary from time to time. With the excellent local anaesthetics available today and a good conservative extraction technique almost all extractions can be performed under local anaesthesia as a very simple atraumatic procedure.

Removable partial dentures are often indicated for short-term use to allow healing to take place after tooth extractions before a permanent fixed solution – either a bridge or implant - can be placed.

Of all the options available to improve a patient’s appearance and aesthetics teeth whitening is most probably the easiest and least invasive treatment option available.

Of the many advances in dental equipment and treatment modalities that we can offer our patients now, laser therapy is surely one of the most exciting.