Frequently Asked Questions

Many people have metal fillings in their mouth - called dental amalgam fillings - which contain 50% mercury, combined with an alloy of other metals. It is still a matter of debate within certain groups of the dental community whether one should have amalgam fillings removed if there is no dental problem.

Whilst they are commonly known as silver fillings the major constituent is actually mercury.

We as dentists have a duty of care to our patients to present all the arguments for and against mercury fillings, and we are concerned that patients anticipating resolution from specific conditions and symptoms are not misled or their hopes allowed to be raised to unrealistic levels. Whilst dental amalgam has been used for over 150 years and is regarded as a robust and cheap material, our personal belief is that there are many suitable alternatives to dental amalgam, which also appear more natural. As 3% of the population suffer from mercury sensitivity, but may not show symptoms until years later, it is important to consider other options. And for this, there are many suitable alternatives.

Root can present at different levels of complexities dependent on the shapes of the root canals. Whilst most treatments can be successfully completed by our dentist the more complex treatments can be referred to a specialist colleague who shares our premises. Between us we have most bases covered for you.

Antibiotics need a blood supply to transport them to affected area. In a root canal problem, the blood supply for the tooth has been destroyed by the infection. Whilst antibiotics may reduce full-body symptoms of fever or fatigue and temporarily reduce the number of bacteria in the surrounding bone, they are unable to remove the reservoir of bacteria within the tooth itself. This is because the antibiotic can't be transported to inside the tooth to eliminate the bacteria. The bacteria and it's toxins will continue to leak into the health jaw bone and blood supply and this why it is important to seal the reservoir off.

This solves one problem by creating another. It would indeed remove the infective tissue but also all of the healthy tooth structure which was supporting your bite. Losing this may result in a heavier load being applied to your remaining teeth and the chances of damage to those teeth increases. Remember, nothing we do lasts forever and the longer we can maintain the tooth itself before having to replace it the longer the space will be filled long term. For further information please watch https://youtu.be/mmIuz7_NeUs.

We use local anaesthetic to fully numb the area before starting and take our time to gently treat the tooth. We regularly receive feedback that nothing was felt during the procedure.

Some people will chose not to have root canal treatment carried out to help maintain a dead tooth in their mouth. There may be a worry of leaving a dead tooth in the mouth. For others it may be a concern that teeth are linked via meridian points to other parts of the body and this may have a detrimental effect to their general health. As such removal of the tooth and alternative options for the space can be explored however we would reinforce that we would not carry out any treatment that we believed was harmful to you. Like any treatment, if sufficient care and time is devoted and in the hands of a dentist skilled at undertaking these procedures success rates are very high. However, as with any treatment, complications are possible. It is therefore important to discuss any concerns you may have and we encourage you to ask questions. For more information please watch https://youtu.be/ixU5BmBI6kk.

The “dead” part of the tooth in this process is the nerve and blood vessels which were inside the tooth. The structure that remains is no different from before by removing this tissue and we only leave healthy structure behind. For further information please watch https://youtu.be/ixU5BmBI6kk.

Your orthodontic treatment will be provided by clinicians under additional specialist support to ensure that every step is carried out carefully with a specific goal in mind. Should the case be more complex and require to be carried out by a specialist it will be referred appropriately with a full report to support the case. Our goal is the best result for you based on a full assessment and listening carefully to your wants and needs.