Our Dental Services
At Bridgeways we offer a full range of private dental services. See below for more details, but please do contact us if you have any queries.
Richard Smith has a particular interest in how problems with the mouth and jaws can affect the wellbeing of a person as a whole. This is also related to 'Occlusion' - the way teeth bite together.
Do you suffer from jaw, neck or back pain? We offer treatment of the dental causes of jaw and facial pain, headaches, neck pain and backache. Much of this work can be done in conjunction with other practitioners of complimentary medicine to achieve the best possible results. We are widely networked with numerous complimentary healthcare practitioners who participate as part of a team for patient treatment when required.
Mercury-Free Fillings
Dentist Richard Smith has pursued a special interest in the treatment and prevention of 'Mercury Toxicity'. In light of increasing concerns about the possible side effects of mercury contained in amalgam fillings, since 1999 our practice has operated an entirely 'mercury-free' filling policy, so all fillings are non-metallic. This is just part of our commitment to the concept of 'biocompatible dentistry', ensuring our work is in harmony with your body as a whole. These amalgam-free fillings also look much better too!
Read more about the replacement of mercury fillings >
Dental Hygienist Services
It is impossible to over-emphasise the importance of the dental hygienist's role in your dental healthcare. The three major causes of tooth loss in the UK are gum disease, tooth decay and toothbrush abrasion. These are all preventable, providing you have the necessary support. This vital and essential aspect of our dental practice philosophy is provided by our hygienists Charlotte and Vicky.
As we often say, there is absolutely no point in having a lovely house built on a bog! Likewise there is no point in having lovely healthy teeth if the foundations (gum and bone) are not equally healthy. A clean and healthy mouth will improve your appearance and self-confidence, help you keep your teeth, give you fresh breath and help prevent life-threatening diseases such as heart disease, strokes and diabetes.
75% of all teeth still lost today are as a result of gum disease - a disease that is totally preventable.
Inflammation in the mouth can be linked to infections in the body e.g. chronic long standing gum disease has been shown to have a direct link to cardiac disease and diabetes.
To help with our objectives, we stock an extensive range of oral healthcare products recommended by Charlotte and Vicky - all at extremely competitive prices and many of which are difficult to find in supermarkets. Certain complimentary oral hygiene products are provided in conjunction with hygienist appointments in order to encourage their use.
Cosmetic Dentistry
You do not have to go through life with a smile you are unhappy with. Any problem, no matter how small, that is important to you is important to us. We can provide feasible and appropriate solutions for your consideration.
Children's Dental Care
We welcome children into our dental practice, and our services for them include the use of 'Air Abrasion' - the latest method of removing decay which removes the need for any drilling. We also offer 'DIAGNOdent' - a light laser based piece of equipment, used to detect and monitor decay in its very earliest stages. This helps us to prevent it from progressing any further.
Our aim is to make a visit to us fun, and not something to be wary of. A variety of toys and books covering all ages, plus our unusual aquariums, all help to achieve this.
Overcrowded Teeth
Conventional dentistry would usually remove teeth to create the space needed to straighten those remaining, but there is another way that does not need your teeth to be removed. After all - we were given them for a reason! Richard Smith uses his experience in 'Orthopaedic Orthodontics' to achieve the smile you want without the removal of teeth.
It is now known that the removal of permanent premolar teeth to create space will, in most cases, result in the straightening of the natural curvature of the spine in the neck with forward posturing of the head. This has a reciprocal effect in the lower spine thus predisposing children to neck and back pain. For further details of dental orthopaedics see Triple O Dental Laboratory.
Tooth Whitening (Bleaching)
So often we find that patients can have an intolerance to tooth whitening gels because they contain certain peroxides of various descriptions. Common localised symptoms are discomfort and sensitivity during or after whitening. Hydrogen peroxide and carbonmide peroxide release oxygen but in a radical form. This is a persistent form of oxygen that can damage the enamel and irritate the gums. Stinging pain may also occur. There is always the possibility that some of the gel can be ingested with systemic consequences associated with toxicity.
Not all patients will have these problems but for those that do, or who simply want to avoid any of these potential problems, we recommend the Vitint Safe and White system. This was invented by a Dutch dentist and incorporates the use of Ardox-X technology consisting of the Hydro-Carbon-Oxo-Borate complex. This also releases active oxygen (but in a non-radical form) when it comes into contact with saliva and penetrates the dentine, and so the whitening process begins. However, there are not the negative side effects such as damage to the enamel and gum irritation.
Bad Breath
If you think you might have bad breath there is a simple test you can do. Simply lick the inside of your wrist and sniff - if the smell is bad, you can be pretty sure your breath is too.
Bad breath is a very common problem and there are many different causes. Persistent bad breath is usually caused by the smelly gases released by the bacteria that coat your teeth and gums. Strong food such as garlic, onions, some spices and coffee can add to the problem. It can also be caused by medical problems such as dry mouth, some medicines, mouth breathing rather than through the nose, infections of the throat, nose or lungs, sinusitis, bronchitis, diabetes and liver or kidney problems. Hence if we find your mouth is healthy, we would advise referral to your GP for further investigations.
Our Dental Hygienist will be able to do all the treatment necessary to ensure healthy gums and provide you with advice relevant to yourself. There are many products that can help with bad breath, one of which is Vitint Safe and White used for whitening/bleaching teeth. During the research for Vitint, it became clear that the product also has a positive effect on eliminating the harmful bacteria that cause bad breath among other things. The Vitint products not only disturb the breeding ground of these bacteria, thus reducing their numbers, but also have a favourable influence on the concentration of oxygen in the mouth. Consequently, these harmful bacteria are not able to survive and a beneficial balance of bacteria develops in the mouth. Many of the anti-bacterial mouthwashes, although they have their place, can kill off the good as well as the bad bacteria, thus creating an imbalance which is not the most desirable outcome.
Treatment of Jaw Pain and Jaw Joint Pain (TMJ Dysfunction)
There are many symptoms of TMJ Dysfunction but some of these are:
- Head and facial pain.
- Pain around the eyes; blurring of vision; light sensitivity; watering of eyes.
- Discomfort when eating; limited opening and/or deviation of the jaw on opening; inability to "find the correct bite".
- Clicking, locking, grating noises or popping in jaw joint.
- Balance problems; diminished hearing; tinnitus; ear pain without infection.
- Swallowing difficulties; tightness of throat; feeling of a foreign object in throat.
- Neck and shoulder problems; tingling or numbness in arms or fingers.
If you suffer from any of these symptoms, Richard Smith may be able to help you. It may be for instance that although you may have jaw pain, the cause could actually be coming from elsewhere e.g. common areas are the neck, hips and pelvic area. Once it has been ascertained that it is the mouth that is the primary cause, treatment usually involves occlusal equilibration (very small adjustments to the shape of the chewing surfaces of the teeth). The teeth will then meet in all the right places without causing trauma when eating, clenching or grinding your teeth. Everything will then be balanced and the bite will feel far more even and comfortable.
Other treatments may involve splints to wear whilst asleep or even full time; restorative work such as the replacement of missing teeth or poorly shaped crowns/ fillings; and in severe and luckily rare cases, orthodontic treatment may be recommended to move the teeth to a more correct position.
Page last updated: 30 Jan 2012
