Kathleen

Kathleen said:

I already knew about Queensway Dental Practice from my time working for North Tees Primary Care Trust and was aware that they offered specialist services, particularly around anxiety management and more complex dental work. The practice was recommended to me by a dentist at my NHS practice.

I had been considering dental implants for a few years. As I took early retirement at Easter in 2018 I decided to look into this option as I had a number of concerns about my teeth and my denture which I had had for about 40 years having had an extraction of my front top tooth when I was 14, followed by three more extractions of top teeth. I was also concerned about gum disease and the general appearance of my teeth. I went to see a new dentist within my NHS practice who was starting to provide a private dental implant service within the practice. However, when I met him he advised me that my case was too complex for him to deal with and that I should seek advice from an expert in this area. He recommended a referral to Queensway Dental Practice. He did advise that this was not the only dental service in the area which could provide the necessary treatment, but was the one he would recommend. As I knew that I needed more than just a ‘nice smile’ I decided to accept his offer of a referral to this service, as I was already aware that this was a dental practice with a very good reputation.

The consultation visit occurred fairly quickly after the referral letter was written. During the consultation I met Dr Ian Lane and his dental nurse Gemma, and was made to feel relaxed by them during this first appointment. After listening to my concerns and examining my mouth Ian outlined the service that he could provide – which involved treatment of my gum disease, a visit to the hygienist, and then an outline of the whole process of dental implantation including bone grafting and sedation, with some idea of timescales, costs and likely outcomes. I knew that it would take some time to achieve the end result, but was not aware of the complexities of my case until Ian explained the full process to me. At that stage, even though I felt nervous, I decided that I did still want to go ahead. My desire to go ahead was partly due to the obvious expertise that Ian had in this field, and the fact that although this was quite a scary process, he put my mind at rest that I would receive the best possible care during the treatment.

The treatment I decided on was four dental implants to replace my dentures, plus two crowns, some composites to improve the overall look of my teeth and replacement of some fillings at the front of my mouth.

The treatment I ended up having included all of the above, but near the end I decided I wanted a much better smile and therefore also had veneers on three of my front teeth to match the front dental implant.

The treatment has made a huge difference to my confidence. I am no longer worried about how I look when I go out and am happy to smile and show my teeth in a way that I have not done for a number of years, due to previously feeling very self-conscious about how my teeth looked. I am able to eat without worrying about my teeth breaking or falling out – although I am still careful about what I eat – particularly avoiding very hard or very sticky/chewy foods.

I felt very comfortable being a patient at Queensway. All of the staff I had any dealings with were very pleasant and always made me feel welcome and that nothing was too much trouble. I am very appreciative of the way I was looked after during my treatment by Dr Ian Lane and Gemma. They both had a lovely manner and always made things appear straightforward and easy – even when some of the treatment was quite nerve wracking – particularly during the actual bone grafting and initial implant surgery.

I would recommend Queensway as it is a first-class service, provided by real experts who care about you as well as your teeth. They listen to what you want and then tailor the treatment accordingly based on their vast knowledge of the latest/best products available to suit your requirements. I have been so impressed by the care I have received over the last 14 months that I have now transferred my ongoing dental treatment to Queensway as I would not trust anyone else to look after my teeth as well as they do.