Treatments offered in general dentistry

A complete dental check-up is essential for us to make a detailed assessment of the oral health of a patient. It usually lasts between 60 and 90 minutes, and consists of a dental cleaning session followed by the dental check-up itself. We aim to detect possible problems, so that we can provide appropriate treatment as early as possible.

To maintain good oral health, it's important to visit your dentist regularly for preventive follow-up care. Depending on the condition of your mouth, he can recommend ways to prevent infection and decay, and can also carry out regular dental cleaning. Everyone needs regular preventive follow-up care, including people with good dental hygiene. The earlier dental problems are detected, the more effective the treatment we can give you will be. In most cases we recommend a six-monthly check-up, so that we can give you the best follow-up care for your dental health. Arrange an appointment now for more details!

When a decayed tooth is treated, it must then be protected against more serious damage that could occur in future. This is achieved by applying a filling made of composite material, known as a 'white filling' as it has the same colour as the tooth itself. Once the decayed part of the tooth has been extracted, this synthetic material is applied to fill the resulting cavity. The tooth is thus successfully treated and fully protected.

A stage may be reached where tooth extraction is the only option. Your dentist's extensive experience makes it easier to take effective care of your oral health. Tooth extraction is necessary when:

• the tooth structure has been extensively damaged by decay
• a tooth or the bone holding it in place has been completely destroyed by infection
• there is not enough space in your oral cavity for all your teeth to fit comfortably
• in some cases, the eruption or partial eruption of a tooth can cause an infection in the bone. This could damage the roots of adjacent healthy teeth, causing toothache that could be eradicated by extracting the diseased tooth.

In the case of wisdom teeth, extraction is sometimes necessary. There are various reasons for this, the most common being:

• wisdom teeth can cause pain and/or infection when they are badly positioned or lack sufficient space to 'come through' fully. In this situation, they remain impacted in the gum and become painful;
• even if wisdom teeth come through normally, like other teeth, they can still become decayed. If the dentist cannot find a treatment to successfully save a wisdom tooth, he must consider extracting it.
• From an orthodontic point of view, if wisdom teeth lack sufficient space to come through but are left to carry on pushing, there is a risk that they will push on other teeth and cause poor teeth alignment.

Ask Dr Cantillo and his team to give you a personalised evaluation to find out what precautions to take before undergoing a tooth or wisdom tooth extraction operation.

Healthy gums are essential for your general oral health. The gums are vulnerable to several types of infection - periodontitis and gingivitis are the most common. Gingivitis is characterised by red, inflamed gums that bleed on brushing, while periodontitis causes destruction of the alveolar bone that supports the teeth. Both are caused by accumulations of bacteria that form dental plaque. Some of the treatments we offer include crown lengthening, gingivectomy, scaling and gum pocket disinfection. Our team will carefully check your gums before recommending preventive care, and specific treatment if necessary. Arrange an appointment to find out more!

A tooth is made up of several hard layers. Underneath the hard layers there is a space we call the root canal, which contains a soft tissue called dental pulp. This protects the blood vessels and nerves that keep the tooth "alive". Advanced decay or cracks can cause the pulp to become infected and form a dental abscess. Root canal treatment, also called endodontic treatment, involves removing the infected or damaged dental pulp. The dentist administers a local anaesthetic before removing the infected pulp using precision instruments. After being thoroughly cleaned out, the tooth is then closed up. Contact us to arrange an appointment. Our dentist will give you a detailed oral health assessment, and recommend the appropriate treatment.