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At Crofts Dental Practice, we believe in the power of prevention and the importance of maintaining a regular dental care routine. This commitment stems from our understanding that frequent dental check-ups are instrumental in safeguarding your oral health. Regular dental visits enable us to promptly identify any potential issues, ensuring timely management before escalation. Notably, these visits are not just about detecting cavities or treating toothaches. They entail a comprehensive assessment of your oral health, which includes checking for signs of oral cancer or gum disease, issues that are far easier to address when caught early. We are steadfast in our mission to provide optimal dental care in Essex, and we encourage our patients to make regular dental visits a staple in their healthcare routine. Trust us to be your partners in preserving your precious smile.

The Importance of Regular Check-ups for Dental Health

As a trusted dental practice in Essex, we cannot overstate the importance of routine dental check-ups. Regular dental visits provide a vital chance for early detection of potential problems, thus preventing avoidable repercussions. The check-ups encompass a thorough cleaning of your teeth to eradicate plaque and tartar build-up, which if unchecked, can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. With our team’s expertise, we can also spot subtle changes in your oral health, such as gum inflammation or tooth discolouration, that may signify more complex issues. At Crofts Dental Practice, we fervently believe that prevention is better than cure. Regular check-ups are a simple, proactive step you can take towards ensuring your dental health remains in top-notch condition.

How We Prioritise Your Oral Health at Crofts Dental Practice

At Crofts Dental Practice, prioritising your oral health is our number one mission. We achieve this through comprehensive and personalised treatments tailored to your specific needs. Our team of dedicated professionals invests in continuous learning and development, ensuring we offer the latest and best dental care solutions. From routine check-ups to cosmetic dentistry, like teeth whitening in Essex, we have a wide range of services designed to maintain and enhance your smile. We treat all our patients with warmth, patience, and understanding, always taking the time to explain every procedure. We believe that a well-informed patient is an empowered one. Entrust us with your oral health, and we will ensure you leave our clinic with a brighter, healthier smile.

The Role of Teeth Whitening in Essex for a Radiant Smile

When it comes to enhancing your smile, teeth whitening in Essex at Crofts Dental Practice is an effective solution. Over time, teeth can become discoloured due to consumption of certain food and drinks, or simply as part of the ageing process. Teeth whitening provides an excellent way to restore your teeth’s original brightness, boosting your confidence and enhancing your overall appearance. We offer professional teeth whitening services, utilising safe and reliable techniques to achieve impressive results. With our teeth whitening treatment, we can help you achieve the radiant smile you’ve always desired.

Maintaining Your Smile’s Health With Routine Dental Care

At Crofts Dental Practice, we believe that maintaining your smile involves more than just brushing and flossing. It involves regular dental check-ups, a balanced diet, and being aware of your oral health. Regular check-ups allow for early detection and treatment of dental issues before they escalate. A balanced diet ensures your teeth and gums receive the necessary nutrients to remain healthy. Being aware of your oral health means recognising any changes and seeking our professional advice promptly. We offer a wide range of dental services from preventive care to cosmetic dentistry to ensure your smile remains in prime condition. Let us be your partners in maintaining your beautiful smile.

If you’re considering having your teeth whitened, visit us at Crofts Dental Practice and enjoy teeth whitening Essex with one of our dental practitioners. Now you can enjoy an instant upgrade to your smile with a quick visit to our practice in Essex. It’s an effective way to boost your smile and can be performed as a treatment before a special occasion, such as a wedding or family gathering, or as a treatment to improve the appearance of your teeth.

Enjoy a glowing smile with instant results

Teeth whitening Essex offers patients several benefits. One of the many benefits is that the results will be visible immediately after the treatment. The procedure is quick and will result in no downtime, so you can resume your daily activities or return to work without having to experience any major disruptions. In addition, the treatment will be comfortable, which may bring peace of mind to nervous patients who may be delaying treatment out of fear.

A large majority of over-the-counter dental whitening kits that you can apply at home are costly and may leave patients feeling disappointed with the final results. Here at Crofts Dental Practice, we offer at-home dental whitening kits that offer incredible results and have received positive responses from our patients.

One of the options for a kit you can use at home is from Enlighten; this choice is slightly more costly than other at-home kits available as it requires a visit to our dental practice. Patients will receive custom-made whitening trays that will be made based on their specific needs and measurements. This treatment has grown in popularity over the years and is even used today by a few A-list Hollywood actors.

The Enlighten home kit also includes branded toothpaste, which must be applied before the treatment takes place. The custom-made trays must then be fitted directly onto the patient’s teeth. Over two weeks, the patient will need to apply a whitening gel using a syringe. Following the two weeks, the patient will need to visit our practice on day 15 for a dental whitening session. Our dentist will complete the final step of the process, which includes a booster to increase the overall glow; this will ensure longer-lasting results for a truly glowing smile.

Improve your self-confidence with dental whitening

Patients who choose to have teeth whitening Essex can also look forward to enjoying improved self-confidence thanks to their upgraded smiles. If you suffer from discolouration or visible staining that cannot be removed by regular brushing, it may cause you to feel embarrassed to smile freely. Thanks to dental whitening, your smile will be instantly upgraded, and you can enjoy a professional clean followed by the bleaching process. The professional cleaning will also help to strengthen your teeth and improve the health of your gums and overall well-being, which is an added bonus.

Side effects of dental whitening treatment

The good news is that there are no major side effects associated with patients who choose to have their teeth professionally whitened. There is also no risk of any major pain or discomfort. In a few instances, patients have experienced some sensitivity following the treatment, but this is fairly common and can be easily overcome with the help of over-the-counter painkillers.

Do you want a whiter smile?

At Crofts Dental Practice, we can offer teeth whitening Essex, to help you get a slightly whiter version of your current smile or we can aim to provide you with a smile worthy of Tinseltown!

Our dentist is happy to provide the following guide to the teeth whitening Essex systems that we can offer to our patients; Zoom and Enlighten. So, enjoy!

Zoom!

This teeth whitening Essex works by applying whitening bleaches directly to the teeth and activating the oxidising gel using a UV light.

This is the best system to use if you have surface stains, which can be caused by smoking, coffee or the consumption of other foods and drinks that are high in tannins. The light and the gel break up these kinds of stains and disperse them, leaving your smile up to 8 shades whiter.

Now, you may be worried about sensitivity, but this is not an issue with Zoom. The bleaches contain compounds that reduce sensitivity after treatment.

Zoom can be applied in the dental chair by our team, or at home by yourself, or both! The initial session with our team involves the placement of a dam, to prevent gum irritation and the application of the gel.

At home, we will provide you with a custom-fitted mouthpiece and you will apply a drop of the gel to the mouthpiece. This gel is available in 2 strengths; DayWhite (for daytime bleaching), and NiteWhite (for overnight bleaching).

Enlighten

Similar to Zoom, Enlighten can be applied by our team both in the dental chair and at home.

It takes around 15 days to whiten your teeth and, once again, its mode of action is based on oxidizing gels being applied to the teeth. A UV light will be applied by our team which will help to break down stubborn stains and can whiten your smile by over 10 shades if you want to achieve that Hollywood gleam!

A custom-fitted tray is used for at-home whitening, for which our team will create a targeted, but weaker gel than the one we use in surgery that you can apply yourself. Typically, this will be done at night time.

Sensitivity

As briefly mentioned before, both systems have built-in, anti-sensitivity protection, so once the treatment is complete, you won’t have to worry about discomfort.

If, however, you have very sensitive teeth before beginning treatment, it is worth discussing alternative treatments with our teams, such as veneers or composite bonding.

Longevity

Unfortunately, the results obtained by either Zoom or Enlighten are not permanent and will vary based on several factors.

These include your dedication to oral hygiene if you use top-up treatments in between our team reapplying the in-chair gels, and whether you smoke.

And so, it is hard to put an average on how long your whiter smile will last, but it can last anywhere from 6 months to 3 years. Both systems allow patients to top-up their smiles at home with weaker versions of the gel used in the surgery, but care should always be taken when applying these.

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.

We 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.

As you get older your teeth start to lose their milky white gleam as they fade and become discoloured. There are numerous toothpastes and alternative methods of reducing these effects, but one way to make a lasting impression is through tooth whitening sessions with your dentist.

Here’s how you can add a little shine to your smile with an appointment for teeth whitening in Essex.

What causes discolouration?

Discolouration and yellowing of the teeth happens to everyone and it’s commonly caused by things in your diet.

As an example, smokers and users of tobacco products have a higher chance of discolouration occurring to their teeth because of the habit. Wine and coffee are also another source of this yellowing, as that regular morning brew or evening sip can slowly stain those pearly whites.

What does whitening involve?

An appointment for teeth whitening in Essex is a fairly simple process that generally tends to involve one of two methods.

The first option is for your dentist to take an impression of your teeth, this is to create a mouthguard that will be combined with a gel that will bleach your teeth gradually over a series of sessions. Another fairly common technique, known as ‘power whitening’, may be used whereby your dentist covers your teeth with a powder. This is then exposed to a light that will activate the compound causing it to gradually brighten your teeth.

Don’t worry about having to choose one, as your dentist will normally discuss your options prior to your treatment, to figure out which one will give you the desired result of whiter teeth. At Crofts Dental Practice our talented and friendly team will bring out that hidden shine and healthy colour that your teeth have lost, with a few professional whitening sessions in our practice.

Can I do it at home?

For those that may have a busy schedule, or hectic family life and commitments that don’t allow for a lot of free time, then there is also the option to take home one of our whitening kits. Each one is custom made to fit your specific needs and we will walk you through the correct application methods as well as how long you should use it for.

Is it safe?

A fairly common question a lot of patients have when it comes to treatments, especially those involving a bleaching compound, is if it’s safe. Whitening is strictly controlled because of the bleaching component of the procedure and you should always follow any and all advice given to you by your dental practitioner. If you have a home kit we recommend that you use a minimal amount of gel as it can cause irritation or blistering if it touches your gums because of overspill.

If you have any concerns about the process then have a chat with our team.

Getting rid of that discolouration and yellowing has never been easier, so if you’re looking to restore your teeth to their former glory or just want to add a little sparkle to your smile, then get in touch with our team.

People notice your smile. It’s a fact. Human beings have evolved to spot problems with each other’s teeth and mouth. It’s a self-protective device to stop us getting too close to other people who might be carrying disease.

And, although that’s unlikely to be the case these days, we still can’t but help notice each other’s dental imperfections and react accordingly. So, if your teeth are discoloured, then it will be very hard to hide.

With that in mind, it can be very tempting to whiten your teeth with a kit from a pharmacy or off the internet, but no dentist is going to tell you that this is a good idea. Whitening gel contains hydrogen peroxide as its active ingredient. While this is a tried and tested product that has been in use as a whitener for centuries, if it is too strong, it can strip the enamel and cause damage that will need expensive restorative treatments.

Buy a take-home kit from us

When you buy a take-home kit from us at Crofts Dental Practice in Essex, you will be using a product that has been tried and tested and is safe. The kit also includes whitening trays that have been made by us specifically for you. This means that there will be maximum contact between the gel and your teeth. It also reduces the chances of gel spilling out into your mouth.

You wear the gel trays every day for a short period, and it will take roughly 2 weeks to whiten your teeth.

We need to check you before treatment

It’s always a good idea to let us take at look at your teeth before whitening. Firstly, it may be that your discolourations are not on the surface of your teeth, but are intrinsic to their structure. If this is the case, then whitening will not make any difference and you will need to have another treatment, such as veneers, to cover over the discolouration. Also, we need to make sure that you don’t have anything that could create problems, such as decay, worn teeth or leaky fillings.

There’s nothing that lifts the spirits quite like a beautiful, warm smile showing healthy, white teeth. So, it’s no surprise really that teeth whitening is the world’s most popular cosmetic dentistry treatment. In Essex, teeth whitening is the go-to pick-me-up treatment among our patients at Crofts Dental Practice.

As we’ve booked patients in for treatment, we’ve asked ourselves what makes teeth whitening so popular. We have concluded that it is because whitening is so quick and easy, and also because doesn’t require any alteration to the structure of the teeth. Even wonky teeth can be dramatically improved in looks if they are a great healthy white colour. We think this is a first step treatment when people are testing the waters of cosmetic dentistry. If they get good results and feedback from having their teeth whitened, they will probably go on to have other, more permanent, treatments afterwards.

Teeth whitening is also used as a finishing treatment for people after a lot of restorative work or another cosmetic treatment such as teeth straightening with braces. If someone has been wearing fixed braces for several months, when it comes time for them to be removed at long last, the patient often chooses this time to have their beautiful and newly straightened teeth whitened. It really makes a big difference after all that hard work and removes any residual traces of staining from the brackets and cement. It’s great to see them leave our dental practice with huge grins on their faces.

And, really, being able to crack a big, wide smile whenever the urge comes upon you is what it’s all about. It feels wonderful, and does beneficial things to the body, releasing serotonin to lift the spirits.

Teeth whitening options

At Crofts Dental Practice, we offer two ways to whiten teeth. You can come into the practice for power whitening. This takes about an hour and you just lie back and relax, while a more concentrated whitening gel on your teeth does its work. Or you can whiten your teeth at home with a less concentrated gel, wearing custom-made mouth trays for several hours, or overnight, each day. This takes about two weeks to get results. You can also have a combination of both.

Teeth whitening is the most frequently requested treatment in the world of cosmetic dentistry. When it’s provided by a qualified dental professional, it’s a safe, effective, and quick way to brighten up your smile without the need for invasive procedures.

Crofts Dental Practice in Essex offer three options for teeth whitening treatment, all of which begin with a cosmetic dentistry consultation.

A dentist is the most important person in any teeth whitening procedure. The General Dental Council classes whitening treatment as dentistry, and as such it can only be legally prescribed by a dentist. Another suitably trained and qualified dental professional – a hygienist, or a hygiene therapist, for example – can carry out the physical procedure of teeth whitening, but only on a dentist’s prescription.

At our Essex dental practice we are aware that there are numerous products that claim to whiten teeth available on the open market. We also hear of beauty salons offering this treatment. All of these options should be avoided to ensure treatment that is safe, effective, and legal.

Whilst whitening products bought from a supermarket or high street chemist are unlikely to damage your teeth, they are also unlikely to live up to their promises, failing to deliver the results that you want. If you have an underlying problem such as enamel erosion or tooth decay, some products can also cause sensitivity.

Products bought from the internet may be of dubious origin, which means you can’t know for sure that they contain what they say they do, or that levels of the bleaching agent hydrogen peroxide are legal. Beauticians offering the treatment do so illegally; the GDC has carried out many successful prosecutions for illegal dentistry, but all too often someone has to suffer painful damage to their mouth in order for illegal providers to come to light.

Think about it; you wouldn’t accept any other form of cosmetic dentistry from anyone other than a dentist. Teeth whitening must be considered in the same way.

The three options for whitening at our Essex clinic are:

1. Home whitening, supervised by your dentist
2. Power whitening, carried out by your dentist
3. Combination whitening – both of the above combined.