You asked and we listened - at Occudental we understand that having all the information to hand that you need about your appointment, treatment or even joining us as a new patient, can make all the difference. To help you, we have collated some of the frequently asked questions and provided you with the answers below:
Invisalign clear aligners offer the patient a series of clear, removable aligners which are changed every 1-3 weeks. There is no tightening to be done and no changing of wires get in the way. Instead, all of the adjustments are made with one new aligner every few weeks.
The time needed for Invisalign to work its magic will depend on the severity of the patient’s case. This means that cost will also vary from patient to patient as some people will need many aligners and others will require just a few. How often you change your aligners will be specific to you and carefully planned at the start of your treatment by your dentist.
You will need to wear your aligners for a minimum of 22 hours per day for optimum tooth movement, only taking them out to eat, drink (other than water) and to clean your teeth.
Our teeth change colour as we get older, and other factors like what we eat and drink can affect their colour. Coffee, red wine, curry, balsamic vinegar and dark berries are all teeth staining culprits.
Teeth whitening is completely safe, but should always be carried out under the supervision of your dentist, so it is important that you consult them about your options in the first instance.
Dental implants can be used to replace either a single tooth or multiple missing teeth and with a variety of methods, which will be bespoke to your needs.
Generally speaking, you will begin with an initial assessment where you will discuss the options with your dentist. This will typically involve an X-ray or possibly a CT scan to help visualise your jaw and ensure your gums and jaw are healthy enough to place the implant.
The implant will then be placed over one or more appointments depending on how many teeth are being replaced, and can usually be completed under local anaesthetic.
The implants will need three to six months to heal and integrate with your jaw bone to provide a solid support for the crown or bridge.
It may be necessary to have a separate appointment between six weeks and six months after your initial treatment, to allow the implant to fully integrate. This ensures that your jaw has completely healed before the crown or bridge is permanently fitted.
We understand that you may have other more bespoke questions that aren't necessarily covered above, so we have been building a wide range of articles to answer any additional queries you may have. From oral hygiene help to the best solutions for missing teeth, click below to visit our articles section and find out more.