Bank House Dentistry News

Many people put off coming to the dentist due to being nervous which can be detrimental to their oral health. We often ask our nervous patients what makes them nervous to see if we can help. Some people say it is due to a bad experience in the past or in childhood, some people don’t like the sounds or smells, some are embarrassed of their teeth and some don’t know what makes them nervous…they just are!

Whatever it is that makes you nervous, you should never put off a dental appointment because the longer you leave a problem the worse it will get. Many people find that once they get into a habit of coming regularly, the nerves ease away and a year or two down the line they don’t even think about it.

If you have left it a long time since you last went to the dentist, then book an appointment. If you are nervous, we have a few ways we can make the experience easier for you.

1. We take it slow. We do not rush our appointments and always give ourselves plenty of time.
2. We explain things in a way you understand. Dental terminology can be very confusing, so we like to explain things in a way that makes sense for you.
3. We let you have breaks. If you are feeling nervous, you might like to have a little break during your appointment. If you wish to have a break, just let us know.
4. We make suggestions. There are little things that can make appointments easier for you. You can bring another person for moral support or wear headphones and play some of your own music or an audio book or hold a stress ball for something to squeeze!

To book an appointment, please give us a call on 01844 343381 or come and visit our dental practice in Princes Risborough to have a chat with a member of our team. We see patients from Princes Risborough, High Wycombe, Aylesbury, Thame and the surrounding areas.

Fixed braces are the traditional way to straighten teeth and can be used to correct many orthodontic needs. They can straighten crooked teeth, rotate twisted teeth and push up teeth that are over erupted. They are great for patients that would struggle to remember to wear removable braces (such as Invisalign or the Inman aligner) and they do not affect your speech.

The fixed braces we offer fall into the category of short-term orthodontics. Long term orthodontics can take up to 3 years and is not something we offer.

Main points:

• Fixed braces consist of small brackets that are bonded to each tooth and a metal wire that is held to the brackets using small elastic bands.
• Fixed braces can either be the traditional metal colour, or they can be tooth coloured which makes them a bit more discreet.
• Fixed braces take longer to straighten the teeth than removable appliances; however, we can tweak the treatment and control each tooth individually much more easily.
• Treatment can take anything from 4-8 months.
• You would need to come in for review appointments every few weeks so we can adjust the braces and change the elastic bands.
• Fixed braces require you to be more diligent with your oral hygiene. We will advise single tufted toothbrushes to help you clean around the brackets and may advise a mouthwash.

If you would like to book an appointment for a free orthodontic consultation, please call us on 01844 343381 or visit our dental practice in Princes Risborough. We see patients from Princes Risborough, High Wycombe, Thame, Wendover, Aylesbury and the surrounding areas

The Inman Aligner is a brilliant appliance that helps to guide crooked teeth back into alignment. We have been offering this treatment to our patients for many years and have achieved lots of wonderful results. Take a look at our smile gallery to see what we can do to straighten crooked teeth.

Main points:

• The Inman Aligner is a removeable appliance, which means you can take it out to fit in with your lifestyle. With that being said, the fastest way to get results is to wear it as much as possible – we recommend 22 hours per day. This gives you 2 hours of free time in which to eat and brush your teeth.
• You can drink with your aligner in, but nothing too hot.
• You can take your aligner out for longer periods of time as a “one off”. For example, if you are giving a presentation, or if you have an occasion. This won’t affect the results too much if you don’t make a habit of it.
• You can only straighten one mouth arch at a time as to straighten both would feel too bulky.
• Straightening takes anything from 6-18 weeks. The length of time varies with how crooked your teeth are to start with, and how vigilant you are with wearing the appliance.
• You need to come in for review appointments every few weeks. This allows us to monitor your progress and make small adjustments to your aligner.
• The Inman Aligner is usually the cheapest method for straightening your teeth. Quotes are given on consultation.
• The Inman Aligner is great for aligning teeth that are simply crooked, but not the best treatment if your teeth need to be rotated or pushed up if they have over erupted. We can advise this on consultation.

To book an appointment for a free consultation, please give us a call on 01844 343381 or visit our dental practice in Princes Risborough, Bucks and speak to a member of our clinical team. We see patients from Princes Risborough, High Wycombe, Aylesbury, Thame and the surrounding areas.

Dr. Sanjay Narda

We have been offering Invisalign treatment in Buckinghamshire for many years as a more discreet alternative to other removable appliances. The aligners are relatively thin and completely clear and suit our patients and their lifestyles.

The advantages of Invisalign are:

The aligners are removable, which means you can take them out to fit in with your lifestyle. With that being said, the fastest way to get results is to wear it as much as possible – we recommend 22 hours per day. This gives you 2 hours of free time in which to eat and brush your teeth.

You can drink with your aligners in, but nothing too hot.

You can take your aligners out for longer periods of time as a “one off”. For example, if you are giving a presentation, or if you have an occasion. This won’t affect the results too much if you don’t make a habit of it.

You can straighten both mouth arches at once (upper and lower).

Invisalign treatment consists of a series of aligners which straighten your teeth in stages.

You will need to come in every couple of weeks so that we can monitor your progress and give you your next two aligners.

Many of our Invisalign treatments are completed in as little as 14 weeks, but the length of time will vary depending on the degree of crowding and the compliance of the patient.

All our Invisalign treatments come with a personalised treatment plan customised to you. This enables you to see your journey in 3-D so you can see your finished result before you start!

The Invisalign aligners can straighten crooked teeth, and to some extent can also rotate teeth that have twisted and push teeth up that have over erupted.

To book an appointment for a free consultation, please give us a call on 01844 343381 or visit our dental practice in Princes Risborough, Bucks. We see patients from all over Buckinghamshire, including Princes Risborough, High Wycombe, Aylesbury, Thame and the surrounding areas.

Dental professionals have suspected it for a long time, and now recent studies have proven a link between dental health and general health. There are many general health problems that can be caused by or worsened by having poor dental health. These problems include but are not limited to: stroke, heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease and having a premature baby.

Why is this?

Strokes: Studies have shown that people who have had strokes are more likely to have gum disease than to not have it. The studies found bacteria found under the gums were also found in the arteries.

Heart disease: people with gum disease are twice as likely to have heart disease. This is also down to bacteria which has leaked into the bloodstream, the increased protein encourages clots which can reduce normal blood flow and cause heart attacks.

Diabetes: Diabetics are more likely to get infections in general, and they heal more slowly. This is more prevalent in people who poorly control their diabetes. The high glucose levels in the body helps germs grow and encourages the onset of gum disease.

Respiratory disease: people with gum disease have higher levels of bacteria in the mouth. The bacteria get breathed into the lungs in fine droplets and can cause lung infections like pneumonia.

Unborn babies: pregnant women that have gum disease are 3 times more likely to give birth before 35 weeks. Gum disease raises the levels of chemicals that bring on labour. Having gum disease treated properly can reduce the risk of a premature birth.

If you are worried about your gum health in any way, please give us a call on 01844 343381 to book an appointment or visit our dental practice in Princes Risborough, Bucks. We see patients from Princes Risborough, High Wycombe, Aylesbury, Thame and the surrounding areas.

What are dental implants? Dental implants are a revolutionary way to replace missing teeth. They are a replacement root, onto which a crown can be attached.W

What are they made of? The implants we use are made from a medical grade titanium. The implant system we use has all the benefits of the latest implant technology. The implant surface is blasted with titanium oxide crystals to encourage bone growth and contains micro threads to evenly distribute stress. 

What company do you use? We use Dentsply Sirona implants, specifically the Astra tech EV system designed by AstraZeneca.

What are the success rates of implants? Success rates of implants are high but vary depending on the quality of bone, the overall health of the gums and the health of the patient. The average success rate of an implant lasting 10 years or more is over 98%.

Does the procedure hurt? Before we start the procedure, we use a local anaesthetic to numb the area and ensure it is fully numb before we start. After that there is no pain or discomfort – most of our patients don’t believe us until we are finished! The first few days after the procedure it is normal to feel some tenderness in the area, normal painkillers will help with this.

Will they look natural? Yes. One of the main benefits of choosing an implant is that they can look and feel like just a natural tooth. We work with you to choose a shade for your implant that feels right for you and looks right with the other teeth. There is an extra service (at a cost of £40) where you can go and have the shade digitally measured at the lab, which can help if you have many different shades and characteristics within the one tooth.

Does it matter how old you are? No, not at all. Age is not a concern when it comes to implant placement. The same initial tests will be carried out whatever your age and if the bone quality is enough, there is nothing stopping you.  We have some lovely patients in their 80’s who are enjoying life with their new implants, enabling them to eat all the foods they enjoy.

What is the cost? There is no simple answer to this question, as it depends on the type of restoration you desire. Some people have implants to act as stabilisers to click their dentures in place, some patients have individual crowns, and some have bridges attached. Therefore, we offer a free consultation, so we can discuss your needs and give you the costs.

We hope this has answered some of your questions. If you are interested in implants, please call us to book a free dental implant consultation on 01844 343381 or visit our dental practice in Princes Risborough, Bucks.

We see patients from Princes Risborough, High Wycombe, Aylesbury, Wendover, Thame and the surrounding areas.

Dr. Sanjay Narda

Root canal treatment is a procedure we use to help save teeth that have died or become infected. Without root canal treatment, the infected tooth will likely cause toothache and need extracting, so this procedure is vital for many people who want to try and save the tooth.

Following a local anaesthetic to numb the tooth, the canals are cleaned out in stages to remove the damaged tissue with a series of tiny files and an antibacterial solution. The canals are then filled up with a type of rubber resin and topped with a filling. The procedure is often done over two stages to ensure the symptoms have cleared up before the permanent restoration is placed.

Root canal treatments should not cause pain. In fact, the symptoms before the root canal treatment are the worst bit! Once the tooth is numbed, the patient should feel little to no discomfort.  Sometimes, a course of antibiotics is given before treatment to start getting the infection under control, and to help the injection work more effectively.

The day after the treatment, the area may feel a little tender, but many patients feel a sense of relief that the toothache has started to resolve. If you do have this kind of tenderness, then normal painkillers will help to ease this temporary discomfort.

Once your tooth has been root treated, then take good care of it and it should last you for many more years.

If you have toothache, or any other problems with your teeth then call us on 01844 343381 or visit our dental practice in Princes Risborough, Bucks. We see patients from Princes Risborough, High Wycombe, Aylesbury, Thame and the surrounding areas.

Dr. Sanjay Narda

You may have heard that it is common for people to have their wisdom teeth removed, and you may know people who have had this procedure. It is, in fact one of the most common surgical procedures carried out in the UK. This may lead you to wonder if you need yours taken out, and it is a question that we often get asked by our patients.

So why do we get wisdom teeth?

Wisdom teeth are our third molar teeth and they tend to erupt between the ages of 17-25 but they can come earlier or later than this and sometimes not at all! Scientists believe that we evolved into having wisdom teeth because our diet of course rough food resulted in excessive wear and tooth loss, so we got these extra teeth when we needed them. In recent times, we have evolved into having smaller jaws which means some people don’t have enough room for these teeth leading to impaction.

Reasons to have a wisdom tooth extracted.

• Impaction – If there is not enough space for the wisdom teeth, or if they grow at the wrong angle, they can become impacted. Sometimes this doesn’t cause any problems but occasionally they can grow with enough force to damage the teeth in front.
• Infection – Partially erupted wisdom teeth can be a source of infection. Because this area is so far back and hard to see, it is difficult to keep clean making it easy for bacteria to colonise.
• Tooth decay – Again, because the teeth are so far back and hard to see and reach, plaque can gather around or between them which can lead to decay.

There are a few risks associated with having wisdom teeth extracted such as nerve damage. Nerve damage can lead to a loss of sensation in the area and sometimes complete numbness. There are also risks of an infection after the extraction called a dry socket which is a very painful situation. These risks along with others need to be taken into consideration before deciding on an extraction.

Visit our dental practice in Princes Risborough, Bucks for all your dental needs.

Dr Sanjay Narda

Many people are unhappy with the position of their teeth but put the decision off because of the costs involved. It is no secret that orthodontic treatment, such as Invisalign, is one of the more expensive dental treatments available, so it raises the question, is it worth the money?

There are a few key reasons that adults require tooth straightening. The first is that crooked teeth can really affect self-esteem. First impressions are very important and one of the first things people notice about you are your teeth. The embarrassment felt from having a crooked smile can cause you to avoid eye contact, look at the floor, or cover your mouth with your hands. It can make you avoid smiling with your teeth showing and can put you off laughing in case people notice your teeth.

The second reason is gum health. When teeth are misaligned, they become much harder to clean. Plaque and food debris clings to the crowded areas and is missed by the toothbrush. This plaque will cause the gums to become inflamed and bleed and eventually recede. Gum problems can become more concerning if left to progress. While the initial inflammation and is reversible, this can progress into irreversible gum disease (clinically known as periodontal disease) which can lead to tooth loss if left untreated.

The third reason is tooth decay. As above, the hard to clean areas created by crowding means it is more likely that plaque is left behind after cleaning. The acids in plaque can cause the enamel to weaken which can lead to cavities (tooth decay).

The fourth reason is speech. This one doesn’t affect everybody, but it is common for misaligned teeth to affect the position of the tongue when speaking, causing a lisp. This is more likely when the lower teeth are affected by crowding, and one or more of the teeth are leaning backwards towards the tongue. The speech can also be affected if there are big spaces between the teeth as this can cause a whistling sound.

Orthodontic treatment can improve so many things that we think they are worth it! If you want to come in for a free orthodontic consultation, call us on 01844 343381 or visit our dental practice in Princes Risborough, Bucks. We see patients from a large area, including High Wycombe, Aylesbury, Thame and the surrounding areas.

Dr Sanjay Narda