Cosmetic Dentistry and Implants

All the dentists at Compton Acres Dental Practice regularly attend cosmetic dentistry courses to keep up with the latest cosmetic dental treatments from around the world so that they can offer them to you.

John Grummitt LDS DGDP(UK) MMedSci has been awarded Fellowship of the International Congress of Oral Impantologists, Fellowship of the British Society for Restorative Dentistry, and has been a member of the Association of Dental Implantology (UK) for over twenty years. Having attended his first implant course in 1989, he has been placing and restoring dental implants since 1991. His Masters degree (obtained with Distinction) is in Restorative Dentistry and Periodontology. He has fulfilled the requirements to be a Full Member of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry - More Information

Headache and Migraine Solutions

Many people do not realise that modern dentistry can often give an answer to reduce or get rid of regular tension headaches and certain migraines. Clenching or grinding our teeth is called bruxism and many people do this often without even realising. Clenchers may not even show the wear on their teeth that grinders usually have! These continuous excessive forces (called parafunction because these are excessive forces greater and longer than those we generate just eating foodstuffs) are sometimes combined with a dysfunction in the temperomandibular joint (TMJ) (the ball and socket joint that keeps our lower jaw working agains the upper jaw). These parafunctional activities, which cannot be consciously controlled, can lead to many headaches and facial and head pains or pains in the TMJ (feels like earache). It is also recognised that this muscular activity may trigger many types of migraines (spasm in the blood supply to the brain) - More Information

Natural Looking Dentures

Dentures can look just like natural teeth. Unfortunately they often do not!

Whether partial or full dentures when they are produced down to a price (for example on the NHS) very cheap components are used and the time the dental technician or the dentist can spend on ensuring that they look entirely natural is limited. The wear of these teeth is often very poor and the person buying them is often disappointed in the way they look or the length of time the teeth last before they are worn down.

As a private practice at Compton Acres Dental Practice we use only the best materials in our best quality dentures and we can take the time to ensure you get the exact look you are seeking. For some people this will be beautiful stylish straight teeth (a cosmetic makeover) for other people it may be that we set the teeth with an uneven and worn appearance, we can even put gold or silver or tooth coloured fillings in the dentures for that “natural” look. For many people it will be something in the middle – really natural looking almost straight perfect teeth – the teeth you always wanted - More Information

Precision Attachments

There are thousands of different types of precision attachments used in dentistry. However they have not been widely used in the UK. A precision attachment is a hidden male and female type of clip hidden under a denture or prosthesis and attached to crowns or implants. They are all designed to enable dentures/prostheses to be clipped into place so that they do not move until they are unclipped. They are usually not visible when everything is in its place in the mouth. They can be used to replace visible silver or gold clasps (clips) on conventional dentures in many situations - More Information

Tooth Whitening

All whitening needs to be maintained in the future to keep your teeth white. Studies show us that two years after whitening 65% of people believe their teeth need whitening again. Fortunately teeth usually whiten quicker once they have already been whitened. How much they darken with time after whitening depends on diet, lifestyle (i.e. coffee and tea intake, red wine) etc.

We provide a home whitening kit with custom made trays and a supply of Opalescence whitening gel. The cost includes impression taking of teeth, provision of trays and gel, full instructions, any aftercare and a follow up visit to determine the new colour of your teeth. Opalescence is one of the world’s leading brands of bleaching gel and we source it directly from the UK importer so you can be assured of its quality. See our price list for our amazingly low current price - More Information

Mercury Free Fillings

Amalgam fillings have been widely used by dentists since the early 1800’s. Amalgam is mainly a mixture of silver and mercury. The argument over the safety aspects of the mercury in these fillings has been going on for nearly 300 years and is still going on. Amalgam makes a very strong, cheap and long lasting filling.

For all this time it has been recognised that mercury on its own is neurotoxic (affects brain and nerve tissue ) and nephrotoxic (affects kidney function). Until the 1980’s dentists believed the silver bound chemically with the mercury when amalgam set and this prevented the mercury from coming out of the fillings and harming the person who had the fillings. In the 1980’s Professor Murray Vimy in Canada showed that very small amounts of mercury does in fact come off the amalgam fillings in somebodies mouth and builds up in their brain, nerves and kidneys. The question now, is what effect does this have over twenty, forty, eighty or even one hundred years. This is a similar question to what effect does exhaust fumes in the environment have on us. It is impossible to say. It probably varies from person to person and depends on the person’s individual susceptibility to these small amounts mercury. It is probable that in the majority of us it will have no effect (our great grand parents had these type of fillings and dentists are inhaling the ground fillings every day for decades with no apparent effect in the majority of cases) - More Information

Best Quality Crowns, Bridges and Veneers

Crowns (sometimes referred to as caps) are used to improve the appearance of teeth or to restore badly broken down teeth when there is insufficient tooth to hold a filling. They can be made of cast gold, precious and non precious metals and different ceramics (metal free) or a combination of metal and ceramic depending upon the specific needs of the treatment.

A bridge is a false tooth (that looks similar to a crown) used to replace a missing tooth or teeth and is attached to a tooth or teeth adjacent to the gap, by using adhesive attachments, inlays or crowns.

Veneers look like a crown or bridge “unit” but are a facing bonded (glued) on the outside of teeth to give them an improved appearance. They are usually made of porcelain. They are less destructive to teeth than crowns - More Information

Bad Breath Correction

Bad breath can have several causes. It can come from our nose (for example sinusitis), our stomach (for example when we diet and cause ketosis) or from our mouth and gums. By far the most common cause of bad breath is from the mouth and gums. Gum disease is one of the biggest causes of bad breath. Gum disease is caused by the bacteria in the plaque that collects around our teeth and gums and in our mouth. The by products from the bacteria in the plaque make gums swell, become red and bleed. These are the classic signs of the first stage of gum disease – called gingivitis. If ignored and not treated this can go on to loss of bone support around your teeth causing pocketing and/or recession. It is treatable by your dentist and hygienist at Compton Acres Dental Practice - More Information

Treatment and Prevention of Gum Diseases

Periodontal disease (often called gum disease) occurs in the gums and jawbones around the teeth. It is caused by the bacteria (plaque) that form on our teeth. Some people are more susceptible than others. If untreated, it can lead to loss of teeth and many other dental problems such as pain and swelling and drifting of teeth. It is preventable and treatable if caught early enough.

Periodontal disease is often painless. You may have bleeding gums, red, swollen and tender gums, loose teeth, an unpleasant taste or bad breath. The signs may not be visible to the patient but can be detected by a regular dental examination - More Information

Tooth Coloured Fillings and Inlays

When a tooth needs to be filled there is no ideal filling material that adequately replaces the original tooth substance. The most common filling material used in the past has been amalgam. Amalgam is a silver grey material which often goes black in time. It is made of several metals including silver and mercury. It is easy to use and lasts well. Many patients and dentists have concerns with amalgam because of its appearance and toxicity.

Tooth coloured fillings have been used for over 50 years for front teeth and in the past 30 years there have been significant developments in tooth coloured fillings for back teeth.

There are various types of tooth coloured fillings, the most commonly used is composite which is a plastic material with small glass particles in it. It is placed in one visit. There are also inlays which are fillings made by a dental technician and then glued into the cavity. These normally take two visits. They can be made of porcelain or a heat and pressure cured composite plastic material. Inlays offer a longer average life than composite fillings - More Information