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As part of our ongoing commitment to excellence in patient care and safety, we're improving our cross-infection control procedures again. In the surgeries, we've installed new "hands-free" surgical hand disinfectant dispensers with a rapid-acting alcohol-based hand rub. These replace the anti-bacterial soaps we had been using. The hand-rub rapidly inactivates a broad spectrum of bacteria (including TB), fungi and viruses (including HIV and HBV). Of course, we always don clean gloves for every patient, but it's important to have clean hands to put the gloves onto! We're also investing in a new system to ensure that the water in the dental surgeries is as clean as possible. The system is called Alpron and, unlike other systems, it has been validated in a high-quality clinical study carried out by Glasgow Dental Hospital* and it is used routinely by the Eastman Dental Institute, Liverpool Dental Hospital and others. It works by killing bacteria in the waterlines and destroying the biofilms that they would otherwise form. The result is that we can be confident about water quality and can further reduce exposure to potentially infective microorganisms. To learn more, visit the Quality Water Specialists website. *"Evaluation of the efficacy of Alpron disinfectant for dental unit water lines" by AJ Smith, S McHugh, I Aitken and J Hood; British Dental Journal Volume 193 No 10 p593; refereed paper.
You may have heard about "laser detectors" for tooth decay (one of the most common is called DIAGNOdent) and also claims that they are a new and improved way to diagnose dental caries: but don't assume these devices result in better dental care. Research published by the Department of Operative Dentistry at the University of North Carolina* shows why it's so important that dentists rely on visual and tactile diagnostic techniques instead when looking for tooth decay: laser devices produce lots of "false-positives", leading to over-treatment. In other words, when dentists rely on these machines, patients are likely to end up with fillings they don't need. Lasers are actually very good at finding all the dental decay in your teeth; but they also tend to incorrectly identify sites as decayed when they aren't. As the research puts it: they have high sensitivity but poor selectivity. The paper concludes that since the machines produce so many "false-positives" they should not be used to make a decision on operative treatment. In an nutshell, you're better off with a dentist who uses their eyes! That's why at hygeia, we work with special magnifiers to ensure we spot decay early - but also to ensure you won't get fillings that you don't need. *"A systematic review of the performance of a laser fluorescence device for detecting caries" by JD Bader and DA Shugars; Journal of the American Dental Association, October 2004, 135(10): 1413-1426; also "The eyes have it: How good is DIAGNOdent at detecting dental caries?" by D Ricketts in Evidence Based Dentistry Volume 6 Number 5 (2005) p64.
We've invested in some new technology so that you can enjoy even better results with your crowns, veneers and other dental treatment. When you have a crown, veneer, inlay, etc made it's important that it is a really good colour match for your other teeth. If it isn't it will look out of place: and the whole idea is to make something to blend in so well that no-one else can tell it isn't a real tooth. However, the difference in shade between different teeth is very, very subtle - and it is important to let the dental laboratory have accurate data on tooth colour so that they can do the very best possible job for you. It has been clinically proven that the best kind of light for matching up subtle shades of colour is northern sky daylight - which is perfectly neutral. The trouble is that the character of the natural light you get varies according to the weather conditions and the time of day and year. The problem is made worse by artificial lighting inside buildings - different types of electric light have different characteristics and even the same light fittings can produce very different "light temperatures" when fitted with a new lamp. So consistency can be a real problem. To ensure you get a perfect colour match every time we've purchased a special shade-taking device. The Demetron Shade Light produces perfectly neutral light for ideal shade-matching every time: allowing us to get laboratory-perfect shades.
Images courtesy of Sybron Dental Specialities Inc
NB: The top-up tooth whitening price increased from £120 to £150 with effect from 24.2.06 Tooth whitening can produce excellent results but it doesn't last forever. Drinking coffee and red wine, smoking and eating highly coloured foods can all cause your beautiful new white smile to fade a little as time passes. The only way to get the brightness back is to repeat the process and this can become expensive. That's why we are offering a special deal to our patients that makes keeping your teeth white easier and cheaper: When you first have your teeth whitened using a take-home kit we make special trays to fit your mouth. To qualify for the offer, all you need to do is keep the trays. Then if, for example, 18 months later you decide you would like to repeat the process in order to brighten your teeth again, all you need to do is let us know and bring your trays along to your check-up (or any other appointment with the dentist). We'll check that the trays are still OK and if they are, we'll repeat the whitening process for just £120 (NB: £150.00 WITH EFFECT FROM 24.2.06). Whitening normally costs £250 per arch (ie £250 for the top teeth and £250 for the bottom teeth) so this is a big saving. NB: This offer only applies to patients who had their most recent whitening carried out at hygeia and not where the whitening was done elsewhere. If you'd like to learn more about brightening your teeth, visit our tooth whitening section. Roll your mouse pointer over the picture below to see the colour change that can be achieved (please note that teeth have natural colour variations and the exact degree of whiteness achieved will vary from person to person):
Mouse over Images courtesy of SDI (Australia)
No ozone (1.7.2005)
We have had a number of enquiries about Ozone Therapy recently, but we do not offer this treatment, and for a very sound reason: there is no good evidence that ozone treatment stops or reverses tooth decay*. If you want to protect your teeth from decay:
To find out more about the preventive approach to dentistry, take a look at our preventive dentistry section. *McComb, D. "No reliable evidence that ozone gas stops or reverses tooth decay. Is ozone effective in arresting or reversing the progression of dental caries?" Evidence-Based Dentistry Volume 6, No 2 (2005)
Our hygienist is now using a powerful tooth polishing system called AIR-FLOW. The equipment is designed to make your teeth even cleaner and whiter by polishing away the plaque and staining more thoroughly. It is particularly effective at removing everyday stains caused by red wine, coffee, smoking, etc. The AIR-FLOW system fires a jet of compressed air, water and fine sodium bicarbonate particles at the surface of the tooth to polish the surface and remove debris:
The result is a quick, comfortable and effective cleaning process that gives excellent results. Pass your mouse over the pictures below to see the difference:
Mouse over Mouse over Images courtesy of EMS Dental If you'd like to have your teeth polished with the AIR-FLOW system, just ask when you're next in. If you'd like to read more about the AIR-FLOW system, visit the EMS dental website - and if you'd like to see a demonstration video, visit the EMS video presentation (Windows Media Player 9 required).
New magnification equipment is helping to further improve the quality of the work we do for you: If you've ever been to see Dr Giddy you'll already know that she has been using special magnifiers (called "telescopes" or "loupes") since 1999. These improve her view of each tooth by magnifying it 2.5 times and a special high-intensity "line-of-sight" illumination system brings out fine detail. This aids diagnosis, allowing her to spot early signs of damage and decay. It also helps with fine restorative work (like placing fillings) and endodontics (root canal treatment). Now we have purchased an even more powerful set of magnifiers that increase the magnification to nearly 5 times and a new fibre-optic illuminator that produces an even brighter light. This equipment provides an even clearer view, that will enable us to diagnose cavities even earlier and will help in the production of still finer results.
Orascoptic 2.5x loupes Orascoptic 4.8x loupes Images Courtesy of Evident Dental Co Ltd. If you'd like to learn more, visit the Evident Website where you'll find information about the Orascoptic TTL (2.5x) and High-Magnification TTL (4.8x) Telescopes and other Evident products.
Traffic on the hygeia dental care website has hit new heights this year. Average visitor numbers are now well over 3,500 per month - or over 40,000 a year (and we really do mean the number of individual visitors, not just "hits" - we now get well over 40,000 hits a month - about half a million per year). So we'd like to say "thank you" to everyone who visits and helps to make it such a success. We're adding new dental information all the time - we've recently introduced pages on cross infection control and clinical waste disposal in dentistry to name just two. If you have any suggestions about new content you'd like us to add, please email us and let us know.
It's important that you have regular dental check-ups for many reasons - not least because when a dentist looks in your mouth they can spot the early signs of oral cancer. More than 4 people die every day in the UK from cancers of the mouth, lips, tongue and throat - and that number is on the increase. Worse still, the mortality rate for these types of cancer is over 50%. That's higher than the mortality rates for breast cancer, cervical cancer and others. The main reason is that oral cancers often go undetected for a long time - and late diagnosis reduces survival rates. We always examine soft tissues for signs of oral cancer (during both new patient examinations and routine check-ups) and any suspect cases are immediately referred to the hospital for tests and, if necessary, treatment. Mercifully, most suspect areas are benign. Where they haven't been, every suspect oral lesion we've detected so far has been successfully treated. Regular check-ups certainly help, but now there's a new website from the Mouth Cancer Foundation that provides information for both patients and dentists alike. The site has recently won the prestigious Healthcare IT Effectiveness Award for the best publicly accessible health related information system. It will tell you more about these diseases and how to spot warning signs yourself. Click the link below to go to their homepage:
We have installed a brand new system at the practice to ensure thorough removal of all amalgam from our waste water. The new "amalgam separator units" have been fitted to our suction systems. They improve on the existing filters, removing 98% of amalgam waste from the water we discharge to the sewer. This helps to protect the environment by reducing mercury levels. The waste amalgam is then collected by a specialist waste contractor for safe disposal. While amalgam fillings are becoming less common, many patients already have amalgam fillings in their teeth. When these break and need to be replaced some amalgam will inevitably be removed in the process. We already segregate and safely dispose of the larger pieces via a specialist waste contractor (refer to our waste disposal policy); but tiny pieces are often washed away into the suction tubes. The new system helps to capture them so they can be disposed of properly, too.
Our website has been awarded 4.5 out of a possible 5 chillis by Red Hot Chilli, the human-edited web index, beating DenPlan and the British Dental Health Foundation! We're delighted! Why don't you take a look?
Tobacco is a major risk factor in oral cancer and it plays an important role in causing gum disease, too. It also stains your teeth and contributes to halitosis (bad breath) problems. So if you want a healthy, attractive mouth, giving up is a really good idea. If you'd like to quit but you're finding it hard, we recommend you give hypnotherapy a try. Quick Change hypnotherapy can help you to give up smoking and can also assist with other problems like fear of the dentist (surely you're not scared of us, are you?). You can find out more by visiting the Quick Change website or you can 'phone them (for free) on 0800 093 6530. PS: No, we aren't being paid to say this and no, we aren't getting anything out of it. We're telling you this because: a) it's really important for your oral health that you give up smoking; and b) several of our patients have told us that they've managed to give up by using this service.
We are committed to providing a high quality service at Hygeia and part of this commitment involves ongoing training or "Continuing Professional Development" (CPD). To show you the effort that goes in, we are now publishing details of Dr Giddy's CPD activity on the website. If you want to see what she's been doing, take a look at her CPD record.
As part of our rolling program (no pun intended!) of improvements for 2005, the outside of the building has been completely redecorated - so we're looking smart again. It took 3 weeks in the freezing cold, but at last it's done!
We've started to make changes and improvements in the washrooms. With new towel and soap dispensers, air fresheners, loo seats, waste baskets and other things, we hope you'll notice (and like) the difference.
In a further effort to enhance the relaxing feel of reception, we've bought more new artwork for everyone to enjoy and we've improved the lighting so that you can see it better!.
We're always trying to make the practice more comfortable and welcoming - so we've made the reception area even nicer. We've just taken delivery of brand new armchairs to go with the new sofa and have started a library. So far the books (ranging from Bill Bryson to the Good Beer Guide!) are proving even more popular than the periodicals we take - so we'll be increasing the selection over time. We've also decided to try some new music in reception. We've bought some classical CDs to help create an even more relaxing feel. Please let us know what you think - do you prefer it?
Now our patients are getting SMS text messages and emails to remind them about their appointments. As part of our ongoing program of improvements in 2005, we have added a new facility to our computer system that automatically contacts patients a couple of days beforehand to remind them that they've booked an appointment. The computer will send a text message to any patient who has provided us with a mobile telephone number. If there is no mobile number, it sends an email instead. People will continue to receive telephone reminders from our receptionist, Louise, in addition to (or, if they don't have a mobile or email account, instead of) these automated messages. If you prefer not to receive SMS or email reminders, just let us know - we can stop the system sending them.
Our ongoing program of improvements continues in 2005. We'll have even more new artwork, and we're going to redecorate this year. We've already placed a new sofa in reception and there will be new waiting room chairs during 2005. Our new computer system has been in operation since June 2004. This year we'll be adding new features to the system, including a digital x-ray system, a digital intra-oral camera and new flat screen monitors in the surgeries. These will finally put an end to reliance on paper record cards and will help us to show you exactly what is going on in your mouth using the monitors in the surgeries. The new flower bed built last March is maturing nicely, and the laurel hedge is establishing itself. We'll be doing more work in the garden in 2005 to make the practice even more pleasant and welcoming.
You'll now find the website clearer and easier to use - recent updates bring the site into line with the latest Web Content Accessibility Guidelines published by w3c's Web Accessibility Initiative ("A" rating). This makes the site clearer and more accessible for everyone, but particularly for those with visual or hearing impairments (who may use text-to-voice browsers or Braille systems).
Our new computer system is now fully operational, making us more efficient so we can provide an even better service to you. Patient records are now all stored on computer, making them much faster to access. Also, appointments are managed by the computer system, which increases accuracy and helps us ensure that all available appointment time is used to best effect.
More than 10,000 people have visited this website in the last 6 months, and figures for February 2004 show more than 100 people are now visiting every day. We're trying to improve the site all the time, but if you have any suggestions or ideas, please email us or call us on 01803 866166. In the meantime, thank you all very much for visiting and making it such a success!
A new amalgam bonding system means we can now place even longer-lasting fillings. Most people elect to have white fillings (composites) these days, but for those who prefer traditional amalgam (metal) fillings, this new system improves their durability. It means that amalgam fillings, which are already very hard-wearing, can last even longer. Amalgam fillings aren't "sticky" like composite fillings which adhere to the teeth. Amalgams are put simply into the tooth in a malleable form and then they set hard. The main reason they stay in place is that the cavity they are put into is prepared by the dentist so that it's wider at the bottom that at the top. Bonding the amalgam to the tooth helps to hold it firmly in place and strengthens the tooth, meaning that the filling should last longer. If you want to know more, please ask the dentist when you're next in, email us or call us on 01803 866166.
Our improvement program continues in 2004, with further changes both inside and outside the building. We have already started to hang our new artwork, which we hope everyone will enjoy. In the summer we'll be fully implementing our new computer system, which will help us to give you an even better service. We'll even be able to send appointment reminders to everyone by email or by text message to their mobile 'phones! We have added New Scientist to our regular magazine subscriptions for the reception area, and will also be taking Time Magazine from now on. We are having another flower bed built in March and have planted a new laurel hedge at the bottom of the garden to enclose our planned new seating area.
Wildlife is very important to us, so we're doing even more to encourage wild visitors to the garden. We already have blue tits and wrens nesting on site, and have put up more boxes to encourage other birds to roost and nest here. We have many other regular visitors, including wrens, robins, thrushes, green finch, bull finch, coal tits, sparrows, blackbirds, rooks, blue tits, jackdaws, pied wagtails and collared doves, to name just some. We're feeding them all year round to help maintain their numbers. We're also helping the wild bees by putting out nesting boxes for the Red Mason Bees that are so important for the flowering plants in the garden.
A new dental anaesthetic delivery system has further improved our service by making treatment even more swift and comfortable, particularly in difficult cases. At Hygeia we already use special topical anaesthetics to ensure maximum comfort when you need to be "numbed" for dental treatment - like root canal therapy, for example. Many patients already tell us they can't feel our anaesthetic injections at all: people frequently don't realise they've had the injection until the dentist tells them! Our new intra-osseous system goes one better and allows the dentist to get fast and complete anaethesia in the most difficult cases. For example, if someone has a severe dental infection it's sometimes almost impossible (with conventional injection systems) to get them "numb" in order to treat them. The new technique copes with this easily. The system also works more quickly, so there's rarely a need to wait before treatment can begin. To learn more visit the Stabident website.
We have always taken pride in our responsible approach to the environment - taking great care to ensure proper segregation and disposal of the varied types of waste that a dental practice produces - from precious metals to x-ray developer fluid, waste pharmaceuticals to sharps, etc. Now we've gone a step further: we've started to recycle. Visitors may have noticed the additional coloured bins in the car park - these are for our paper and cardboard waste, which are now collected for recycling. These two types of waste account for almost half of the rubbish we produce and recycling them makes a real difference to the amount we send to land fill. But you won't have seen our new allies in the garden - WORMS! We've bought a wormery and a compost bin to recycle organic food waste, etc into fertiliser for the flower beds. The worms are doing fine and are already starting to eat much more. The worm casts and "worm tea" they produce are a valuable source of nutrients for the garden. If you'd like to learn more about worms for recycling - click the link and visit the Westcountry Worms website:
Some people just can't get their gum health under control. No matter how much they brush and floss, they suffer from persistent periodontal (gum) problems. However, we have introduced a new system of treatment that can help. Commonly referred to as "Perio-Pill", this treatment approach involves the coordinated use of a special mouthrinse (Corsodyl), two different antibiotics (Amoxicillin and Metronidazole) and a series of intensive therapy appointments with the hygienist. This intensive treatment is designed to attack not only the plaque on your teeth and under your gums, but also the bacteria that cause gum disease. The aim is to get the mouth back to a healthy balance which can then be maintained by routine hygienist visits and good oral hygiene habits. If you would like to know more, ask your dentist or Nikki the hygienist for more details next time you're in; or 'phone us on 01803 866166.
Hygeia's opening hours changed with effect from Thursday 29th May 2003. To check the new opening times, see about hygeia.
The new flower bed that we built last summer is bursting into bloom! There are hundreds of flowers all over the site now, and more on the way as the camellias, rhododendrons and cherry trees join in.
We've introduced a new "in-surgery" high-speed tooth whitening system. Now you can have a brighter smile in just an hour. To find out more about this, see tooth whitening. |
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