Patient guide
Plain answers to the questions people ask before treatment: what it involves, what it costs, what can go wrong and what to do afterwards. Written here, grouped by topic.
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Six pieces most people end up reading
Root canal treatment with a microscope: what to expect
A dental microscope helps the dentist see fine details during root canal treatment. Learn about the procedure, its limits and the combined treatment fees.
Root canal treatment · 2021
Dental implants in the UK: treatment and aftercare
Find out what dental implants replace, how suitability is assessed, what treatment involves and why long-term cleaning and reviews matter.
Implants · 2019
Braces for adults: options, treatment and costs
Adult orthodontic treatment can address crowded teeth, gaps and bite problems. Compare appliance types and learn what to ask about care, risks and costs.
Braces and orthodontics · 2025
Dental treatment plans: understanding your options and costs
A written dental treatment plan explains the proposed care, alternatives, costs and timing. Here is what to ask when reviewing a plan in the UK or from abroad.
Everyday care and visits · 2020
Your child's first dental visit: when to go and how to prepare
An early dental visit helps you get advice about your child’s teeth and daily care. Learn when to book, what to expect and how to make the visit easier.
Children's teeth · 2020
Veneers and crowns: planning a change to your smile
Explore the differences between veneers and crowns, the role of IPS e.max ceramics, and the decisions to discuss before changing your smile.
Whitening and cosmetic dentistry · 2025
Implants
21 articles
- 6 things to consider before choosing dental implants2021
- Alternatives to a dental implant2023
- Bone grafting for dental implants: options, healing and costs2022
- Bone grafting for dental implants: when is it needed?2025
- Dental implant costs in the UK: what does the price include?2022
- Dental implant or crown: what is the difference?2026
- Dental implant treatment: the stages explained2025
- Dental implants in the UK: treatment and aftercare2019
- Dental implants: eight frequently asked questions2025
- Dental implants: how they work, benefits and costs2024
- Dental implants: materials, options and prices2021
- Having a dental implant: the procedure and recovery2022
- How long do dental implants last?2026
- Implant crowns: materials, fitting and cost2026
- Implant-retained dentures: how they work2023
- Implant-supported bridges: treatment, costs and long-term care2024
- Replacing a full arch of teeth with implants: treatment and cost2023
- Replacing missing teeth: dentures, bridges and implants2024
- Sinus lift: why it may be needed before dental implants2022
- When dental implants may not be suitable2025
- Your implant consultation: what to expect2024
Braces and orthodontics
31 articles
- After braces: retainers and ongoing care2023
- Braces during pregnancy: care and treatment decisions2025
- Braces for adults: options, treatment and costs2025
- Braces for children: timing, options and costs2021
- Changing the wire in fixed braces: appointments and fees2025
- Choosing a Polish-speaking orthodontic provider in the UK2021
- Class II bite problems: assessment and treatment2024
- Clear aligners: benefits, limitations and everyday care2022
- Crooked milk teeth: when should your child see a dentist?2026
- Crooked teeth in children: causes, assessment and treatment2021
- Crooked teeth: causes and treatment options for adults2019
- Fixed braces in the UK: options, treatment and costs2022
- How braces move your teeth2020
- How much do braces cost in the UK?2022
- How to look after your teeth while wearing braces2020
- Malocclusion in adults: causes and treatment options2021
- Malocclusion in children: causes, assessment and treatment2023
- Metal braces: treatment, daily care and costs2026
- Orthodontic treatment in the UK: what to expect2021
- Orthodontic treatment: frequently asked questions2017
- Paying for braces in instalments in the UK2023
- Removable braces: options, care and costs2022
- Retainers after braces: wearing, cleaning and costs2023
- Retainers after orthodontic treatment: keeping your teeth in position2025
- Self-ligating braces: how they work and what they cost2022
- Surgical exposure of an impacted tooth for orthodontic treatment2025
- Tongue spurs: their role in orthodontic treatment2023
- Twin Block braces: how they work and what to expect2026
- Types of braces in the UK: choosing an orthodontic appliance2019
- Veneers for crooked teeth: possibilities and limits2023
- Wearing braces: facts and common misconceptions2024
Root canal treatment
12 articles
- Can a baby tooth have root canal treatment?2024
- Dental cysts: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment2024
- Dental pulp damage: symptoms and treatment2023
- Fillings, onlays and crowns after root canal treatment2026
- Pulp necrosis: when the tissue inside a tooth dies2024
- Pulpitis and toothache: symptoms, treatment and urgent help2020
- Restoring a tooth after root canal treatment2024
- Root canal retreatment: reasons, treatment and costs2023
- Root canal treatment in the UK: what to expect2022
- Root canal treatment with a microscope: what to expect2021
- Root canal treatment: the procedure, recovery and costs2020
- Toothache after root canal treatment: causes and getting help2023
Children's teeth
31 articles
- 10 ways to encourage your child to brush their teeth2021
- A sore mouth in children: causes and when to get help2022
- Can a child's earache come from their teeth?2023
- Choosing a Polish-speaking dentist for your child in the UK2025
- Dark or black teeth in children: causes and what to do2023
- Early childhood tooth decay: bottles, prevention and treatment2022
- Electric or manual toothbrush for a child: how to choose2026
- Fillings for milk teeth: treatment options and costs2022
- Fissure sealants: what they do and what to expect2022
- Fluoride varnish for children: when it helps and what to expect2025
- Food and drink to help protect your child’s teeth2017
- Helping a child who is afraid of the dentist2019
- How to choose toothpaste for your child2024
- How to look after your child's milk teeth2019
- How to manage toothache during pregnancy2022
- How to prepare your child for a dental visit2022
- Injuries to milk teeth: what parents should do2024
- Looking after your teeth and gums during pregnancy2019
- My child is terrified of the dentist: how can I help?2026
- Preventive dental care for children: sealants and fluoride2017
- Teeth grinding in children: assessment and treatment2022
- Teeth grinding in children: what to notice and how to help2023
- Teething: how to comfort your baby and when to seek help2021
- Temporary fillings in baby teeth: what parents need to know2025
- Tooth decay in children: causes, signs and treatment2021
- Tooth decay in children: prevention and treatment2024
- Tooth decay in milk teeth: treatment or extraction?2023
- Toothache in a child: what to do and when to get help2025
- When does a baby tooth need to be removed?2021
- Why milk teeth need treatment2022
- Your child's first dental visit: when to go and how to prepare2020
Whitening and cosmetic dentistry
38 articles
- A Hollywood smile: treatment options and costs2022
- After teeth whitening: eating, sensitivity and ongoing care2021
- Brown marks on teeth: staining, decay and treatment2023
- Changes in tooth colour: what needs checking?2015
- Composite bonding: treatment, benefits and limitations2022
- Composite or porcelain veneers: which should you choose?2022
- Composite tooth restoration: repairs, suitability and cost2026
- Cosmetic dentistry: options for changing your smile2024
- Custom teeth whitening trays: use, care and cost2026
- Dental veneers in the UK: suitability, treatment and costs2021
- Do you need a white diet after teeth whitening?2023
- Enlighten teeth whitening: treatment, results and aftercare2023
- Enlighten teeth whitening: treatment, results and maintenance2021
- Having veneers fitted: what to expect2025
- Home teeth whitening kits: what to expect from your dentist2025
- How much do veneers cost in the UK?2023
- How to prepare for teeth whitening2026
- LED teeth whitening: treatment, limitations and cost2024
- Natural teeth whitening: does it work and is it safe?2025
- Plaque, tartar and tooth stains: what is the difference?2024
- Porcelain veneers: benefits, limitations and costs2026
- Teeth whitening and sensitivity: what to know before treatment2025
- Teeth whitening at home with custom trays2017
- Teeth whitening at home: remedies, risks and professional options2019
- Teeth whitening at home: using a dentist-prescribed kit2022
- Teeth whitening at the dentist: treatment and fees2022
- Teeth whitening gels: use, safety and costs2024
- Teeth whitening options and prices in the UK2021
- Teeth whitening: safer options and methods to avoid2026
- Tooth discolouration: causes and treatment options2021
- Veneers and crowns: planning a change to your smile2025
- Veneers in the UK: options, preparation and costs2019
- What affects teeth whitening results and how long do they last?2025
- What affects the colour of your teeth?2020
- When should teeth whitening be delayed or avoided?2023
- White spots on teeth: causes and treatment options2021
- Whitening a root-treated tooth: options and costs2022
- Yellow teeth: causes and treatment options2021
Crowns, fillings and dentures
27 articles
- Acrylic dentures in the UK: options, fitting and costs2021
- Amalgam fillings: should you have them replaced?2019
- Can a tooth be added to an existing denture?2022
- Cementing a crown or bridge: fitting, repairs and fees2025
- Complete dentures: options, everyday care and costs2024
- Dental bridges: how they work and what they cost2022
- Dental bridges: options, care and costs2020
- Dental crown costs in the UK: materials and your treatment plan2022
- Dental crowns: when they help and what treatment involves2020
- Dental fillings in the UK: options and costs2025
- Denture costs in the UK and paying in instalments2025
- Denture relining: improving the fit of a loose denture2024
- Denture repairs: what can be repaired and what does it cost?2022
- Dentures in the UK: types, care and costs2020
- Flexible dentures in the UK: suitability, care and costs2021
- How to care for your dentures: five practical steps2020
- How to clean dentures safely2023
- Metal partial dentures: suitability, design and care2021
- Porcelain bridges: treatment, costs and alternatives2026
- Porcelain crowns: materials, fitting and care2021
- Prosthodontic treatment: options for damaged or missing teeth2021
- Replacing a filling: when is it needed and what does it cost?2022
- Restoring a damaged tooth: fillings, onlays, crowns and posts2022
- Surgery before dentures: when might it be needed?2025
- Temporary dentures: what to expect during treatment2026
- Temporary fillings in the UK: why they are used and what they cost2024
- Tooth fillings in the UK: materials, care and costs2020
Extractions and oral surgery
16 articles
- A decayed wisdom tooth: treat it or remove it?2021
- After a tooth extraction: protecting the wound and knowing when to get help2021
- Coronectomy: why a wisdom tooth root may be left in place2022
- Dry socket after tooth extraction: symptoms and treatment2022
- Dry socket: symptoms, treatment and recovery2024
- Hyperdontia: extra teeth and when treatment is needed2022
- Impacted teeth: assessment, removal and costs2023
- Impacted teeth: do they always need removal?2021
- Oral surgery in the UK: when might you need a referral?2023
- Surgical molar extraction: preparation and recovery2026
- Surgical tooth extraction in the UK: treatment and costs2021
- Surgical wisdom tooth removal: when it is needed and what to expect2020
- Tartar removal in the UK: what to expect2022
- Tooth extraction: when it is needed, recovery and fees2021
- Wisdom teeth: facts, symptoms and when removal is needed2020
- Wisdom tooth surgery: how to prepare2024
Gums and hygiene visits
20 articles
- Advanced periodontitis: treatment and keeping teeth2025
- Bleeding gums: causes, treatment and when to see a dentist2020
- Exposed tooth roots: when gum grafting may help2025
- Gingivitis: bleeding gums, causes and treatment2021
- Gum disease: symptoms, treatment and long-term care2021
- Gum recession surgery: treatment choices and cost2024
- Gum recession: causes, symptoms and treatment2021
- How is gum disease treated?2023
- How to keep your gums healthy2022
- How to reduce your risk of periodontitis2023
- Night guards and occlusal splints: when can they help?2022
- Periodontitis treatment with Vector Paro Pro2020
- Periodontitis: symptoms, causes and treatment2022
- Periodontitis: symptoms, treatment and ongoing care2022
- Professional teeth cleaning: scaling, Airflow and fluoride varnish2020
- Pus in the gum: causes, treatment and when to get help2021
- Sore gums: causes, care and when to see a dentist2022
- Tartar on teeth: why it matters for your gums2021
- Tooth decay, gum disease and your general health2019
- Tooth splinting: supporting loose teeth2022
Pain, damage and emergencies
10 articles
- A chipped or broken tooth: what to do2023
- Bruxism: teeth grinding, clenching and ways to manage it2021
- Chipped tooth: what to do and how it can be repaired2021
- Cracked or broken tooth: symptoms and treatment2021
- Jaw pain, clicking and locking: when to seek help2025
- Severe tooth pain and swelling: when to seek urgent care2023
- Throbbing toothache: possible causes and when to get help2021
- Toothache at Christmas: five steps to get help2021
- Toothache at home: what can help while you wait for a dentist2020
- Toothache: causes, symptoms and treatment2021
Everyday care and visits
59 articles
- 10 common oral hygiene mistakes and how to avoid them2022
- A loose adult tooth: what should you do?2023
- Ancient dentistry: how people cared for their teeth2020
- Apicectomy: what happens and how much does it cost?2024
- Bad breath: causes, common myths and when to seek help2022
- Bad breath: common causes and what can help2021
- Can teeth be straightened in six months?2017
- Computer-controlled local anaesthetic: how it works and what it costs2022
- COVID-19: symptoms, reducing spread and dental appointmentsUpdated 2026
- Dental air polishing: what it does and when it helps2023
- Dental anxiety: finding support and making visits more manageable2020
- Dental appointments and coronavirus: an updated guideUpdated 2026
- Dental check-ups: what happens and how often to attend2023
- Dental treatment finance: options and eligibility2023
- Dental treatment plans: understanding your options and costs2020
- Dental treatment with finance options2019
- Dry mouth: causes, relief and protecting your teeth2025
- Enamel erosion: causes, prevention and treatment2022
- Enamel remineralisation: how to protect your teeth2022
- Fluoride toothpaste: benefits and safe use2021
- Fluoride treatment in the UK: who may benefit?2023
- Fluoride varnish: what it does and who can benefit2026
- Food and healthy teeth: 9 common choices explained2019
- Gaps between teeth: causes and treatment options2021
- Getting back to dental care after a disruption2020
- How genes can affect your teeth and oral health2021
- How medicines and health conditions can affect your teeth2020
- How much does replacing a missing tooth cost in the UK?2021
- How to brush your teeth properly2019
- How to floss your teeth and why it matters2021
- How to get whiter teeth safely2022
- How to keep your teeth strong and healthy2022
- How to manage fear of the dentist2023
- Local anaesthetic at the dentist: what to expect2022
- Looking after your teeth at Christmas2019
- Medical Dent: looking back at our first ten years2022
- Medical-Dent in West Bromwich: getting to know the practice2020
- Microscopes and digital technology in dentistry2019
- Missing teeth: when should a gap be replaced?2021
- Mouth ulcers: causes, care and when to get help2020
- Oral and maxillofacial surgery: when might you need it?2021
- Oral health and general health: understanding the links2024
- Oral thrush: symptoms, causes and treatment2023
- Repairing a damaged tooth: options and costs2022
- Restoring or replacing teeth: what to expect at a consultation2021
- Sensitive teeth: causes and treatment2019
- Sensitive teeth: recognising triggers and getting help2025
- Sensitive teeth: what helps at home and when to see a dentist2021
- Sonic toothbrushes: benefits, limitations and choosing one2021
- Stress and your teeth: five habits that may help2020
- Teeth that chip or crumble: causes and treatment2023
- Tongue cleaning: why it helps and how to do it gently2026
- Tongue-tie release: assessment, treatment and aftercare2021
- Tooth decay: causes, prevention and treatment2022
- Underbite and a prominent lower jaw: assessment and treatment2023
- Underbite: causes, assessment and treatment2024
- Water flosser or dental floss: what should you use?2023
- What damages teeth and how can you reduce the risks?2023
- Which toothbrush is best for you?2022