Archive for August, 2011
August 31, 2011 at 8:05 pm by Ian Kerr
Filed under Clinical Cases
I just found this case of mine from a couple of years ago and wanted to share it with you. It is an example of direct composite fillings being used to repair worn, chipped and stained front teeth. The stain is removed using air abrasion which is a silent, painless alternative to the drill and the work was completed in one visit without local anaesthetic. I reviewed the case last month and it was looking fine (sorry no photos- I will get them next time).
As ever if you would like to know how we can help you with any of your dental concerns then please do not hesitate to give us a call on 01580 752202 and we will he happy to arrange a consultation visit for you.
August 16, 2011 at 10:11 pm by Ian Kerr
Filed under Clinical Cases
The SAF system is a revolutionary new approach to endodontics that is helping dentists around the world treat canals that would have previously been beyond the reach of conventional endodontics.
The latest development in the system is a 2mm diameter file, which allows us to clean larger more open shaped canals than the previous 1.5mm was able to achieve. This is a great development for many front teeth with wide oval canals and for retreatment of large canals where old filling material had previously been unrecoverable from wide defects.
In this case I was treating an upper front tooth that had developed a chronic draining infection through the side of the tooth. The work involved a combination of hand files to guage the width of the tip of the root followed by the SAF for a 5 minutes of direct cleaning and irrigation. The work took place over 2 visits to ensure that the infection was healing before the filling was complete.
Radiograph of the tooth prior to treatment
Radiograph of the filling in place
The hope is that the root filling will prevent further infection from developing and will help create the environment for healing around the tooth. Long term the prognosis for this tooth is much improved and we can hope to delay the loss of this tooth for many years. If you would like to know if a root filling may help you in a similar way please call the surgery on 01580 752202 and we will arrange a consultation for you.
August 16, 2011 at 9:59 pm by Ian Kerr
Filed under Clinical Cases
This case revisits one that I completed almost 3 years ago. In this case both lateral incisors were badly damaged and had to be removed. The way the upper and lower teeth came together was very unfavorable when considering conventional restorative techniques such as cast bridges, dentures or implant retained crowns. By using directly placed fibre reinforced bridges I was able to build up the front teeth to create the room I needed without needing to do any adjustment to the supporting teeth (or very worn lower incisors). Since then the bridges have functioned well and are holding firm. The upper right canine filling was replaced with a direct composite veneer to improve the aesthetics of this tooth.
Before treatment
Fibre bridges 3 month review
33 month review
The stain is superficial and does not show in the smile so the patient is not concerned by it. Staining can be a problem with direct composites and this should always be borne in mind when discussing treatment options. Superficial stain such as this is easy to remove and does not represent a failure of the treatment. On this occasion the occurrence of a small amount of stain was considered acceptable given how much more invasive the other techniques would have needed to be.
If you would like to know if this technique might be suitable for you please call the surgery on 01580 752202 and we will be happy to help.
August 6, 2011 at 8:45 pm by Ian Kerr
Filed under Clinical Cases
This case involved both Russell and myself. The patient was unhappy with the appearance of their front teeth and wanted to treat the decay and infection that was present. They were keen to avoid the loss of any teeth if at all possible. One of the front teeth had an area of infection associated with it and required a root canal filling, which is where I came in. I treated the infection and strengthened the tooth with a direct fibre reinforced post and core. The old fillings in the other teeth were then removed along with any decay. New direct white fillings were placed (by Russell) and the teeth were built up to improve the alignment and appearance. We chose this technique over direct crowns as it is a much less destructive and cheaper approach that helps us preserve as much sound tooth tissue as possible, which is much better for the teeth in the long run. The composites will not last forever and will need replacing but so long as the underlying tooth structure is maintained the teeth will remain healthy.
If you would like to know more about how we can help you then please call 01580 752202 and we will arrange an Initial Consultation for you
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