Dental Blog - Crofts Dental Practice

The popularity of teeth whitening explained

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.

Teeth Whitening in Essex 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 sensitivity

It could come as a surprise to hear, but as many as one in eight adults suffer with sensitive teeth at some point. When you suffer with sensitive teeth, daily activities such as brushing, flossing, drinking and even eating can cause jolts of extreme pain. Crofts Dental Practice can help.

Sensitive Teeth in Essex Tooth sensitivity often results from worn down enamel. Enamel is the outermost layer of the tooth, designed to protect the root. When enamel is removed, the underlying dentin is exposed. These nerve endings can be stimulated by heat and cold or acidic or sticky foods, causing the quick jolt of pain that our patients in Essex with sensitive teeth will experience.

Is it something to worry about?

In some cases, tooth sensitivity can be indicative of a more serious problem. Cracked or chipped teeth, cavities, pressure from tooth grinding or dental procedures, such as whitening can all be causes of overly-sensitive teeth for many of our patients.

What can I do about it?

If you are concerned about sensitive teeth, you should have a chat with one of our dentists here at Crofts Dental Practice immediately. Our experienced dental team can alleviate the pain associated with sensitive teeth, as well as prevent further discomfort.

We can quickly and accurately identify, or rule out, the cause of your sensitive teeth and develop a treatment plan based on your individual needs. Currently, several options are available, based on the severity and frequency of the sensitivity you are suffering with.

Can I prevent sensitive teeth?

Prevention is always a much better option than treatment of an existing tooth sensitivity issue. Brushing twice a day with a soft-bristle toothbrush and toothpaste, as well as daily flossing, are the most important steps in achieving and maintaining proper oral hygiene. Avoiding tooth grinding, hard brushing and abrasive toothpaste are also important steps in the prevention of tooth sensitivity.

Our dentists may also choose to prescribe a mouth guard for patients who grind their teeth at night, as this can also help to prevent tooth sensitivity. Please call our practice for an appointment, as it’s never too late to start improving your oral health.

Do I need a root canal?

There are several reasons for the need for root canals in Essex at Crofts Dental Practice. The over-riding reason is that the nerve in the centre of the tooth is either creating dental problems, or is at risk of developing problems in the future.

Decay

Root Canals in Essex Once tooth decay becomes extensive, the bacteria that cause the decay can infect the nerve. This causes inflammation and pressure to build up inside the tooth. This pressure cuts of the blood supply to the nerve and the nerve will die.

The throbbing sensation often felt by our patients with an infected root is the increased blood pressure from each heartbeat. That is why the pain can feel worse with any exertion. It can also get worse whilst lying down, as the blood pressure to the head is increased.

Broken teeth

If you have an accident, or break a tooth biting into something hard, you can expose the tooth to outside infection. If this is simply a tiny spot, we can try simple fillings. But, if bigger, it may be wise to have a root canal, as it is likely to cause problems.

The symptoms

The symptoms felt by our patients who may need a root canal vary considerably and if you are in doubt, you should consult your dentist at Crofts Dental Practice. The symptoms of a tooth needing a root canal can include sensitivity to hot and cold. If the sensitivity only lasts a few seconds and is a sharp pain, you will probably just need a filling, but if the pain lasts more than a couple of minutes, you may need a root canal.

Another symptom can be pain when biting. If there is an abscess under a tooth, biting on the tooth puts pressure on the abscess, causing pain.

Swelling around a tooth is also common and most frequently associated with an infection. This infection can be from a root canal related infection, although there are other types of infection which your dentist can diagnose.

Sometimes, the nerve can die and you may not suffer any pain at all. This is one of the reasons why it is important to visit your dentist regularly.

An embarrassing problem

Having bad breath can be embarrassing and make you feel uncomfortable in social situations. There are lots of reasons that it can occur, including consuming strong-smelling foods and drink such as garlic, onions or coffee, smoking, underlying medical issues or poor oral hygiene. Liver and kidney problems, sinusitis, throat infections, diabetes and lung problems can all also result in unpleasant breath and it can be exacerbated by a mouth which is particularly dry. This can happen as we age as we naturally produce less saliva or can be the result of a medical condition. At Crofts Dental Practice we help our patients have fresh breath in Essex.

Why does my breath smell?

If there are no underlying medical problems then the most obvious cause of bad breath is lack of adequate dental care. The unpleasant odour is gas released by bacteria which coat your teeth, gums and tongue. If your teeth are not regularly and properly cleaned, the bacteria can accumulate and cause problems. In addition, bits of food can get caught between the teeth. When food debris decays, a nasty smell is the result. The bacteria on your teeth can cause gum disease and one of the warning signs is a persistent disagreeable smell or taste in your mouth.

How can I have fresh breath?

Regular dental care at home and a good diet which is low in sugary foods is essential. It is also important to have regular appointments with your dentist or hygienist who can check for plaque build-up, scale and polish your teeth, look for any underlying issues and offer advice on how to effectively clean your teeth, tongue and gums. Some treatments, such as having your teeth straightened, can also make a big difference as there are fewer gaps in which plaque can develop. Our team will help you identify the cause of the problem and offer solutions to ensure that you can enjoy fresh breath again. We can even help you to stop smoking.

Having fresh breath is a sign of a healthy mouth and means that you can relax and enjoy your social life again. Do get in touch with us today to see how we can help.

Solutions for missing teeth

If you have one or more missing teeth, you will know how this is detrimental to your appearance as well as making it harder to eat and speak. You may also have had to restrict yourself to a soft food diet. Not only do you miss out on your favourite foods but having a limited diet also affects your nutrition, gradually undermining your health over the years. Dentures can be unreliable or uncomfortable but there is a great alternative to removeable replacements. At Crofts Dental Practice in Essex, dental implants have helped many of our patients improve their smile and enhance their quality of life.

How do dental implants work?

Dental implants are artificial tooth roots in the form of titanium screws which are set into the jaw during a minor operation. Titanium is well tolerated by the body and the bones and soft tissues of the jaw mesh around the implants, stabilising them into position. Dentures, crowns or replacement teeth are fixed to the implants, ensuring a secure, long-term restoration. Some people have been told that they cannot have dental implants due to lack of bone strength in the jaw but we can offer bone augmentation, sinus lifts or mini-implants so that dental implants can once again be an option. In straightforward cases, we can even fit your implants and replacement teeth in the same day.

Improving your health and looks in the future

With dental implant treatment you will be able to eat normally which improves your diet. Implant also strengthen the structure of your jaw. When you have missing teeth, the jawbone gradually deteriorates. This leads to weakness which destabilises your remaining teeth, as well as an aged appearance. Dental implants stimulate the jaw when you eat in the same way as a natural tooth root. This keeps the bones and blood vessels healthy, ensuring long-term strength. A further benefit of having dental implants is that they support the lips and cheeks, avoiding the sag and droop which can occur when there are gaps.

Dental implants are a long-term investment in your health and appearance. To find out how we can help and why we are so proud of our service, do get in touch with our experienced team today.

Straighter teeth for lifelong teeth

The thing about teeth is that not very many of us are born with a beautiful set of pearly whites that line up side by side to produce a lovely broad grin. Quite a few of us have teeth that are crowded, or protruding, or overlapping.

And the thing with teeth like that is they make wonderful hidey holes for the bacteria that form plaque. These bacteria live in our mouths and love nothing more than to hide away in the crevices and crannies created by wonky teeth, from where they are incredibly difficult to remove with brushing.

Orthodontics in Essex Left to their own devices, these bacteria multiply and the sticky plaque hardens into tartar, and gives off acid that erodes our tooth enamel to cause decay, and irritate our gums to cause gum disease. Both decay and gum disease can lead to losing our teeth.

Let’s get things straight

Long story short, wonky teeth don’t last as long as straight teeth. And in an age when it’s perfectly possible to hang on to your own teeth until you die, one way to ensure you go to your grave with your own set of pearly whites is to get them straightened with orthodontics. Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry concerned with aligning the teeth and jaws so that they fit together well and the pressure from chewing is even distributed.

When the pressure is uneven, the teeth that take the brunt of the chewing forces, which can be around 97kg or 200lbs in the average male, tend to wear out faster, and can crumble. An uneven bite can also cause jaw problems, headaches and neckaches.

Orthodontics deals with these issues as well as more moderate tooth realignment issues.

The heavy-duty realignment can often be done on the NHS for children, while the jaw is still growing and therefore malleable.

But even though this becomes impossible after the age of 18, when the bones set, moving the teeth is possible no matter how old you are.

Mild realignments often take less time and can be done with smaller, more discreet, even almost invisible braces. Come in and see what we can do to help you keep your teeth for life.

Teeth for life — preventative dentistry

Dentistry has come a long way in the last few decades. There was a time when the ideal 21^st birthday present was to have all your teeth removed and replaced with dentures. Teeth were not for life, but false ones were.

Things have changed so much since then that for the first time ever it is possible to hang on to all your teeth until you die, by taking good care of them with preventative dentistry.

Orthodontics in Essex At Crofts Dental Practice in Essex, our aim is to have all our patients hang on to their natural teeth for as long as possible. And the best way to do this is make them easy to keep clean, and then to keep them free from plaque.

Plaque is the big issue when it comes to teeth. This sticky film that seems to appear from nowhere on our teeth is millions of harmless bacteria. They colonise the surface of our teeth, getting into nooks and crannies and around the gum line, even under it. The bacteria may be harmless, but the plaque builds up and as it becomes thicker, the bacteria nearest the teeth and gums feed on sugars in the mouth, and release acids. It’s these acids that cause the damage, eroding the enamel and getting into the dentine to cause decay and possibly infection. They also irritate the gums to cause gum disease, which can attack the bone under the gum and eventually cause teeth to fall out.

Preventative dentistry: benefits for children and adults

The check-up plays a vital role in preventing decay and disease. By coming to us every six months for a check-up and scale and polish, you let us spot the signs of issues that you won’t become aware of until they start hurting, and by then, they are already quite advanced. If we can spot early signs of decay or disease, it means the difference possibly between a tiny filling and a crown, or maybe an abscess and root canal treatment. With children, we can prevent filling with fluoride treatments and sealing fissure on the back teeth.

Once they’re in, they’re in

If you have reached an age where you are thinking about replacing some of your teeth, you may be wondering which dental restoration avenue to go down. Or, you may have had teeth extracted or knocked out in an accident, and be facing the same choice, only at a younger age.

You may not know it, but over the last 30 years there has been a revolution under way in terms of ways to replace teeth. Up until the 1980s, dentistry generally offered 2 options: you could go for the full or partial denture, or you could opt for the fixed bridge. Then, dental implants started to be offered by dentists. At first, they were prohibitively expensive for most people, and others didn’t have strong enough jawbones for them.

But, in the last 10 years or so, dental implants in Essex have moved from being something hard to find that you’d probably have to be referred for to something that many dentists offer and is also most people’s first choice when it comes to replacing lost teeth.

Why choose dental implants?

The great thing about dental implants is that no one can tell you’ve got them. Unlike most other tooth restoration methods, these little gems of modern dentistry integrate with the rest of your mouth. They don’t start wobbling around after a few years. They don’t have to be taken out at night and soaked in a glass of water, and they don’t require adhesive to hold them in place. And best of all, they don’t ever need replacing. Once they’re in, they’re in.

At Crofts Dental Practice, we offer a free consultation so that you can find out if dental implants with us and our implant surgeons is the right course of treatment for you.

If they are, all it takes is half a day of oral surgery under local anaesthetic to insert the implants into artificial sockets drilled into the jawbone. After several weeks of healing, during which the titanium posts mesh with the jawbone, the artificial crowns, custom-made to blend with your natural teeth, are fitted. One implant can support up to 3 teeth. Or a whole arch of teeth on a denture can be supported by just a few strategically placed implants.

Extending the life of your teeth

The aim of dentistry these days is to allow you to keep your natural teeth for as long as possible. We understand that nothing is ever as good as your own teeth, not only to do the job of eating, but also to keep your jawbone strong and healthy and your general health good.

Dentistry is getting better and better at extending the life of natural teeth. So good in fact, that people are taking a lot, sometimes even all, of their own teeth into their old age. Gone are the days when people were encouraged to have all their teeth removed in early adulthood, and replaced with dentures for life. Yes, this really did happen and not so long ago either, up to about 40 years ago, this practice was going on in the UK.

Dental Crowns in Essex Instead, we have all sorts of techniques up our sleeves for keeping teeth strong and healthy, even when they have taken a bit of a battering.

One method we use at Crofts Dental Practice, and actually it’s been around for ages, is dental crowns. In Essex, these little gems in the dentist’s toolkit have been around since the Etruscans – the ancient inhabitants of Tuscany in Italy, where no doubt people were always damaging their teeth on olive stones.

Getting crowns

The dental crown is an artificial cover for teeth that have had some kind of trauma, have been root treated, or have a very large filling in them. The crown slips over what remains of the tooth, to strengthen and protect it from further breakage.

Getting a crown fitted usually requires 2 appointments. One to examine and prepare the tooth. We need to make sure that the roots and surrounding bone are healthy, so we may take x-rays. Then, after administering a local anaesthetic, we file down the tooth to make room for the crown, or, if there’s really not much tooth left, we will build it up to allow it to fully support the crown. Then we make an impression of the tooth, and use this to make the crown out of porcelain colour-matched to your teeth. At the next appointment, we fit it and you are good to go.

No more loose dentures in Essex – denture stabilisation with dental implants

Patients who have been wearing dentures for years, find that they often tend to become loose and uncomfortable to wear over time. Loose dentures can also be painful or create mouth ulcers and sores. This can lead to difficulties in speaking and eating and force patients to withdraw from any type of social engagement.

Dental implants could be the answer to loose dentures in Essex. At Crofts Dental Practice, we can fix your denture to your jaw with dental implants. This treatment, also known as denture stabilisation, offers patients with dentures a permanent solution to tooth loss and can improve their quality of life significantly by helping restore their chewing and biting ability.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are small titanium posts that are surgically inserted into the jawbone to support missing tooth roots. Dental implants have the ability to fuse with the jawbone, preventing its further deterioration and encouraging the growth of new bone tissue. Eventually, they create a stable and permanent base for replacement teeth such as crowns, dentures or bridges.

Denture stabilisation

Denture stabilisation is an innovative procedure that involves using dental implants to keep the denture in place. As part of this treatment, you will require surgery to have dental implants fixed into your jaw. Depending on the quality of your jawbone and other factors, you many require from 2-4 dental implants per dental arch in order to achieve stability and permanence. Once your implants have integrated with the bone and surrounding tissues for a period of time, your dentist will place the dentures on top of the implants through special clip-ons. This way you can still remove your dentures for cleaning, but will stay put once in place. In some cases, you may have the option to fix your dentures permanently into your mouth.

Benefits of denture stabilisation

Denture stabilisation offers many benefits. Firstly, the dental implants provide a stable base for the dentures, meaning that there is no risk of them coming loose. Implant-supported dentures restore oral functions such as chewing and biting, and allow patients to eat in public and socialise without worrying about their dentures slipping or coming loose.