Author Archives: Smilecraft Dental Care

Nice and easy at your dentist in Stevenage

Think back on the times when you’ve felt anxious. Perhaps before sitting your driver’s test, or giving a speech at your friend’s wedding, or maybe it was when you noticed that nagging toothache getting worse and realised you’d have to visit the dentist in Stevenage. Dental anxiety affects more people than you think. But today dentists are trained to help you work through your anxiety.

Dentist in StevenageAt Smilecraft, we certainly go the extra mile to make sure each and every one of our patients feels at ease when they see us for anything from a check-up to a root canal. Here’s how:

A warm welcome

Our bright and homely reception area is staffed by our approachable reception team, who will always give you a warm welcome. You’ll get the same friendly approach when you meet our dentist in Stevenage.

Time for you

Whether it is your first appointment or your 50th, our dentist in Stevenage will always have time to talk you through your procedure, discuss your concerns, and find out how you’re doing.

Painless injections

The phrase painless injections may sound like an oxymoron but we’re not kidding. There are certain dental treatments that require local anaesthetic to be applied so that any pain will be numbed. That’s all well and good once that anaesthetic kicks in but if you dread the thought of getting an injection, the prospect of having local anaesthetic can be nerve-wracking itself.

That’s why when you come to us in need of treatment under local anaesthetic, your dentist in Stevenage will use The Wand, an innovative injection system that keeps pain at bay. The Wand itself looks like a pen and your dentist will hold it like one too. A computer-controlled delivery system enables your dentist to slowly and comfortably deliver just the right amount of anaesthetic to numb an individual tooth, or more if needed. Surrounding tissues, such as your tongue, lip and cheek, won’t be affected, so after your procedure you can drink and smile as normal.

What are you waiting for?

Now you know that dentistry today can be a pleasant experience, why not book your first appointment with our dentist in Stevenage? We’ll keep you smiling a healthy smile.

It’s going to be all white

If you took a survey of why people put off dental treatment, we’re fairly certain some would cite wanting to avoid wearing glinting metal train track braces to straighten out their teeth, while others might mention equally unattractive metal fillings to sort out teeth ruined by decay. Thankfully today, these reasons don’t hold any water, as dentistry has moved on.

Dentist in StevenageAt Smilecraft, your dentist in Stevenage, we provide modern dental care that doesn’t just take care of your oral health but also looks out for the aesthetics of your smile during and after treatment.

Bye-bye metal braces

If you want to finally sort out those crooked front teeth, which just weren’t crooked enough to qualify you for treatment on the NHS as a child, then we’ve got the solution for you: Six Month Smiles. Our dentist in Stevenage is accredited to provide this discreet, fixed braces treatment. Using clear brackets and tooth-coloured wires, your braces won’t dominate your teeth. Focusing on just the front teeth means your treatment will be speedy too, taking, on average, just 6 months.

Auf wiedersehen amalgam fillings

If you’ve experienced tooth decay, then you’ve probably had a filling or 2 in your time. If those amalgam fillings have left you hesitant to smile for fear of everyone seeing just how much work your teeth have had, there is a solution at your Stevenage dentist. White composite fillings are tooth-coloured and so blend in with your teeth. They are just as strong as amalgam fillings and come with the added bonus of bonding to the surface of your teeth. Amalgam fillings don’t do this, which means there is a tiny slither of space into which bacteria can creep. So, whether you have old amalgam fillings you want replaced, or are in need of new fillings, why not go with white composite?

Sayonara stains

It’s all well and good having dental treatments that blend in with the colour of your teeth, but if your teeth are stained and discoloured, that may not be a colour you want to stick with. Get the natural gleam to your teeth back by asking our dentist in Stevenage for teeth whitening to remove those surface stains.

Way to go with white fillings

Having great-looking teeth has become very important in the last couple of decades. The truth is, it has always been important. Archaeologists have found evidence of dentistry, such as braces, dentures and dental implants that are hundreds, if not thousands, of years old. People have always wanted teeth that look good and function well. The difference is that, since the 1980s, treatments to make teeth look great and work really well have become widely available.

White Fillings in StevenageTake white fillings, for example. They have been around for quite a while now. At first, you had to go hunting for a dentist that did white fillings and if you were a tooth grinder, they may not have lasted very long because the material was not as resilient as good, old, but ugly, amalgam.

Nonetheless, people were willing to pay to get rid of their amalgam because they didn’t want people knowing of their childhood love affair with sweeties every time they opened their mouths for a good laugh or a yawn. Researchers then focussed their efforts on ways to make white fillings more durable, and now, they are every bit as good as amalgam. In fact, in some ways, white fillings in Stevenage are better.

Bonding, not packing

White fillings go in to the tooth cavity in layers. Each layer is cured with a UV light and bonds with the walls of the cavity. Amalgam is simply packed in very tightly, so there is always a tiny chance that decay-causing bacteria can get in round the edges of the fillings and the tooth underneath it can rot.

Stronger teeth

Dentists do not have to remove as much healthy tooth material for white fillings, which means that there is more tooth material surrounding the cavity, and the tooth remains stronger for longer.

Get the curves back

Because white fillings can be hardened, the filling can be built up and then sculpted to give it back the lumps and valleys that molars have for grinding up food. Amalgam can only be packed in flat so your teeth lose some of their ability to process your food effectively.

Why not ask us at Smilecraft in Stevenage for white fillings next time you get a cavity?

A trip to the dentist in Stevenage

By now you probably know what to expect from a trip to the dentist in Stevenage. We will thoroughly assess your teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue to check you are in good oral health and advise on any treatment that may be necessary.

It’s also a chance for you to talk about any dental problems you have had since your last visit and receive top tips on how to make sure you are cleaning your teeth efficiently.

Dentist in StevenageWhat you might not know, or be less aware of, is that these check-ups are very important not to miss, as we can spot early signs of serious diseases, such as gum disease and oral cancer.

Your oral health can also be a sign of problems with your general health. Even if you look after your teeth well and feel perfectly okay, these signs aren’t always obvious. When noticed early, these problems are easier to tackle.

Time for treatment?

If you need treatment, we’ll arrange a follow up appointment and aim to see you as soon as we can to get your teeth back on the straight and narrow. Here at Smilecraft, we provide many treatments to solve your dental problems. Whether you need to restore your smile after tooth loss with dental implants or are simply looking to brighten up your smile with teeth whitening, we have the solution for you.

Restoring teeth

The state of your teeth can have a significant impact on your day-to-day life. Your teeth have an effect on how you eat and digest your food, your speech, and how you look. If you find yourself with unsightly gaps in your teeth, we offer solutions such as dental implants, bridges, dentures, and denture stabilisation.

Boosting confidence

As well as restoring the function of your teeth, a trip to the dentist in Stevenage can boost your self-esteem. Your teeth affect how you look, and if you feel insecure about your smile that can negatively affect your interactions with others.

We provide treatments such as crowns, white fillings, teeth whitening, inlays and onlays and veneers to help you feel more confident in your smile. We also provide Six Month Smiles for those looking to speedily straighten out their teeth.

What do you want from your dentist in Stevenage?

Has anyone ever asked you what you want from a visit to the dentist in Stevenage? It’s a funny question, we know, but it’s one worth asking yourself. If you answer that you want good dental care, then you have to ask yourself some more questions.

Dentist in StevenageWhat does good dental care look like to you?

For us at Smilecraft, we have to ask ourselves and you as our patients these questions so that we can make sure that we are the kind of dentist in Stevenage that you want to come to and that we can feel proud of being.

Good dentistry is about so many things, here are some of them:

Knowledge

You want your dentist in Stevenage to know what they are doing, of course, but, how do you know that we are keeping up to date with knowledge in a profession that has made so many advances in the last couple of decades? The answer is that each of our dental staff at Smilecraft attends continuing professional development training to keep up to date with the latest techniques, materials and equipment.

Can you trust us?

If we know what we are doing in terms of treatments, then how we administer those treatments is the next big area of interest. About 13% of the UK population has a dental phobia, which is much more than mere nervousness. Maybe you are one of them. You will want to know that when you come to us we will be treating you with kindness, compassion and understanding, that we are very happy to talk you through everything we do, that you will be able to relax when you are with us. We do all of this, as many of our long-term patients can attest. If you can’t relax at the dentist in Stevenage, then it’s time to find a new one.

What about treatments?

We offer all the treatments that you expect to find from a general dentist and we also offer cosmetic treatments, such as veneers, cosmetic braces and teeth whitening. Older patients, as well as those who have lost teeth, will be glad to know that we have a long partnership with a good dental implant surgeon too.

Finding the right dentist in Stevenage

Are you looking for a dentist in Stevenage who can handle your dental needs with professionalism and confidence? Where you can feel relaxed the moment you walk through the front door? Would you like the option of a wide variety of treatments, whether it be from a general check-up to more cosmetic purposes? Do you expect only the highest standard of infection control measures? If you are looking for a dental practice that ticks all these boxes then you have come to the right place.

Dentist in StevenageAt Smilecraft, we invite you to step into our relaxed atmosphere. Our reception team will make you feel comfortable from the time you walk in. For every new patient we make an initial hour long booking to ensure we can address your requirements and concerns. During this initial consultation, we will carry out a complete examination of your mouth and teeth; this includes a mouth cancer check. We will take any x-rays, if necessary, and then from this we can discuss which treatments will be most suited to you.

The range of treatments our dentist in Stevenage can offer you

Whatever your dental wishes may be, our dentist in Stevenage will endeavour to meet your desired outcome. Our treatments range from preventive and general dentistry to cosmetic dentistry.

It is well known that smoking contributes to the decline of healthy teeth and gums, so at Smilecraft we are happy to offer a smoking cessation treatment.

Is snoring keeping you awake at night? If you or your partner suffer from breathing difficulties during sleep, we can offer treatments that may be able to alleviate these problems. Our dentist in Stevenage can discuss with you the treatments possible.

We believe that early age dentistry is very important and children should be introduced to the practice from a young age, not only to make them used to attending dentists but to spot any early signs of misalignment that may require treatment.

Our stringent infection control measures

At Smilecraft, we are serious about decontamination. All our members are fully trained to carry out infection control measures and our clinical staff regularly attend infection control training to ensure safety not only for our patients, but for ourselves also.

Get checked out for mouth cancer

It’s not just decay and gum disease that show up pretty regularly in people’s mouths, cancer does too. In fact, cancers of the head and neck are on the increase and the number of cases has increased by 30% in the last 20 years and is expected to rise by a similar figure again by 2035. In Europe, about 100,800 people are diagnosed with mouth cancers and 40,000 die of these cancers.

Mouth Cancer Screening in StevenageWhat is mouth cancer?

Mouth, or oral, cancer is a cover all term for a variety of tumours that can appear around the lips, the throat, the palate, the gums, the salivary glands and inside the cheeks. The most common kind of cancer in these areas arises from the surface cells of the skin and is called squamous cell cancer.

There are also throat cancers, and cancers in the sinuses.

Cancers of the throat and mouth can appear and spread very quickly, so it is important to get screened regularly, especially as you get older.

What happens at a mouth cancer screening?

When you come to Smilecraft in Stevenage, we include mouth cancer screening as part of a regular 6-monthly check-up on every patient aged 16 and over. Screenings only take a couple of minutes to carry out.

We will wear gloves while we examine you and we will be looking at your face and neck for abnormalities like swellings, moles, asymmetry and abnormalities.

After that, we will move on to look around your lips and the edges of your mouth for any changes in colour or texture.

Next we will have a good feel of the lymph nodes in your neck and around your lower jaw under your chin, checking for any swellings and enlargements. We will also look inside your mouth for any unusual swellings or lesions. We will look inside your cheeks, around your gums, at your tongue, under your tongue, at the roof of your mouth and the back of your throat.

If you wear dentures, you will need to take them out for this examination.

Mouth cancers are strongly linked to smoking, and we can help you quit with our smoking cessation programme.

Want to avoid pain at the dentist in Stevenage?

If one of the reasons you don’t go to the dentist in Stevenage as often as you should is because you are afraid of the pain, then please don’t be afraid anymore. Come to us at Smilecraft as your dentist in Stevenage and let us show you how having dental treatment can be a comfortable, perhaps even an enjoyable experience.

Dentist in StevenageWhen you avoid your check-ups

Check-ups are meant to happen at least twice a year so that we can spot problems early on, and fix them with as little invasion as possible. A little bit of decay is much less painful to fill than a great big cavity. The beginnings of gum disease can often be fixed with better oral hygiene. Advanced gum disease is a whole different ball game involving planning back the bones under your gums. If you want to avoid pain, come to your check-ups.

When you need treatment

We understand that lying back in a chair with your mouth open while we poke around in it with noisy instruments can be very frightening. We also understand that being offered local anaesthetic is often not much of a better option. Needles are involved and the actual administration of the anaesthetic can be painful, even if the face numbs up and you don’t actually feel the treatment. The pain comes from a burst of liquid anaesthetic being forced into the tissue so that it has to expand.

Now at Smilecraft, your dentist in Stevenage, we use The Wand. With The Wand, the anaesthetic dosage is controlled by a computer. It goes in in tiny amounts at a time so that you don’t get that pain as your tissue is forced to expand. It also means you don’t end up with half your face all numb for the next couple of hours. Another big plus with The Wand is that it does not look like a traditional syringe. It looks more like a pen.

Sedation

If you get really anxious when you visit the dentist in Stevenage, don’t forget that you can ask to have sedation. Sedation will calm your nervous system so that you can float through your treatment instead of white-knuckling through it.

Is your dental treatment curative or preventive?

There are two things that, more than anything else, deter people from visiting their dentist: the pain and the cost. Ironically, putting off visiting the dentist in Stevenage will only augment both of these.

At Smilecraft, your dentist in Stevenage, we warmly welcome new patients, no matter what their age, to our practice where we focus strongly on preventive dentistry.

Dentist in StevenageKeeping costs down

We would be lying if we said that dentistry is cheap. It isn’t. But please don’t let the cost of a check-up put you off following the general recommendation to get a check-up twice a year. This may need to be more frequent if you suffer from gum disease, or are pregnant or a smoker. Conversely, if you are brilliant at keeping your oral health in excellent form, we may say that you can have less frequent check-ups. However often we suggest you visit us for check-ups, remember that, as far as oral health is concerned, prevention is always less expensive than cure.

What does prevention look like?

At the dentist in Stevenage, prevention is all about catching problems early on, and sorting them out with treatments that are quick, simple and cost-effective. It is also about putting practices in places so that problems don’t arise in the first place.

The two leading causes of tooth loss are gum disease and tooth decay. Neither will let you know it has started until it is pretty well advanced. Pain only kicks in when they are already well under way. However, at the dentist in Stevenage we have advanced techniques to spot these issues long before you will be wondering if something is wrong.

Decay tends to affect children more than adults because they are not yet very good at brushing their teeth, and they consume more sugary things. In adulthood, gum disease is more of an issue, not least because it is linked to several general health conditions.

Both issues can result in tooth loss. You need all your teeth to eat a healthy diet, and to feel really good about yourself too.

Have we got you worried? Book that check-up at your dentist in Stevenage today and rest easy again.

Smoking and your mouth

The price of tobacco has gone through the roof in the past couple of decades. A packet of cigarettes now costs around £9.60, and according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), tariffs on tobacco after Brexit could add another £3 to the price of tobacco.

Dentist in StevenageAt Smilecraft, your dentist in Stevenage, we hate what smoking does to your gums and other soft tissues in the mouth. We’d rather you spent your hard-earned cash on something that does not harm your mouth so badly, and cost you even more in dental treatments than you would be spending if you were a non-smoker.

That’s why we offer smoking cessation help here at your dentist in Stevenage. We don’t want you to have to spend an extra £600 a year extra on smoking after Brexit, or any money on something that offers little and takes so much away in terms of health.

Let’s take a look at what smoking does to your mouth:

Tooth discolouration

Smoking leaves yellow/brown tarry deposits on your teeth. Tooth enamel may look solid but it is in fact porous. We can remove some surface stains with a scale and polish, but any staining that gets down into the enamel will need teeth whitening with the dentist in Stevenage to remove it. That costs at least £332.50.

Gum disease

Smoking constricts the blood vessels and the blood carries vital oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and organs in your body. When you smoke, you reduce the supply of these to your gums, which need to be strong, firm and healthy to grip your teeth firmly and stop bacterial plaque from getting underneath to attack the bone and tooth roots. Put simply, smoking increases gum disease and the chances of losing your teeth.

Mouth cancer

Smoking is the main cause of mouth cancer, which kills about 4,000 people a year in the UK.

Dental implants

If you are a smoker, you won’t be able to have dental implants fitted. Firstly, the smoke may have contributed to the loss of bone material vital for holding your teeth in place. Secondly, smoking hinders healing, which means the dental implants won’t integrate with your jawbone.