Smile Solutions

Fissure Sealants 🦷🦠🛑

In dentistry, we have access to some of the most minimally invasive techniques available to prevent tooth decay on the biting surfaces of teeth and within the deep pits and fissures that naturally occur in enamel.

However, as simple as this procedure may seem, it is likely one of the most technique sensitive procedures we carry out.

The reason is simple. Unless the deepest parts of those grooves are properly cleaned, the sealant placed on top is likely to be ineffective. In fact, if I were to go one step further, it can potentially be more detrimental by hiding progressive decay beneath the surface.

The procedure involves thoroughly cleaning the deepest parts of the grooves using advanced airflow and sandblasting systems, ensuring that no plaque, debris or contamination remains within the area being treated.

The tooth must then be carefully assessed and confirmed to be caries free, stain free, plaque free and free from any early lesions before treatment proceeds.

The sealant itself must be placed with absolute precision to ensure no air bubbles are trapped and that the material has flowed into the deepest parts of the fissure system. Following this, the patient’s bite must be checked carefully to ensure removal of any excess material and a comfortable occlusion.

Now unless intra oral photography is used, or loupes under high magnification, or the procedure is carried out under a microscope, then essentially we are looking at a procedure compromised.

Find a person who understands small detail because small detail here is everything.

Sharing Is Caring 🦷👦🏻🦷

We have many parents who regularly send us photographs of their children as they grow and develop.

Whether it is a first tooth, a wobbly tooth, a gap from a recent visit from the tooth fairy or simply a smile they are proud of, these photographs always seem to find their way to our reception desk.

Without fail, the entire team gathers around with a collective “awww.”

The photographs are carefully stored within the patient’s records, but over time they become much more than clinical records. They become little snapshots of life and memories that we are privileged to share.

Every so often, years later, we find ourselves scrolling back through the photographic records and discovering those golden nuggets. Tiny moments captured in time that remind us just how long we have been part of a family’s journey.

Relationships in dentistry are built on far more than teeth. They are built on trust, familiarity and shared experiences over many years.

Families have albums and photo banks at home filled with treasured memories. We have our own dental equivalent within the practice, and we treasure them just as much.

Moments like these remind us that we are not simply caring for teeth. We are caring for people, watching families grow and creating relationships that often last for generations.

Power in Knowledge 🧠

There is an immense amount of power in knowledge.

Patients will only ever feel disappointed when realistic pathways have not been clearly explained from the outset. Knowledge, expertise and experience allow a clinician to accurately describe the very best route forward, together with realistic timelines and expectations for treatment.

When expectations are managed correctly, patients understand the journey ahead and are far less likely to become disheartened if results take longer than anticipated.

This was a case of a patient who attended our practice seeking ceramic veneers after completing just two weeks of teeth whitening. She had been told that her teeth simply would not become any lighter.

After assessing her smile, we explained that her teeth were actually ideal candidates for whitening and that the issue was not her teeth, but rather an insufficient whitening protocol combined with promises delivered on an unobtainable timescale.

We advised that if she was prepared to commit to approximately three months of whitening, we could achieve a beautifully bright result without any unnecessary dentistry. We were also able to show her a large portfolio of similar cases, demonstrating exactly what could be achieved when the correct materials are used and sufficient time is allowed.

The patient trusted the process, completed the whitening course and achieved the result she had hoped for without removing a single millimetre of healthy tooth structure.

Knowledge creates confidence. Experience creates predictability. When realistic expectations are combined with the correct materials and protocols, the results can often exceed what patients believed was possible.

Dream Team 👩🏻‍⚕️👩🏻‍⚕️👨🏻‍⚕️👩🏽‍⚕️👨🏼‍⚕️👩‍⚕️🧑🏾‍⚕️

There is no dream team without someone who has the ability to recognise talent and potential.

I am often asked, “How do you know if someone is right for your team?”
The answer is surprisingly simple. Within the first few minutes of a conversation, I know. I just know.

Of course I am looking at experience, expertise, presentation, confidence and social skills. And naturally I’m looking for a certain personality and mindset. But above all else, I am looking for likeability.

Can this person build relationships?
Can they make people feel immediately comfortable?
Do they bring positive aspiring energy into a room?
Can they become part of our family rather than simply fill in a vacancy?

The unique create their own space.
They arrive with enthusiasm, passion and a natural desire to contribute. Their experience may vary, but their attitude and charm is simply impossible to miss.

Over the following weeks I watch closely:
How do they interact with patients?
How do they treat the team?
How willing are they to help when nobody is watching?
Do they approach every task with the same level of care?

Talent is the ability to recognise something valuable before everyone else sees it…..

The art of building a great team is not in finding the polished diamonds. It is rather the ability to see brilliance in the rough stone long before it shines. 💎😉

Room Check 🦷😌

As a business owner and principal dentist, I often walk between rooms and spend a few moments chatting with patients who have been with us for over 20 years.

Many of them I know by first name. I have watched their children grow up alongside my own, and in some cases we were even raising young families at the very same time.

Every once in a while, I take a quick photograph and then return later to capture the after with my iPhone.

It is always a reminder of just how talented our dentists are. Behind every door is a trusted relationship, supported by years of wisdom, experience and expertise at their fingertips.

For me, it is a constant reminder of how fortunate I am to have chosen such a talented team. A team that I trust implicitly with the most important asset in our practice.

Our patients.