New Treatments FAQ'S

Q. I have read about a gel that can be painted on to cavities which dissolves the decay without having the drill - my biggest fear. Is this available on the NHS?
A. There is a technique available which uses a chemical gel called carisolv. This does soften the decay in a tooth, which can then be scooped out. This is useful in children as there is no need for a local anaesthetic. However, to effectively get to all the decay in a tooth to apply the gel it may be necessary to use a rotary handpiece ( drill). At the present time there is no fee available for this treatment on the National Health Service, therefore it can only be obtained privately.

Q. I hate the effect of the local anaesthetic when your whole mouth goes numb, but I am not brave enough to have my treatment without anaesthetic. Are there any alternatives?
A. With modern equipment and techniques a lot of the dental procedures can be carried out painlessly without the need for anaesthesia. However, for procedures involving cutting into dentine or extractions, local anaesthetic is necessary. To avoid having the whole side of your mouth numbed as happens when you are given a block anaesthetic, it is possible to have just the tooth that requires treatment anaesthetised. Your dentist can explain more about this treatment.

Q. I have a fear of the dentist. What can I do about getting treatment?
A. Many dentists offer sedation or relaxation techniques that are designed to help nervous patients. Relaxation can often be learned from specialist teachers of various techniques. A lot of practices offer intravenous sedation (by injection) or inhalation sedation (gas & air). As well as these some practitioners use hypnosis for controlling anxiety. You will need to contact a few practices and find out what they are offering for nervous patients and then make an appointment to discuss the treatment with the dentist.

Q. Will I be asleep during my treatment under intravenous sedation?
A. No you will not be asleep. Intravenous sedation will relax you but you will be conscious throughout the procedure. As the sedation has the effect of amnesia you will not remember much about the treatment and in fact most patients think they were asleep during the treatment when in fact they were awake.

Q. I had gas & air when I was younger for dental treatment. Is it possible for adults to have gas & air as well?
A. Relative Analgesia (Gas & Air) is a combination of Nitrous Oxide and Oxygen. You breath in the mixture through a nosepiece and this allows you to relax and have the treatment. You are awake throughout the procedure and when the treatment is finished the dentist will give you pure oxygen so you recover very quickly.

Q. My friends children have had plastic coating on their teeth. What are they?
A. These are fissure sealants that are applied to the biting surfaces of the permanent teeth. These plastic coatings protect the surface of the tooth by preventing bacteria and food getting into the grooves in the tooth and causing tooth decay.

Q. Does it hurt to have fissure sealants?
A. The procedure involved in applying fissure sealants to teeth is totally painless. The teeth are washed and dried. They are then treated with a solution or gel which is again washed and dried and the sealant is painted on to the surface of the tooth. A blue light is used to set the material.

Q. Are fissure sealants permanent?
A. Fissure sealants do usually last for years and are quite hard wearing. However, sometimes they can come off and the dentist will check this at the regular examinations and if necessary apply the sealant again.