Author: Crofts Dental Practice

Is your kid reluctant to see our team? How we help nervous patients at Crofts Dental

When it comes to dental visits and check-ups, many people can spot when they are feeling a bit apprehensive about the whole process.nervous-patients-in-essex

But if you have children, what are some of the signs that they may be struggling with their biannual trip to see our team?

While very young children may be a bit fearful of seeing a dentist, this is usually due to unfamiliarity and can usually be overcome with a few visits. But if your child is a bit older and still irritable whenever you remind them that it is time for a check-up, it is likely that they may be developing anxiety around dental care.

At Crofts Dental Practice, we are extremely sympathetic to all of our nervous patients in Essex and aim to help them overcome their anxiety or phobias, regardless of their age. We will take the time to listen to your child’s concerns and help them to see our team as caring professionals, who only want them to be happy and healthy!

But what are some of the signs that your child may be developing anxieties around dental check-ups? Read on to find out.

Irritability

We have already mentioned irritability and while you could be forgiven for assuming that this is limited to toddlers, we see many nervous patients in Essex of all ages who display irritability when they come to see us.

This is easy to spot; if you mention to your child that it is time to go to a check-up and they react with tutting or irritation, it may be worth coming to see our team for a more compassionate approach to a check-up.

Procrastination

While younger children cannot procrastinate their way out of a dental check-up, many nervous patients in Essex in their teenage years will delay attending our surgery, saying they will do so next week or when they have time.

As you know, delayed treatment can result in minor issues becoming more severe, so talk to your child about their worries and if necessary, come to our surgery with them.

Distraction

The day before a check-up is scheduled, does your child seem distracted?

This can be a sign that they are worried and while it never hurts to ask what their concerns are, try to do so in a way that doesn’t put them on the spot.

Remember, our team at Crofts Dental are dedicated to helping patients who have anxieties, so if you have worries that your child is developing anxiety around attending the dentist, our team can help.

Physical responses

In the waiting room, is your child fidgeting? Shaking?

Please talk to our team before they come in to see us; such signs of anxiety are quite serious and we will aim to alleviate their concerns before they get into the surgery chair.

Emotional responses

Does your kid have outbursts on the morning of their check-up?

This is a sign of intense distress so talk to our team about how both you and us can manage this issue.

The advantages of dental implants in Essex

Have you considered dental implants Essex as a long-lasting solution to your missing teeth? If you haven’t perhaps it is time to understand some of the advantages you will benefit from should you wish to embark on this rewarding journey with us.

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Some 98% of implant treatments are deemed successful and because they last so long, several decades in fact, chances are you will not need to worry yourself again about the condition of the  tooth replacement. You can carry on with life knowing that your implanted tooth will remain intact, strong and support your surrounding teeth; or if you have dentures, will help them stay in place when you want them to.

Who is this treatment for?

Dental implants Essex provides a wonderful solution for many, because the ways in which we can utilise the procedure to benefit a wide range of different patients is vast. Younger patients, as long as they have all of their adult teeth and their jawbone has ceased growing and moving, can benefit from the long-term gains of replacing a missing tooth that they might have lost during an accident or fall.

This can be devastating, especially if the tooth is visible, with the patient generally facing many different procedures over the course of their lives to restore that tooth to full functionality again. But with dental implants Essex, a single implant procedure is all it takes and they can confidently know that that tooth will remain in place for many years.

Older individuals are also warmly invited to discuss their options regarding this style of treatment, either for those with several missing teeth or even those looking to stabilise their dentures.

Single implants and bridges can be secured with a single implant and with four strategically placed rods, two on the upper arch and two on the lower arch, a complete set of teeth can be held in place, with this all being done in a single day!

What is denture stabilisation?

This is a term used for holding dentures in place that are otherwise rubbing, slipping and even falling out unexpectedly; a great cause of distress and embarrassment for the individual.

Dentures begin to shift after extended periods when the jawbone begins to lose its density over time. This is a natural occurrence, but is an unfortunate side effect of teeth replacement systems that are positioned only on the gums and not deeper into the jaw. The jawbone is simply not stimulated as it normally is with natural teeth and as a result, begins to deteriorate and recede.

When this happens, an individual’s dentures no longer fit as they once did. With denture stabilisation, we can offer you a chance to feel confident and comfortable again, even eating foods that you haven’t been able to eat for many years.

We would be more than happy to discuss the personal advantages that you will benefit from having used this treatment for yourself. It is important to gain a complete understanding, so an in-depth and bespoke treatment plan will be discussed giving you the opportunity to ask any questions that you may have.

Exploring your teeth whitening options in Essex

Teeth whitening Essex is one of the most popular cosmetic treatments that we have available in our practice. It is quickly completed by a competent and experienced professional to provide you with a smile that is several shades lighter in just a single appointment.

teeth-whitening-essexWe use safe, tried and tested products to ensure that your teeth and gums are not damaged by the experience, nor will you need to worry about your teeth looking ‘too white’ after a treatment and simply not natural. We avoid harsh abrasive products and examine the reason behind your dental discolouration, to ensure that we work on rectifying these issues in order to bring the appearance of your teeth back to a bright and more youthful appearance.

Our word of caution

One of the only things we do caution our patients on when they are considering teeth whitening Essex is that they get the treatment done by a professional, rather than looking into cheaper at-home kits that they can purchase online. These kits are not designed specifically for you and are usually extremely harsh, meaning that you can damage the enamel of your teeth, causing permanent sensitivity.

Furthermore, one of the reasons behind teeth yellowing as we age is that the enamel is wearing down. When you use a whitening product that is too harsh, you can strip some of the enamel and cause your teeth to yellow further once the initial bleaching has worn away.

We simply recommend that you take advantage of the experience that our dentists have to offer, so that you can easily, safely and confidently brighten your smile without needing to worry about any potentially nasty side effects.

What does the treatment look like?

Upon requesting a teeth whitening Essex treatment, we will examine your teeth prior to ensuring that your smile is healthy without the need for fillings or other restorative work. We will also examine your teeth to identify the kind of staining that you have, whether it is caused by medication, age or simply through the extensive consumption of foods and drinks that stain your teeth, such as coffee, tea, red wine or curry.

You can choose to have your teeth whitened just prior to a special occasion, such as a wedding, photo shoot, party or special date. During the whitening procedure, we apply a specifically formulated hydrogen peroxide gel directly on to your teeth and activate this with a special light, to speed up the process and to provide you with better results.

By using a combination of treatments that we can provide you with, such as this in-practice solution, as well as home kits that come from your local dentist, and also by using teeth whitening toothpastes and brushes in between treatments, you can ensure that your smile is always looking its best.

Make sure that you frequently visit us for regular check-ups so that we can monitor the health of your smile, even though you are using products recommended by us. Results vary and bodies all react in different ways, so we need to ensure that a bespoke treatment solution is offered to you.

When should I be worried about sensitive teeth?

It is not uncommon to have sensitive teeth; we’ve found sensitive teeth Essex are more common for 20 to 40 year-olds, but we’ve seen teens to 70 year-olds reporting sensitive teeth for the first time, with a bias towards women. If you’ve tried treating your sensitivity at home for 2 or more weeks without improvement is time to book an appointment with us. If not let’s go through some at-home treatments and probable causes.sensitive-teeth-essex

Common causes

The outer layer of the teeth is the enamel, its whitish and almost opaque; it’s the hard shell defending the softer porous dentine beneath. If and when the dentine is exposed, the tooth can become sensitive. This usually starts at the base of the tooth where it meets the gum line where it is the thinnest. But how could the enamel have been damaged or why is the dentine exposure resulting in sensitive teeth Essex?

  • Tooth whitening; the two methods used in tooth whitening are abrasive, which could remove layers of enamel if poorly performed and bleaching can chemically alter the enamel and make it porous.
  • A cracked tooth or filling; if the sensitivity has come on suddenly and is very severe this is probably the cause.
  • Tooth grinding; this where the enamel on the top of the teeth is gradually eroded; if the tips of your teeth are sensitive this could be why.
  • Gum recession; the root of the teeth have no enamel and as the gum recedes with age they can become exposed. If your dentist discovers it at the base of most of your teeth and you are beyond middle-age this is likely to be the culprit.
  • Brushing too hard; too much of a good thing, brush erosion results in the loss of enamel due to overly enthusiastic brushing causing the enamel to thin.
  • Dental erosion; the calcium-based enamel is vulnerable to acid damage which can come from acidic foods or acid reflux. If you have regular heartburn or drink soda often this could be the source of the problem.

Home treatment

Prevention is always better than cure, but if you are past that point, look for a high fluoride toothpaste; at least 1350ppm. There are several brands targeted at treating tooth sensitivity and make all the lifestyle changes you can to stop it from getting worse.

If you have your teeth whitened talk to your provider about your sensitivity. If you have been whitening your teeth at home, consider stopping.

If you also wake in the morning with jaw stiffness, you could be grinding your teeth as you sleep. For night time grinding a mouthguard can be helpful to protect your teeth.

Brush twice a day with a soft to medium-soft toothbrush using small circular movements. Don’t brush your teeth immediately after eating, as acidic food softens enamel which could be easily eroded off by brushing. Dab the toothpaste on the affected areas and let it sit; do not rinse it off and once again, if there is not an improvement in 2 weeks come to see us about your sensitive teeth Essex.

What happens during a root canal?

So you want to know what to expect from endodontics? Well, that is not as straightforward as it may seem. Although most procedures can be performed at our clinic, particularly complex cases may be referred on to an endodontic specialist. For the more common treatment of root canals Essex let’s look at the normal steps and likely outcomes.Root Canals Essex

It is very unlikely that an endodontic treatment will be completed in a single visit, but more likely over two. If there is an active infection, there will be a further pause in treatment and antibiotics will be given to resolve the infection before dental work can begin.

The preparation

Endodontics is by definition under the tooth. Our dentist will start with a set of X-rays, so they can see the scope of the problem and prepare accordingly. Most of the time, an anaesthetic is administered unless the infection has destroyed the nerve, leaving the tooth painless.

An oral dam will be created; the rubber barrier isolates the affected tooth and prevents the patient from swallowing debris generated during the procedure.

Cleaning and pulp extraction

The top of the tooth is opened to expose the pulp. From this, the infected pulp is removed via gentle scraping. If any of the abscess beneath the tooth remains it will be drained.

The root bit of the root canal

With the tooth de-pulped, the canal would be visible in a normal tooth; the canal is very narrow, far too narrow to clean and fill.

So a set of files is used to progressively widen the canal. This is not a quick process, it can take two hours and is therefore done in two sessions.

Not all teeth have the same number of roots, but in general, the front teeth have one, molars have two or three and some wisdom teeth have five. The number of roots varies on ethnicity, and the more roots a tooth has, the longer the root canals Essex will take.

To pause any root canals Essex our dentist will place a sterilising solution into the tooth canal and seal the top with a temporary filling. If at any point the signs of an infection reoccur, like a discoloured swelling or a raised temperature, the treatment will be stopped and a course of antibiotics will be prescribed.

Once the tooth is re-sized and fully cleaned, the filling can begin by replacing the removed pulp.

There is a higher risk of breaking a root-filled tooth than an untreated tooth, so depending on how much of your tooth remains our dentist may suggest a crown. If the tooth was very damaged there may not be enough remaining to support a crown; if so, a peg can be placed in the filled root to support a crown.

You should expect the lifespan of a filled tooth to be shorter than natural teeth, but with good oral hygiene eight to ten years is normal.

A filled tooth may darken after filling, this is normal, but you may wish to consider tooth whitening if a front tooth is affected.

Restoring broken teeth with dental crowns in Essex

If you have a chipped or broken tooth, don’t panic, it is not the end of the world and it is very possible that we can save the tooth and not have to pull it out thanks to the clever use of dental crowns Essex. Crowns are commonly used to cap off a tooth after root canal therapy but they can also be used to reshape and hide a chipped tooth or even hold together a broken tooth that has been cracked, at Crofts Dental Practice we want to preserve as much of your natural teeth as possible, because extracting a tooth could mean needing dental implant surgery whereas fixing a crown to your tooth can be done in 1 – 2 appointments.dental-crown-in-essex

What is a crown?

A crown is a cap or covering that is placed over a tooth in order to restore it. It can be made from metal (as often seen in those with gold teeth), porcelain fused stainless steel, resin or ceramic. It provides a necessary restoration where the tooth would otherwise have to be removed.

For cracked, broken or chipped teeth

Cracked teeth – if a tooth becomes damaged due to facial trauma and is cracked all the way down the centre, particularly but not limited to the case of this happening to a molar. Then it is possible to hold that tooth together with a dental crown, by capping the top of the tooth with the right crown, dentists are able to save the tooth.

Broken and chipped teeth – teeth with large chips or breaks in them can be restored with dental crowns Essex in order to still keep their function. Nowadays these restorative crowns are either made from tooth-coloured resin which is filed and shaped to form the shape of the tooth before being hardened with light or they are made of tooth coloured ceramic which is bonded to the tooth. Both make convincing and seamless coverups that are not noticeable when smiling.

After root canal

In order to perform a root canal properly, dentists need to file and drill away much of the top of the tooth in order to get inside and clear out the infection, a crown needs to be placed on top of the remainder of the tooth in order to reshape it and make biting and chewing possible once more. At first, you will receive a temporary crown that can be removed in order for the dentist to make sure the infection is completely gone before fitting you with a more permanent one.

A cover job

Old amalgam and metal fillings can be unsightly when you laugh and dental crowns Essex are able to cover them up easily in order to restore the proper colour of one’s teeth, this is a more cosmetic use of crowns but is very effective none the less. Crowns are also used to hold a bridge of teeth in place when someone has two or more missing teeth in a row, a crown is fitted to each side of the bridge of false teeth and each crown is fixed to the teeth on either side of the gap for a seamless fit.

What you need to know about dental implants in Essex

The main thing you need to know about dental implants Essex is that they can do more than just replace a single missing tooth or indeed multiple missing teeth. With dental implants, we are able to save the bone of the jaw from a lifetime of degradation at Crofts Dental Practice and give you a restored sense of self-worth, by ensuring that dentures are fixed to the jaw and that your face shape doesn’t become sunken due to bone loss. This may sound like a lot of too many good things for a small piece of metal to achieve all on its own, but the science behind it is incontrovertible and the benefits have proven to be well worth the surgery.dental-implants-in-essex

What is an implant?

A dental implant is a small titanium screw that is inserted into the bone of the jaw in order to fix a false tooth or set of false teeth into place. The reason we use titanium is that it does not tarnish and it is very compatible with human bone matter. Bone tissue loves to fuse with, and grow on to, titanium – making it the premium choice for setting broken bones as well as false teeth.

Common uses

Dental implants Essex can be used for various reasons; a single missing tooth can be replaced with a single implant, indeed even 2 or 3 missing teeth next to one another can be secured to one implant as well. So if you have had serious facial trauma or the rot of one tooth has spread to the ones alongside it, you may only need one implant to support a bridge of 2 or 3 false teeth. Larger bridges can be supported on just two implants; if all the teeth in one quadrant of the mouth are missing, two implants can be used on each side of the gap in order to support a large bridge of false teeth. In the case where the entire top or bottom row of teeth are missing there are different systems used for dentures.

A set of dentures can be secured with only 4 implants which means you don’t need an implant for every tooth in your mouth should you need dentures.

The procedure

Setting dental implants Essex into the bone of the jaw requires surgery, but for nervous and even phobic patients there is always the option to have it done under sedation in order to keep stress levels low. First, your dentist will numb the area that is going to be operated on then they will cut open the gum in order to expose the bone, once this is done we will use a special drill to open a hole in the bone in which we will screw a small titanium implant. The area is then cleaned and you are stitched up and sent home with a temporary crown, bridge or denture in order to await the healing process in which your bone fuses with the titanium, thus securing it in place.

This healing usually takes 6 months and once it is complete you will come in for a second appointment where we will fit an abutment to the implant and clip the false tooth or denture to this newly formed and strong base set within the jaw.

Dental implants: a fixed solution for missing teeth

Nobody likes losing one of their valued possessions. Even in the most minor of cases, losing something important is at the very least a big inconvenience. Sometimes, when we lose something, we are able to find it again quickly, which means that there is no reason to worry as the problem is quickly solved. On other occasions, we may not be able to find the thing that we are missing, and so we have to find and/or buy a new version of it. But what if we lose something that can’t be bought? What if the thing that we lose isn’t really a ‘possession’ so to speak at all? This might seem like an odd concept but it does happen to people frequently, for example when losing a body part. One of the most common body parts to lose is a tooth. Whilst it’s fine and indeed necessary for a child to lose their milk teeth, it can be quite nerve-racking when an adult loses one (or many!) of their teeth. This can happen for a number of reasons, including suffering an accident which damages teeth, or tooth decay. So what should we do if we lose any of our teeth? While there are a lot of things we can do, one of the best things we can do is get dental implants in Essex. Dental implants in Essex are a treatment that act as a permanent solution to broken or missing teeth. Exactly how this treatment works, and how it can help to restore broken or missing teeth will be the subject of this article today. In addition, we will also take a look at our options for dental clinics that can reliably provide us with dental implants in Essex.dental-implants-in-essex

If you are looking for a professional and friendly dental practice to receive your dental implants in Essex from, then we have a great recommendation for you. Crofts Dental Practice is a dental practice which employs only highly trained and experienced staff, and we are fully equipped to offer you high quality and bespoke dental services that are designed to put you and your needs first. We care deeply about all of our patients, and so we offer all of our treatments in a relaxed and comfortable environment and we even have a special clinic designed for those who are particularly worried or nervous about getting dental treatment, so that we can do our utmost to put everyone at ease.

The reasons for this treatment

There are a lot of negative impacts of losing teeth. Many of these effects are cosmetic in nature. For example, the loss of teeth is often the main reason for people feeling insecure about smiling. Furthermore, the jawbone beneath missing teeth will slowly degenerate and resorb, which gives the face a very ‘sunken in’ appearance. This is why dental implants in Essex can be a very important treatment.

The implants themselves are actually small metallic screws that are fixed in place in gaps between teeth where old teeth have fallen out. These screws allow things such as bridges and crowns to be fixed on top of them as they are affixed to the jawbone and thus provide a stable basis for natural looking and feeling artificial teeth to replace broken and missing ones.

Six Month Smiles and the advantages of braces

Many of us often wonder what the best way is to improve our health. One natural response is that we need to eat healthily and ensure that we exercise regularly. While this is good general advice for most people’s health, there are some areas of the body which need more specific care than healthy eating and exercise. One such area of the body are the teeth. Whilst eating well certainly helps our teeth to be strong and clean, often our teeth will need additional consideration and treatments to ensure that they are both healthy and aesthetically pleasing. What sorts of treatments can help us with our teeth specifically?six-month-smiles-in-essex

One particular example is the use of braces. Braces are a common treatment frequently used to correct the positioning of crooked or misaligned teeth. While they are a common solution that many people undergo, nowadays there is still quite a lot of stigma about getting them. Many people believe that the treatment to get braces is painful, or that braces do not look good in a cosmetic sense. However, the treatment for modern braces is, more often than not, a smooth and comfortable one. Furthermore, given the multiple different varieties of discreet and personalised braces available to patients nowadays, it is easy to find several different types of attractive looking braces. One example of this is Six Month Smiles in Essex. Six Month Smiles in Essex is a treatment which combines and fine tunes many of the best aspects of braces and provides its patients with a cosmetic way to shift misaligned teeth. But what exactly is this treatment? And what can we expect from it? To answer those questions we will take a deeper look at Six Month Smiles in Essex and an experienced provider of them.

When thinking about Six Month Smiles in Essex, it is important to research a reputable practice which provides them. Of course, patients would like to find a respectable and trustworthy dentist to carry out this treatment for them, and to that end we recommend Crofts Dental Practice. At Crofts Dental Practice, we offer all of our high quality treatments in comfortable surroundings, and we make the most of our modern dental technology and tools to offer some of the latest and most exciting treatments to our patients. With over thirty years worth of experience serving our patients, it is no surprise that our practice employs a philosophy of listening to and caring about our patients, to ensure that their dental journey with us is always a positive one.

What are Six Month Smiles?

Six Month Smiles in Essex are a clear type of braces. This treatment uses small tooth coloured wires, making them very difficult to notice to the outside observer. This treatment is gentle and so entails minimal discomfort, and it lasts for a relatively short amount of time – six months on average. This is possible because this treatment uses special wires that are made out of nickel and titanium, and also because the treatment focuses primarily on moving the teeth that show when you smile.

What are dental implants in Essex?

Dental implants in Essex could easily be argued as the best possible form of tooth replacement within the modern field of restorative dental care, they are not only used for the replacement of singular teeth, but also multiple missing teeth, and whole rows of absent teeth within the mouth (in the form of denture stabilisation)! Dental implants in Essex essentially consist of three key aspects, arguably the most vital is the dental implant itself, a small titanium screw (typically less than one centimetre in length) which works to accurately replicate the root of the missing tooth. In addition to acting as a stabilising base for both the abutment (also commonly referred to as a ‘connector’) and the porcelain crown.dental-implants-in-essex

A tailor-made dental plan, to ensure our patients’ achieve the best possible dental results

At our clinic within Essex we choose to embrace not only variety in regards to the treatments on offer to our patients’, however, we also encourage the use of the latest advancements available within dental technology, our porcelain crowns are therefore no expectation to this rule! Our porcelain crowns are not only matched to the shade of our patients’ surrounding teeth, however, they also match the shape too, therefore achieving a natural-looking appearance.

Are dental implants right for you?

If you are an individual who is suffering from the loss of one, multiple, or possibly even a whole row of teeth within the mouth, then dental implants at our Crofts dental practice could be the perfect restorative solution for your smile.

What causes missing teeth?

Missing teeth can occur for a multitude of reasons, for example, a bicycle accident, a car crash, or possibly even due to oral diseases and infections (such as gum disease, to name just one common example). Whatever the cause, however, missing teeth can cause a multitude of concerns within the mouth, which is why it is so vital you receive dental treatment.

What are the benefits of receiving dental implants?

Missing teeth cannot only make it extremely uncomfortable (or possibly even painful) for patients to eat, drink or even brush normally, however it can also massively affect their self-esteem, and possibly even trigger the development of a speech disfigurement (commonly referred to within the field of dental care as a lisp). In addition to these functional concerns, the exposed gum can also, unfortunately, act as a breeding ground for oral bacteria within the mouth, therefore triggering the onset of possible oral diseases and infections (such as gum disease, to name just one common example).

So… What’s the solution?

With all of these concerns in mind, therefore, receiving dental implants can massively improve not only the function of a patients’ smile, however, they can also help to maintain a high standard of oral hygiene, whilst eliminating the risk of erasing years worth of orthodontic work (missing teeth can encourage the surrounding teeth to move into the exposed space, this can therefore erase orthodontic results from previous years).