Frequently Asked Questions

All dental patients have questions about treatments they want or need to get their perfect smile.

We’ve compiled this list of frequently asked questions about our treatments at SmileMore Dental Care. These questions are answered by Paul, our senior dentist.

Do you have a question that isn’t answered here? Please send us your question using the online contact form. Paul responds to questions via email quite quickly, usually within 24 hours.

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Questions About Our General Dentistry

People can lose teeth for a variety of reasons including gum disease, tooth infections, trauma or accidental damage, or elective extraction (usually to address overcrowding or in lieu of more expensive treatment). In some patients, a tooth may be congenitally missing. No matter the cause, missing teeth have an impact on the rest of the mouth. Come and see us to learn your options for replacing missing teeth.
We advise you to wait two to four hours after your treatment before eating or drinking. The big reason for this is because that’s how long it takes for the local anaesthetic to wear off. When patients eat or drink while their mouth is still numb, they may accidentally bite the soft tissues of the mouth, or scald their mouth and tongue from food or drink that’s too hot. The other reason we ask you to wait to eat or drink is to allow the fillings and cement to set.
For many treatments, patients are able to drive after their dental appointment. If a patient undergoes sedation, we advise you in advance of your appointment, so you can arrange to be driven to and from the practice. Following sedation, patients should not operate a motor vehicle for at least 24 hours.
Though teeth whitening products are available through stores, they only remove surface stains on your teeth. Their results are not predictable, and they may use harsh abrasives that can actually damage your enamel and increase your tooth sensitivity. Only GDC registered dental professionals can offer a safe tooth whitening treatment.
There are a few things you can do to reduce tooth staining. You can lessen the amount of staining food and drinks, such as curries, berries, coffee, tea, and red wine. Keep up with good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing daily, and keep up to date on your dental hygiene appointments. Quitting smoking will show a noticeable improvement on the colour of your teeth. Even by following all these recommendations, some people are genetically predisposed to staining because of their tooth texture.
We use medical grade stainless steel dental instruments and clean them in a dedicated decontamination room that’s separate from patient areas. Unless they are disposable, our tools are sterilised after every use and washed in an enzymatic solution to eliminate any debris. Following this step, the tools go through an autoclave, where steam kills off any remaining bacteria. After cleaning, the instruments are packaged to avoid cross-contamination and stored in clean drawers until they are required.
Dental implants are titanium screws that are surgically placed into the jaw bone, acting as the roots that securely keeps a false tooth in place.
Dental implants are for anyone who is ready to replace their missing teeth. You need to be in good health and have enough bone in the area where you are missing teeth, so we can successfully anchor an implant. In occurrences where there is insufficient bone, we’ll suggest a bone graft treatment.
Bone has the ability to regenerate. A bone graft is a procedure where we transplant bone into areas where we want to place a dental implant. The graft encourages new bone cells to grow, and the grafts are reabsorbed and replaced as natural bone heals. This healing process takes a few months.
When you start to notice symptoms of gum disease, such as red, swollen gums that are quick to bleed, come and see us for an appointment. Catching gum disease early makes it easier to control, preventing gum disease from getting worse and even reversing the effects of gum disease.
Receding gums means that your bones are decreasing too. When this happens, pockets begin to form in your gums, loosening the teeth. When this progresses, it can lead to multiple tooth loss and extraction. Please book an appointment with our dental team for an assessment and potentially a referral to a trusted periodontist.
Approximately 80 percent of the UK population has some form of gum disease. The earlier it is caught, the easier it is for us to treat. Signs of gum disease can include redder gums than usual, gums that bleed, bleeding when brushing your teeth, receding gums, swollen gums, painful or sensitive gums, abscesses, general bad odour from the mouth, or loose teeth. Contact us if you show any of these signs, and we’ll investigate and diagnose the issue.
Gingivitis is a mild form of gum disease, generally caused by poor oral hygiene. When food particles and bacteria stagnate, they form sticky plaque, which hardens to form tartar (or calculus). Toxins produced by mouth bacteria cause inflammation of the gums, which can worsen, eventually leading to an infection of the teeth and gums. If gingivitis progresses without intervention, it can lead to more serious periodontitis.

Questions About Our Cosmetic Dentistry

Studies show that one of the first things people notice about you is your smile.

Are you self-conscious when you smile? Do you try not to show your teeth? Do you feel uncomfortable looking at pictures or having your photo taken? If you nodded your head reading any of these questions, ask us how a smile makeover can help improve your smile.

Discoloured teeth, crooked teeth or an uneven smile are all problems that can affect self-confidence. Everyone is a candidate for a smile makeover if there is something they want to improve about their teeth.

We want to know more about you and what you want to change about your current smile. The first step in a smile makeover is a full professional consultation with our experts.

We move on to photography and a smile assessment of the existing colour, shape, position and overall health of your teeth help us determine the most suitable, bespoke, makeover treatment.

We produce smile simulations for patients for orthodontics (clear braces), bonding, or porcelain veneers treatments. Digital technology helps us visualise the proposed outcome before starting treatment.

Sometimes we need to use a combination of treatments to achieve the ideal outcome. Often there are several dental treatment options that can help. We always discuss all treatments with you thoroughly and help advise on which best suits your individual needs.

A smile makeover is an customised dental smile design, giving your teeth the appearance you want. Smile makeovers improve your teeth and smile using dedicated cosmetic techniques. It may include tooth whitening, composite bonding, orthodontic braces or porcelain veneers. Sometimes a makeover can be a combination of some or all of these treatments.

We take great pride in producing individual, bespoke treatment plans for you. A smile makeover requires careful planning. That’s why we like to meet you beforehand, so we can understand any of your concerns before moving on to the detailed consultation.

We conduct a full dental examination, take photographs, and discuss all aspects of what you would like to achieve from treatment. We also want to ensure that your teeth and gums are in the best possible health before we start your dental treatment.

Often there can be different options available to help you achieve what you want. We go through all aspects of our recommended treatments to help you make an informed decision. Based on this meeting, we develop a preview of the expected results and get your feedback.

Once we finalise a treatment plan, we book appointment times that suit your schedule.

Some dental treatments are entirely painless and may not need numbing injections. If you’re anxious about treatment, we can arrange for conscious sedation with an anaesthetist to make things completely comfortable for you.

As many treatments as you need or want! We detail every option and help you decide what will work best for your smile. Sometimes it only requires a tooth whitening treatment to achieve the results you’re looking for.

A full smile makeover can take one appointment or several months, depending on the treatments you get. Here are some example timelines:

  • Enlighten whitening takes two weeks.
  • Composite bonding takes one visit.
  • Porcelain veneers, including a trial smile, can take a few weeks, allowing the trial smile to be worn and previewed.
  • Some orthodontic (Invisalign) treatments take weeks but more complex treatments may take several months.

We make your smile makeover as predictable as possible. With the help of digital dentistry, we can create a preview of the results you can expect before starting treatment. 

Models can also be printed with before and after changes showing the realistic outcome of certain treatments. We can take a photo of your smile and within minutes, the unique smilevision software shows you how your new smile might look.

Using Invisalign (clear orthodontic braces) an immediate preview can be obtained using a unique digital scan of your teeth by the iTero scanner. The scan can be made into a more formal preview, allowing you to see your teeth in three dimensions and exactly how they will move. Composite bonding can be previewed in the mouth using a special temporary material to show your new smile in real-time.

When undertaking porcelain veneers, we start with a digital scan of your teeth using our CEREC omnicam or iTero scanners. Our cosmetic technician uses the scans and designs a bespoke smile, which you can then preview. During treatment, we create a trial smile that you can wear and walk around with, so we have the opportunity to make any alterations before creating your final smile

Once your treatment is complete, we ensure that you have all the necessary information to help maintain your new smile. Part of your treatment is with our hygienists. They help make sure things are kept as clean as possible and that the correct home care regime is in place.

We recommend regular reviews and visits with the dentist and hygienist to ensure the best possible future care of your smile makeover.

A smile makeover is a great way to improve self-confidence, self-esteem and contentment.

  • A white, bright smile can take years off your true age and instantly make you appear younger. Aging, yellow, worn teeth can be refreshed in a very short time.
  • Crooked, misaligned smiles can be improved beyond recognition. Teeth that were previously difficult to clean and maintain become easier to look after with teeth straightening.
  • Meeting friends, going to interviews, and forming new relationships can all be helped with a new smile design. Studies show that the first thing people notice about you can be your smile so a makeover can benefit your first impression.
  • Improved dental health, comfortable chewing and painless eating are all benefits of a smile makeover.

Small or big changes to your smile can be transformative. For some people, a smile makeover can be life-changing.

We help ensure that your smile is carefully designed to suit your face, lips, complexion and personality. We undertake an in-depth, detailed consultation, so we fully understand the smile that YOU want.

We will, of course, advise you what might be the best direction for your new smile. Utilising unique digital planning we can develop your bespoke smile design with your individual needs in mind. We can also produce a trial smile where you can preview your new smile in your mouth and show family and friends before making it permanent. A natural smile is always our goal for you.

If you’re between ages 18 and 80 and you’re unhappy with your smile, we can help you achieve the smile you want.

For friendly help and advice please call 020 7586 1210 or book online.

We understand that patients have lots of questions so all initial consultations are free of charge. There is no commitment on your behalf nor is there any hard sell. We only offer impartial dental advice, ensuring you get the right treatment at the right price.