Treatment Guide
Which treatment for your situation?
You do not need to know the names of treatments. Find the situation you are in, and read which treatments are considered for it and how they differ.
One of my teeth is missing
With a single missing tooth there are three routes, and the real difference between them is what happens to the neighbouring teeth. An implant puts its own root into the gap and leaves the teeth on either side untouched; the trade-off is surgery and a period of healing. A dental bridge needs no surgery, but the two healthy teeth beside the gap have to be trimmed down, and that cannot be undone. A removable denture is the least invasive of the three, though it is also the least comfortable.
Treatments considered
I am missing several teeth next to each other
The longer the gap, the more load a bridge places on the teeth holding it up. An implant-supported bridge closes the whole gap with fewer implants than there are missing teeth, and the healthy teeth beside it are left alone. Across a short gap a tooth-supported dental bridge is still an option; across a long one it is not advised, because too much load falls on the supporting teeth. If surgery is not suitable for you, a removable partial denture is considered instead.
Treatments considered
I have no teeth left in one jaw
There are two main routes here, fixed and removable. All-on-4 and All-on-6 carry fixed teeth on four or six implants, and in suitable cases they can be planned without a bone graft. A complete denture needs no surgery and can still be made when there is not enough bone, but it holds less firmly than the implant-supported options. Which one suits you depends on how much bone you have.
Treatments considered
My teeth have changed colour
Where the colour comes from decides the treatment. When it is surface staining left by tea, coffee and smoking, whitening is often enough on its own. When the discolouration sits inside the tooth tissue, whitening will not shift it, and composite bonding, veneers or crowns come into the picture. What separates those options is how much tooth tissue has to be removed and how long the result lasts.
Treatments considered
My gums bleed or are receding
Bleeding is usually the first sign of inflammation, and at that earliest stage it is also the simplest thing to treat. Curettage cleans away the tartar sitting under the gum. Once gum recession has started, the tissue you have lost is not expected to grow back on its own and a separate treatment is needed. Only an examination and X-rays can show which stage you are at, and bleeding that stops does not mean the problem has healed.
Treatments considered
I have toothache
The kind of pain tells you where it comes from. A brief sensitivity that arrives with something hot or cold and then passes is one thing; a throbbing that starts on its own and grows worse at night points to something else. The second usually means decay has reached the nerve, and root canal treatment is needed. Pain that fades on its own does not mean the problem has gone; more often it means the nerve has lost its vitality.
Treatments considered
My teeth are crooked
Crowding is not only a question of appearance: the surfaces your brush and floss cannot reach raise the risk of decay and gum problems. Choosing between fixed braces and clear aligners depends on how complex the case is and on what you can carry through your day. With either one, the same thing decides the result: regular check-ups and sticking to the planned timeframe.
Treatments considered
My teeth are worn down or chipped
A restoration placed before the cause of the wear has been found tends to break again in the same spot. The most common causes are clenching at night, reflux and an acidic diet. Where little tooth substance has been lost, composite can be enough; where the loss is greater, a crown is needed. As long as the cause is still there, no treatment lasts, which is why the cause is looked at first.
Treatments considered
This page is for information and does not replace an examination. Which treatment suits you is decided after an examination and imaging.