General dentistry

General dentistry covers the everyday care that keeps your mouth healthy, whether you have a particular concern or simply want to keep things as they are.

• New patient consultations and recall examinations
• Dental X-rays, when they are clinically useful
• Fillings, in amalgam or tooth-coloured composite
• Urgent appointments, including for patients not registered with us
• Custom-made night guards and sports guards

A filling repairs a tooth damaged by decay, a crack or a chip, usually under local anaesthetic. At our practice in Pontcanna, Cardiff, you can choose between two materials.

Amalgam is strong and silver-grey, and well suited to back teeth, where biting forces are greatest. It contains mercury, bound with other metals. UK guidance is that it is safe for most people, but it isn’t normally used for children under 15, or during pregnancy or breastfeeding, unless strictly necessary.

Composite is tooth-coloured and bonded to the tooth, so it is less noticeable and often means removing less healthy tooth. It takes a little longer to place and, in large back-tooth fillings, may need replacing sooner than amalgam.

Your dentist will explain which suits the tooth concerned and what each costs.

Your dentist will ask about your general health, any medicines you take and anything you’ve noticed since your last visit. They will then check your teeth, gums and the soft tissues of your mouth.

If X-rays would help, your dentist will explain why before taking them. Afterwards they’ll tell you what they have found, in plain language, and whether anything needs attention.

X-rays show what an examination can’t: decay between teeth or under fillings, the roots, the bone that supports your teeth, and teeth that haven’t come through yet.

Dental X-rays use a very low dose, and your dentist will only take them when they’ll genuinely help. How often you need them depends on your own teeth and gums. Tell your dentist if you are, or might be, pregnant, or if you have had X-rays elsewhere recently.

Following NICE guidance, your dentist sets your interval based on your own needs: the health of your teeth and gums, your history of decay, and things such as smoking, diet and some medical conditions.

For adults, that can be anywhere from three months to two years. For under-18s, NICE suggests no more than a year, as decay can progress faster at that age.

Please don’t wait for your next check-up if you notice a change, such as pain, bleeding gums, a broken filling or a mouth ulcer that hasn’t healed within three weeks.

If you are in pain, have broken a tooth or have swelling, call us as early in the day as you can and we will advise you. Emergency consultations are also available for patients who are not registered with us.

Outside our opening hours, call NHS 111 Wales for urgent dental advice. If swelling is affecting your breathing, swallowing or vision, or bleeding will not stop, call 999 or go to your nearest emergency department.

Custom-made appliances are shaped from impressions or scans of your own teeth, so they fit more closely than off-the-shelf versions.

• Night guards, which your dentist may suggest if they see signs that you clench or grind your teeth
• Sports guards, for protection during contact sports
• The S4S anti-snoring device: your dentist will discuss whether it is appropriate for you

Grinding or clenching often happens during sleep. Signs include jaw ache or headaches on waking and worn or chipped teeth. A night guard helps protect your teeth from wear, though it won’t necessarily stop the grinding, which is often linked to stress.

A sports guard made for your mouth usually stays in place better than a boil-and-bite guard, and children’s guards need replacing as their mouths grow.

The S4S device holds your lower jaw slightly forward during sleep to help keep the airway open, which can reduce snoring. Snoring is sometimes a sign of sleep apnoea (breathing that stops and starts), so if you gasp at night or feel very sleepy in the day, see your GP first. The device can make your teeth or jaw tender at first and, over time, may change how your teeth meet. Your dentist will discuss whether it is appropriate for you.