Mrs H was referred to Elmsleigh House Dental Clinic in October 2021. She saw Sarah Mack for a restorative consultation because she wanted to improve her smile.
Sarah listened to her concerns and performed a thorough dental examination. She discussed that Mrs H’s upper front teeth showed erosion over time, her upper right bridge could be improved, and two amalgam fillings showed micro fractures and created a grey hue within the tooth structure, which was visible when she smiled.
Sarah discussed a treatment plan with Mrs H to improve her overall gum health, improve and protect the surfaces of her front teeth and subtly enhance the aesthetic appearance of her smile.
The first stage was to whiten Mrs H’s teeth. Sarah took impressions of Mrs H’s teeth, and whitening trays were made to fit her teeth precisely. Mrs H was shown how to apply whitening gel to the trays and fit them in place, and took them home to apply the gel and wear for 2–4 hours a day (or overnight) until she achieved the brighter shade desired, in around 2–3 weeks.
The next stage was to recontour, shape and protect the worn edges of Mrs H’s upper front teeth using composite resin material, which was made to match the colour of Mrs H’s whitened teeth. This is a minimally invasive treatment, where composite bonding material is added to the teeth, rather than being destructive. The material was shaped and contoured to protect and improve the look and symmetry of Mrs H’s upper front teeth.
The next stage was to replace Mrs H’s upper right bridge as it showed visible metal margins and no longer matched the colour of Mrs H’s teeth. First a mould of her existing crown was taken to make a temporary bridge, the existing bridge removed and the margins tidied up to ensure there was no decay.
Impressions and photographs were used to construct the temporary bridge, which was fitted in place while the dental technician made Mrs H a new all-ceramic bridge. This was made to fit precisely and match the colour of Mrs H’s whiter teeth. It was trialled in place to ensure Sarah and Mrs H were happy with it’s fit and appearance, then definitively bonded into place.
Finally her two amalgam fillings were replaced, as these were showing signs of wear and had leached into the surrounding enamel, discolouring it grey. These were restored with composite tooth-coloured bonding material to improve their appearance and, more importantly, help to prevent further deterioration.
Mrs H was delighted with her treatment at Elmsleigh House, and returns to her own general dentist for her routine dental care.
“Sarah and her team are lovely, made me feel at ease during what was a long time upside down in the chair! Sarah listened carefully to what I was wanting to achieve and I am very pleased with how my ‘new teeth’ have turned out. Thank you to all, a good experience and super result!” Mrs H.
