A Bit Long In The Tooth?

“The Tooth And Nothing But The Tooth”

By Chris “Dr Smile Maker” Branfield

A Bit Long In The Tooth?

            

Hello again. I hope that you are well.   It’s all go again this month.  My daughter, Harriet, who had a holiday job at our place, goes off to Newcastle University to study speech and language therapy for four years.  So, her mum’s been busy getting her loads of stuff ready and enough food for the year I think.  I’ve given her a couple of cooking lessons.  You can’t live on pot noodle!  Oh we’ve got a new dog, Poppy.  She’s been rehomed with us after a stint in foster care.  She’s lovely and has settled in right away.

So. What’s This Long In The Tooth Thing?
Gum recession and getting a bit long in the tooth is a natural thing to a degree.  That’s where the saying comes from.  As you get older you get a bit long in the tooth.  However, there are a few things that can bring it prematurely at a younger age, some of it is genetic and some is not.  Gum recession can give rise to sensitive teeth as dentine of the tooth root is exposed.

The Bone Sets The Tone
The Americans have a saying. “ The soft tissue is the issue but the bone sets the tone”.  The soft tissue here relates to the gum.  If there is enough bone around a tooth or dental implant for that matter then there will gum as the gum always covers the bone.  If there is no bone then it can be unpredictable if the gum will stay or not.  Now some people are thin gum types and more likely to get recession whilst others have a thick gum type and less likely.  That’s just the genetic luck of the draw.

Gum recession can also be caused by over vigorous brushing, trauma from jewellery and inflammatory gum disease.  Sometimes having a high fibrous attachment from the lip or cheek onto the gum (fraenum) can contribute to recession.

Can You Fix It?
Well the good news is that often it can.  BUT, there are not that many dentists who can.  There are things that can be done to augment the gum to make it look better, more youthful and leave the teeth less sensitive.

My friend, mentor (in lasers) and colleague, Ilay has a PhD in gums and a masters degree in lasers and can do these treatments.  I’ve been working with him this year and some of the stuff is remarkable.  We are really lucky to have him as he is high demand and works part time on Harley Street.  He is going to be working more with us as well.

I mentioned Ilay was my mentor.  He taught me all I know about dental lasers.  He lectures all around the world on dental lasers especially with gum related issues.  In fact, whilst I was on a training course in Florida earlier this year the guy teaching the course said how he considered Ilay to be the number 1 opinion leader in the orls about treatment of gum disease around dental implants with lasers.

Welcome to the team Ilay.
   
Until next time.   Take care and be good. 

Chris Branfield is Principal Dentist at Castle Park Dental Care, Castle Villa, 28 Castle Road, Cottingham, telephone 01482 772550.  He has been in dental practice for 24 years and has a special interest in life changing, pain free dentistry with dental implants, rapid teeth straightening and cosmetic dentistry. And, not only that Chris is founder member and trustee of Dental Mavericks charity- ending the daily dental pain of Moroccan kids. For more patient success stories and Chris’s humanitarian work go here now www.castleparkdental.co.uk