Moving with the times
Northern Ireland is an independent British colony on mainland Ireland, famed for many things. With it’s harsh but beautiful, picturesque landscapes and mountain ranges such as the Murlough National Nature Reserve and it’s capital city Belfast being renowned as the birthplace of the Titanic, with the famous ‘Titanic Quarter’ housing redeveloped dockyards where the doomed vessel was constructed and a contemporary museum, Titanic Belfast. It is a country synonymous with many wonders and natural beauty. Good dental care however, is not typically one such beauty. The reasoning behind this is that the field of cosmetic dentistry is relatively new to the island. Today however, the days of toothless grins are a thing of the past, and the countries smiles match the beauty of it’s scenery and it’s dental practitioners are on-par with those any other nation of its size.
Shining through
One renowned dental practitioner in Belfast is Blue Sky Dental, who offer patient specific, tailored dental services to residents across a range of cosmetic and surgical procedures. These are established through rigorous one-two-one consultations between patients and a practitioner that they trust wholeheartedly. A service that is popular here, and is in contrast with the countries stereotypical dental history, is teeth whitening. Here, patients are offered two specific forms of treatment – Home teeth whitening, and Power Teeth Whitening. The latter is a process which is conducted within the dental office, and consists of a protective barrier being placed around the patients lips and gums, before a whitening gel is applied directly to the teeth. After this, a high-powered laser is used to activate the bleaching ingredient within the gel. Results from this form of teeth whitening procedure are instant, and can eradicate any damage or stains on teeth from smoking or neglect. The procedure itself is non-invasive so it does not result in any pain or discomfort for the patient. Patients who opt for this form of treatment can find their self confidence vastly increased, and enjoy their new smiles from as soon as they leave the practice. Home teeth whitening is another form of treatment offered which can be done at a patient’s leisure. For this, a unique mould is made in-house from the patient’s mouth, and then – at home – a whitening gel is placed within it, and worn for a few hours in the day, or at night. Results from this method of treatment are visible within two weeks, and can vastly improve a patient’s self-esteem and restore their smile to its former glory
Filling in the gaps
Dental implants are another procedure offered here, although they are by no means a contemporary operation. Dental implants have been found dating as far back as ancient Mayan civilisations, nearly 6000 years ago, when bone and other minerals were used to fill holes in patients teeth. Today however, the process of installing dental implants – such as the ones offered at Blue Sky – is thankfully far less rudimentary. The basis of this procedure is a small hole is drilled into the patients gum, in gap where a missing tooth is. A titanium screw is then fixed in, and given time to heal and fuse with the bone. After a brief healing process, a replica tooth – or denture – made from porcelain is then attached to the screw, and the gap is filled with a practically identical tooth. The results from this procedure can bring back a patient’s confidence and smile, as well as avoiding any potential further damage to the alignment of their teeth.
