About
Who are Catford Dental?
Catford Dental is a biomimetic dental practice with two Durban practices, in Phoenix and Umhlanga Ridge. The organising idea is conservative: remove as little tooth structure as possible, and restore what remains to behave like tooth.
Why does removing less matter?
A tooth is not replaceable. Every time enamel and dentine are cut away, the tooth is structurally weaker than it was, and each subsequent repair tends to be larger than the one before it. A small filling becomes a large filling, a large filling becomes a crown, and a crown that fails takes the remaining tooth with it.
Conservative dentistry treats that sequence as something to interrupt rather than accept. The aim is to intervene at the smallest scale that will actually work, keep the tooth alive where it can be kept alive, and choose the treatment that leaves the most options open for the next twenty years.
That single idea explains most of what is different about how treatment is planned here — why a cracked tooth is assessed before it is prepared, why an ageing filling is not automatically replaced with a crown, and why time is spent on prevention that does not bill as well as restorative work does.
What is biomimetic dentistry?
Biomimetic means restoring a tooth so that it mimics the mechanical behaviour of the natural tooth — how it flexes, how it distributes bite force, how it bonds together as one structure rather than a hard object sitting inside a softer one.
It is worth being precise about the words, because they get used interchangeably and they should not be. Conservative or minimally invasive describes how much tooth is removed. Biomimetic describes how what remains is rebuilt. Regenerative describes biological repair of tissue, which is a much narrower category — it does not mean growing a tooth back.
More on biomimetic dentistry and what it changes about treatment
Where are the two practices?
Catford Dental operates from two locations in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. They are separate rooms with separate Google listings, so it is worth checking which one you are booked into.
- Phoenix — 167 Stonebridge Drive, Stonebridge, Phoenix, KwaZulu-Natal, 4068
- Umhlanga Ridge — 4 Palm Boulevard, Umhlanga Ridge (Royal Palm Hotel), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, 4319
Phone numbers, WhatsApp and opening hours for both practices
What should I expect as a new patient?
The first appointment is an assessment rather than a treatment session. That means looking at the whole mouth — the teeth, the gums, the bite and how the two sides work together — before deciding what, if anything, needs doing. Existing restorations get assessed on whether they are still doing their job, not on their age.
You should leave knowing what was found, which findings need attention now, which can be watched, and what each option would involve. If something can reasonably be monitored rather than treated, that is a legitimate plan and it will be offered as one.
Bring any previous X-rays or records you have, a list of medications you take, and your medical aid details if you are claiming.
Costs are quoted in writing after an examination. Published price ranges for every common treatment are on the pricing page, with the reason each one varies.
Who are the dental professionals at Catford Dental?
Five dental professionals practise at Catford Dental, supported by the practice team. Everyone works from Phoenix except Orianne Kelsie Kisten, who practises at Umhlanga Ridge.
Prabashen Ragasviran
Special interest in biomimetic, restorative and aesthetic dentistry
Phoenix
Sahil Runglal
Special interest in preventive and restorative dentistry
Phoenix
Pratisha Sewnath
Special interest in endodontics and prosthodontics
Phoenix
Chriscebian Dorasamy
Special interest in restorative dentistry and minor oral surgery
Phoenix
Orianne Kelsie Kisten
Special interest in preventive and restorative dentistry
Umhlanga Ridge
The practice team
Ndela Gumede
Dental Assistant
Phoenix
Neesha Balgobin
Receptionist
Phoenix
Nozipho Nuxmalo
Practice Manager
Phoenix
Areas of practice shown are special interests, not specialist registrations.
Who reviews the dental information on this website?
The dental information across this website is written to be clear and honest, and it is clinically reviewed for accuracy by Prabashen Ragasviran— Dental Professional; BDT (UKZN), PgDip Public Health (UP), PgDip Advanced Restorative & Aesthetic Dentistry (RAA); HPCSA registration TT009490.
Clinical review keeps the content accurate, balanced and safe — but nothing here is a diagnosis. Your own teeth still need an examination.
What treatments are offered?
Preventive and general dentistry, restorative and aesthetic work, treatment for children, and more involved procedures where they are genuinely needed.