Dr Surby Matharoo BDS, Principal Dentist Bridge Dental Practice
The debates around NHS dentistry versus private dentistry have been rumbling on since the NHS system was first unveiled some 70 years ago. The two very different systems running in parallel with each other have led to endless discussions about the types of treatments that should/could be available, what patients should expect and, above all, what it should all cost.
In running a busy, mixed, five-surgery practice with around 70% of my patients being NHS, I can see both sides of the equation. What I’m keen to do is offer all my patients the best options when it comes to their oral care, including the very best in aesthetic and restorative treatments.
There’s a plethora of tooth-coloured composite restorative materials now available to clinicians, yet despite the increasing demand for aesthetic dentistry, these are still only available to those in the private system. Furthermore, a ‘white filling’ is possibly something that many of our NHS patients aren’t even aware is an option that’s available to them as a private treatment, something I’m keen to change.
I am a big advocate of using tooth-coloured composites and advising patients that there is a range of affordable, aesthetic and mercury-free alternatives to silver amalgam fillings. I started out many years ago using rok from SDI on posterior teeth, which is placed like an amalgam, but is actually white. Its compressive strength is so impressive that patients I treated over ten years ago are coming back to see me and those restorations have resisted mastication forces over the years and are still intact and looking great.
I now offer the aura ultra universal restorative system, which is based on the natural make-up and colours of dentine and enamel combined with an ultra-high density filler to give restorations an exceptional strength. The handling, texture and viscosity are ideal and once polished the restoration blends seamlessly into the natural enamel.
aura bulk fill for posterior teeth allows you to pack into deep areas of the cavity, working in 5mm increments, and thanks to its low volumetric shrinkage and high strength I know longevity won’t be a concern and those restorations will be around for a very long time.
Offering the alternatives
Whilst the fundamental treatments which are so important to maintaining oral health are still widely available on the NHS, many clinicians, like myself, who treat NHS patients also offer aesthetic options. This opens up a new range of choices when it comes to providing better oral health.
To find out more about SDI’s aura product range CLICK HERE or to place an order or book a FREE “Lunch & Learn” CLICK HERE
Dr Surby Matharoo BDS
Dr Surby Matharoo studied at Liverpool University and qualified in 1996. He went on to work as a Vocational Dental Practitioner in the Wirral. He has held a number of associate posts in Redditch and Coventry and has an interest in the field of orthodontics. He has held a Clinical Assistant post at Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital for over five years. He opened Bridge Dental Practice with his wife Sam in January 2003.
