Small country, rich history
For such a small county, Northern Ireland is steeped in more history and cultural diversity than almost any other island nation of its size. Whilst remaining part of mainland Ireland, it has been an independent British colony since 1921, after several years of conflict and strife with the Republic of Ireland. Today, it’s capital city Belfast, is a hub of social and cultural diversity, is one of the largest on the island. There are innumerable stereotypes engulfing Northern Ireland and it’s residents, due to thousands of years of history and legend, and it’s representation within western media. Regrettably, quality dental care however, is not one such stereotype. The reasoning behind this is the field of cosmetic dentistry is relatively new on the island – with 30% of the population over the age of 18 having no natural teeth in the 1970’s. Today however, numbers are down to as low as 6% as numerous dental practitioners thrive as they do in any other developed nation.
Filling the gaps
One such practitioners operating within Belfast is Blue Sky Dentist who offer a full range of cosmetic dental procedures, each catered to the specific needs and requirements of their patients, and established after lengthily consultations. Dental implants are one of the procedures offered here. The process of installing dental implants consists of drilling a small hole into the gap in the patient’s mouth, and inserting a titanium screw. After a small healing period, which allows the titanium to fuse with the bone, a replica tooth constructed from porcelain is then inserted into the screw and the gap in the patient’s teeth is filled with a lifelike tooth – referred to as a denture. Whilst this process may sound graphic, the results vastly outweigh the short-term discomfort the patient may experience as having a gap in their teeth filled with a lifelike replica can vastly restore their confidence and self-esteem by restoring their smile to it’s natural splendour. Implants also stop the patients other teeth from aligning poorly, which can cause other detrimental orthodontic problems.
Shining through the ages
Having white teeth is generally synonymous with success, wealth and prosperity. Whilst this is constantly affirmed by the smiles of Hollywood celebrities and actors, the correlation between white teeth and wealth is by no mean a contemporary phenomena. In the Egyptian era, around 4,000 years ago, a whitening paste made of ground pumice stone and vinegar was used – and whiter teeth were considered a mark of wealth and power. Today however, having whiter teeth is not a privilege reserved for a select few, and there are various different procedures offered that can be carried out at home, or in a dental office such as Blue Sky. Power Teeth Whitening is a process that is done within a dental practice, and consists of a protective barrier being placed around the patients outer-mouth, and then applying a gel to the teeth. A powerful laser is then used to activate the bleaching process within the gel. This non-invasive process is painless, and whitens teeth immediately – which can vastly improve a patient’s self confidence and eradicate any stains from smoking or deterioration.
Another whitening procedure that is available here is Home teeth whitening which can be done at at the patients leisure. This process consists of a costume made, unique mould being made of their mouth, into which whitening gel is then placed and worn for a few hours during the day or at night. The results of this home treatment will begin to show after a few weeks, and can help provide the patient with a Hollywood style smile, without the inherent price-tag.
