Dental Procedures

Restorative Dentistry

Restorative Dentistry describes a number of dental techniques used individually or in combination to improve the appearance of the teeth, mouth and smile. These procedures are becoming increasingly popular and can be used to repair, straighten, lighten and even reshape teeth. Restorative treatments include veneers, crowns, bridges and tooth-coloured fillings and tooth whitening.

Here at Stone Dental we provide a full range of the most up-to-date restorative dentistry treatments to improve your teeth, smile and ultimately your confidence!

Tooth Whitening:

Teeth whitening is a popular cosmetic dentistry treatment used to brighten the natural colour of your teeth without the need to modify or remove any of the tooth surface. Some teeth are naturally dark but can also become discoloured over time, particularly those of a smoker or regular consumer of staining foods e.g. coffee or red wine. The majority of cases can be treated successfully, quickly and cost effectively using modern tooth whitening techniques. Various options are available, some involving laser light in combination with special bleaching pastes for rapid results. Our team will advise the most appropriate treamemt following an initial consultation with the patient.

Veneers:

A veneer is a thin layer of porcelain made to fit over the front surface of a tooth. This technique is performed by “bonding” the covering, usually porcelain, ceramic or composite onto the natural tooth surface. With careful planning the veneering procedure may involve removing no tooth tissue at all or just a very small layer of the tooth surface to ensure that the new tooth covering does not feel intrusive.

Typically the veneering process requires four or more dental appointments. During the first visit an initial consultation is performed and critical information is collected. The second appointment is with the dental technician to facilitate communication and allow the correct teeth to be designed for you. The third appointment will be an in surgery mock-up of the expected outcome, if and only if this is acceptable after a period of evaluation we will proceed to the fourth appointment at which time the teeth are prepared and the colour finally matched. On the subsequent visit the veneers are fitted. Before final bonding, Dr Stone will show you the veneer on your tooth to make sure you are happy with it. Final bonding is done with a special adhesive, which holds the veneer firmly in place on the original tooth.

White Fillings:

Many of us have fillings of one sort or another, often the silver amalgam variety which stand out and appear rather ugly against the natural tooth colour. More recently, fillings are not only functional, but are far more natural looking as well. This is acheived by the use of "white fillings" which match the natural tooth colour very closely. White fillings can also be used to replace old amalgam fillings for patients who wish to improve their smile.

Crowns / Onlays:

Dental crowns and onlays are protective covers that are fitted over the existing damaged tooth, improving it's strength and re-establishing the shape of the original tooth. Crowns are very effective restorations for teeth that are broken, weakened by decay, have large fillings or have had root canal treatment.

Bridges:

If a tooth has been lost, a bridge can be used to “span” the gap between two adjacent teeth.The bridge is made in the dental laboratory and then the pieces are cemented into place with special adhesives. The resulting foundation supports a "bridge" tooth that acts as replacement for the missing natural tooth. The bridge tooth will be matched as closely as possible to the adjacent teeth to ensure a natural appearance.

Implants:

Please see our dental implants section for more comprehensive information.

Childrens Dentistry

We are very happy to see the children at the practice. Our goal with children is to introduce them to the practice environment at the earliest possible stage. We will spend time, with you the parents, discussing the wide range to preventative strategies you can employ to decrease your children’s susceptibility to tooth decay. We will advise your children on oral hygiene measures and recommend regular visits to one of our hygiene/therapists. We will monitor the growth and development of both the jaws and teeth to ensure correct alignment and positioning, and if required an early referral to an orthodontist or cranio-facial specialist will follow.

Dental Treatments

London Restorative Dentist, Dr Robert W Stone, Preventative, Aesthetic and Restorative Dentistry