Cavities
Cavities are one of the stereotypical conditions people immediately associate with when the word dentist is mentioned. It is no surprise – most people will experience cavities at least once throughout their lifetime. Cavities are caused by advancing tooth decay. Tooth decay is primarily caused by the overgrowth of certain bacterial species naturally occurring in our oral microbiome. These bacteria produce certain organic acids as a metabolic waste product, which they get rid of by secreting them. This can contribute to the dissolution of our teeth’s calcium phosphate content and thus lead to tooth decay. Bacterial overgrowth mainly occurs as a result of poor oral hygiene and high dietary sugar intake. Bacteria feed on sugars found in food remains, and if there is too much available, they start reproducing in large numbers. Cavities are primarily treated by fillings. While the most common material used for fillings used to be amalgam, the aesthetic and health concerns associated with it have contributed to the increasing popularity of composite white fillings. If you are looking for a dentist Luton to treat tooth decay, don’t delay as this can cause further complications.
Tooth loss
Tooth loss can be extremely frustrating, worrying and stressful. Tooth loss does not only affect your chewing and speaking abilities, but it can have a severe negative impact on your mental health and wellbeing too. Tooth loss occurs due to numerous reasons, however the main culprits are tooth decay, untreated gum disease and traumatic dental injuries. Tooth decay can cause tooth loss by the decay reaching the pulp tissue, and the decay causing bacteria infecting it. This is the living part of the tooth, which is essential to preserving your tooth. Gum disease is also caused by oral microbial overgrowth inducing inflammation. If this is left untreated, the chronic inflammation can cause severe damage to the gum tissue, which may result in tooth loss. Dental injuries mainly occur through workplace accidents, sports accidents and transport accidents. This risk can be significantly lowered by wearing a mouthguard when appropriate. Tooth loss can be treated in various ways, however the most popular option is the usage of dental implants. Dental implants can be very durable and can last for almost a lifetime when the surgery and the healing is satisfactory. If you would like to get treatment for tooth loss it is best to consult with your dentist to find the most effective solution for you.
Orthodontic conditions
While orthodontic conditions are mostly treated using braces, there are a number of alternatives available today for patients who have aesthetic or comfort issues associated with metal braces. Invisalign can be a great choice for such patients, as these aligners are made out of a translucent plastic and fit perfectly on the dental arches, thus making them almost completely unnoticeable. Another alternative is to have lingual braces. These use the same principles and materials as metal braces, however there is one large difference between them: the brackets are placed on the inside of the teeth as opposed to the outside with traditional braces, making lingual braces almost entirely unnoticeable. Invisible braces also work on the same principle as metal braces, however the brackets are made out of a tooth coloured material and the archwires are made out of plastic in these types of braces.
