Periodontology

At Cox & Hitchcock Dental Group, we take pride in being a multidisciplinary practice with a team of skilled dental experts. We offer a comprehensive range of treatments, from general dentistry to comprehensive cosmetic, periodontal, endodontic, orthodontic and implant dentistry, as well as providing dedicated hygienist and therapist services. All our practices offer a wide range of treatments. If you are looking for Private, Denplan or NHS dental services in South Wales, Cox & Hitchcock Dental Group is here to meet your needs.

Yes, all dentists have training in Endodontics (the subject that covers root canal treatment). However, some dentists choose to continue with extensive post graduate training in this field, using advanced treatments, commonly with aid of a microscope. They also perform many more root canal treatments than the average general dentist? As a result, they tend to have a significantly higher success rate across the board in both complex and simple cases. It is not uncommon for a general dentist to offer the patient the choice of having them do it or referring it to a practitioner with more training and expertise if they feel the latter will offer a high chance of success. In some cases, the general practitioner will feel that a case is beyond their skill set and refer to a suitably qualified colleague.

In most cases, root canal treatment is successful and the tooth should settle over a few days and no longer cause pain. However, there is always some risk depending on the condition of the tooth, your oral hygiene, and the biting forces on the tooth.

Risks and complications include:

Mild temporary pain/discomfort due to inflammation of the tissues surrounding the tooth.

The tooth might darken over time. There are procedures available which may lighten the tooth if this occurs.

Tooth fracture may occur due to reduced strength and durability of the tooth. Thi may lead to tooth extraction.
This risk is reduced when a crown fitted.

Uncommon risks and complications:

The fine metal files used to clean inside the root canals may break during use and remain in the tooth, this may or may not affect the success rate of the root canal treatment.

Depending on the size and shape of the roots, there is some risk of creating a hole
in the side of a tooth root during the cleaning process, this is called a perforation.

If you experience persistent pain, return to your treating dental practitioner.

If you develop an infection return to your treating dental practitioner.

Root canal tratment might fail. The tooth may require further treatment or even extraction.

Gentle massage of the treated skin is beneficial. However, you should not touch the area for at least six hours following treatment. The correct massage techniques will be demonstrated during your consultation.

NHS dental care will help you secure and maintain oral health provides a basic level of dental care. Fees are set by the Department of Health and will be the same with every practice with a contract to provide NHS dentistry.

The NHS does not provide any cosmetic treatments such as  tooth coloured fillings in posterior teeth, bleaching and certain types of crowns. Check-ups and periodontal care are bound by certain criteria. Your dentist is required to reassess how often you should attend. Appointments are made when available. We are contracted each year, at each individual practice, to see a number of historic patients (those that have attended for an examination within a set number of years) as well as a number of new patients. Funding of each practice varies, which also determines NHS treatment availability. We are obliged to spread that work throughout the year; this can result in longer waiting times for NHS care. Please also be aware, your examination recall for NHS treatment is determined by disease presentation at your examination visit, and is set using Welsh Assembly Government guidelines.

Private dental care at our practices provides all treatment options and will make all advanced and cosmetic treatment options available to you, giving you a larger choice of treatment options.

Our team will be happy to discuss these options with you during any consultation.

All of our dentists are committed to postgraduate education and continued professional development.

This additional experience reflects our level of commitment to high clinical standards.

Early morning and evening appointments are available for your convenience. Items requiring laboratory work will be carried out by the most experienced technicians using the best quality materials. Your treatment will be prioritised and completed as soon as possible.

All work is guaranteed within reason for 12 months, unless you have been informed by your dentist, on a like for like basis, with the exception of some private treatment which can be guaranteed for up to 5 years or longer.

Treatment time is approximately 30 minutes.

NHS dental care will help you secure and maintain oral health provides a basic level of dental care. Fees are set by the Department of Health and will be the same with every practice with a contract to provide NHS dentistry.

The NHS does not provide any cosmetic treatments such as  tooth coloured fillings in posterior teeth, bleaching and certain types of crowns. Check-ups and periodontal care are bound by certain criteria. Your dentist is required to reassess how often you should attend. Appointments are made when available. We are contracted each year, at each individual practice, to see a number of historic patients (those that have attended for an examination within a set number of years) as well as a number of new patients. Funding of each practice varies, which also determines NHS treatment availability. We are obliged to spread that work throughout the year; this can result in longer waiting times for NHS care. Please also be aware, your examination recall for NHS treatment is determined by disease presentation at your examination visit, and is set using Welsh Assembly Government guidelines.

Private dental care at our practices provides all treatment options and will make all advanced and cosmetic treatment options available to you, giving you a larger choice of treatment options.

Our team will be happy to discuss these options with you during any consultation.

All of our dentists are committed to postgraduate education and continued professional development.

This additional experience reflects our level of commitment to high clinical standards.

Early morning and evening appointments are available for your convenience. Items requiring laboratory work will be carried out by the most experienced technicians using the best quality materials. Your treatment will be prioritised and completed as soon as possible.

All work is guaranteed within reason for 12 months, unless you have been informed by your dentist, on a like for like basis, with the exception of some private treatment which can be guaranteed for up to 5 years or longer.

Dermal Fillers, like Teosyal^®, are modern medical gels designed to fill out and smooth away lines, wrinkles and folds, and to add volume to lips. This is an excellent treatment for nasal furrows, smile lines, lip enhancement and facial contouring.

The main component of Teosyal^® fillers is hyaluronic acid, a biosynthesized version of one of the body’s own natural substances. The amount of hyaluronic acid produced by the body decreases significantly as we age; as a result, the skin becomes dryer, thinner and less supple, rendering it increasingly prone to wrinkling. Injecting fillers into skin not only adds volume where the body’s own hyaluronic acid has been depleted, but also draws water into the area improving skin hydration and elasticity.

With all procedures there is a possibility that it may not work. This applies to root canal treatment as well as any other treatment. There are a variety of reasons why it may not work. some of these reasons include but are not limited to:

Failure to adequately disinfect, leaving bacteria in the canal system, resulting in recurrence of infection.

Failure to instrument all the canal system.  In some teeth the root canals can be incredibly small (often as small as one tenth of a millimetre across or even smaller). Dentists who carry out a lot of root canals usually utilise high powered magnification to help them find and treat such small canals.

Failure to fill and seal the root canals adequately, allowing bacteria from the mouth to reinvade the root canal system and set up infection again.

Inappropriate instrumentation technique that does not allow for adequate disinfection and sealing of the root canals.

Severe fracture of the tooth leaving remnants that cannot be fixed again.

If the dentist feels there is a significant risk of treatment failure, possible causes will be discussed, so you can make an
informed decision regarding treatment.

With powerful regenerative properties, platelet rich growth factor Endoret® (PRGF) is being increasingly used in many fields, such as plastic surgery, dental implantology, and the treatment of sporting injuries. It has been shown to reduce scarring, rejuvenate facial tissues, as well as accelerate healing. Endoret claims to have “better osteoblastic (bone regenerating cells) properties and demonstrate lower post operative pain than other blood concentrates.” PRF releases growth factors over a longer period than PRP, offering more sustained benefits for skin repair and regeneration.

Folowing implant placement, we will provide you with appropriate medication, including a mouthwash, and written post operative instruction detailing aftercare and what to expect. You will experience some swelling, bruising and discomfort. The extent of which will depend on the treatment complexity, as well as your general health. We advise sticking to a soft diet, avoidance of alcohol and smoking, as well as no strenuous excercise in the first few days after surgery.

This will all be discussed with you at your visits.

Dental CBCT is a special type of x-ray equipment used when regular dental  x-rays are not sufficient. Your dentist may use this technology to produce three dimensional (3-D) images of your teeth, soft tissues, nerve pathways and bone in a single scan.