Visiting a new dentist for the first time can be a stressful experience. Not everyone finds change easy and having to visit a new dentist can be quite challenging. But it doesn’t have to be.

At Smilecraft, we welcome all new patients to our practice and we hope that you will have a friendly and relaxed dental experience. Our dentist in Stevenage is here to answer your questions and give you more information on our practice and our treatments. Every age has its own challenges and requires a different approach, but we are here to accommodate children, teens and adults alike.

Planning your visit

For us, it is really important to have enough time to understand and process your individual requirements. For this reason, appointments for new patients are an hour long. If you are interested in booking an appointment with one of our dentists, either visit our website or give us a call. We will get back to you promptly with a date and time. If we are unable to accommodate your availability, we will suggest alternative openings in our schedule.

The dental examination

Once you arrive at our practice, our dentist in Stevenage will make you feel at home. Before examining your mouth and teeth thoroughly, we will ask questions about your medical history to identify oral or other health issues that we should be aware of. This is an important step for your healthcare and all prospective patients should complete a medical history form prior to their first consultation.

After that, our dentist in Stevenage will examine your teeth and gums thoroughly. This examination also includes an inspection of your throat and soft tissues as well an oral screening test.

We may also take x-rays to monitor your jawbone health. Once the examination is completed, we will discuss our findings with you and suggest possible treatments. We will also offer advice on proper brushing and flossing techniques, so you can do your part to keep your teeth healthy in between check-ups.

Even if your teeth and gums are in great health, we recommend visiting the dentist in Stevenage for dental check-ups and cleanings at least twice a year.

Here at at Smilecraft we know that the health of your mouth is the most important aspect of your smile. There’s simply no point having a beautiful set of teeth if your gums and jawbone are not healthy. The teeth won’t last long if the whole package is not in a good, healthy condition.

That doesn’t mean beauty is not important to us too of course. Both of these are considered when you visit us at our dentist in Stevenage.

If you are healthy, your teeth can last you a lifetime. When we talk about health, we consider many aspects, for example, your bite. Having an uneven bite can cause problems throughout your head, neck and even your back. Symptoms can include jaw ache, headaches, neck and back pain. It’s not good for the wear of your teeth either. A misaligned bite can lead to premature aging of the teeth and cavities. Excess pressure can lead teeth to crumble and be lost all together. From there problems can go as far as losing neighbouring teeth, soon you are on the slippery road to dentures. Not much fun, right?

If you notice yourself grinding your teeth, your Stevenage dentist will likely recommend you invest in a mouth guard. This is a device you can use at night time to cushion your teeth from the grinding. You will find that your muscles are more relaxed. Treatments range from this level, right up to maxillofacial surgery, braces or dental implants.

Smilecraft recommend visiting your dentist in Stevenage regularly, twice-yearly works for most patients. We want to make sure that your teeth are in great health. X-rays do wonders for preventive care. They allow us to see beneath the tooth enamel to check for infections, cracks or impacted wisdom teeth. These regular visits can help prevent many unwanted dental emergencies such as tooth abscesses, advanced tooth decay, root canals and tooth extraction. Keeping on top of your oral health is key to preserving your teeth for as long as possible. However, rest assured, if your teeth have not managed to last the distance, we can help you on your journey to fully functioning replacement teeth.

We love our kids and our kids love sugar. Unfortunately, so do the bacteria in dental plaque. It thrives on it, and then releases acids that cause tooth decay. Kids get just as much tooth decay as ever, and that’s why we offer a way to protect their teeth, with the application of dental sealants.

This is a relatively new dental procedure, and as such, you may be unaware of the benefits it can offer to your children.

Our dental team at Smilecraft dentist in Stevenage is committed offering preventive oral care to children and adults. Children’s love affair with sweets and sugary drinks mean they are more prone to tooth decay. With fluoride treatment and dental sealants, we can help prevent tooth decay and stop decay that has not yet reached the centre of the tooth. Our experienced dentist can show you how dental sealants work and answer questions you may have about them. However, let’s get a basic understanding of them here so that you can see what they can do to protect your children’s teeth.

How do dental sealants work?

At your dentist in Stevenage, we paint tooth-coloured dental sealants (also called fissure sealants) directly onto the ridges of the back teeth. These molars are harder to keep clean than teeth nearer the front of the jaw. The sealants act as a protective barrier between tooth enamel and cavity-causing mouth bacteria. When sealants are combined with fluoride treatment and diligent brushing and flossing, your kids teeth stand a much better chance of staying whole and healthy.

Brushing and flossing are still vitally important in preventing tooth decay.  Sealants provide extra protection for those hard-to-reach areas of the mouth and teeth. How many teeth you decide to get sealed will be influenced by your child’s lifestyle and their history of tooth decay. For effective protection, we recommend applying dental sealants as soon as your children’s permanent teeth come through.

At this dentist in Stevenage, we can apply dental sealants in just one visit. Once we have thoroughly examined your children’s teeth, we will give them a really good clean before applying the sealant. Then we harden it with a special light.

You’d think that in this day and age that dental decay in kids but would something you only read about in history lessons, but the truth is that even now children in the UK are having to have teeth removed before they are even one year old. The problem is that there’s more sugar than ever before in the food our kids eat, and not everyone is taking their children to the dentist.

At Smilecraft, we recommend that you bring in your children to see us from an early age. Make that first appointment for soon after their teeth start to appear. When you bring your children in this young, it helps to familiarise your child with the dentist in Stevenage environment and what goes on here. You can even bring them along to your own appointment, or that of a sibling. That way they get to see that having a dental check-up is normal and they will soon cotton on as, young kids love watching and copying what they see.

These early visits to the dentist in Stevenage help your child to see the staff here as friendly faces and they will look forward to seeing us and we will look forward to seeing how good they are at brushing their teeth. These little interchanges will build up trust, so that when we need to step in and deal with a problem, your child won’t be scared. Fluoride varnish and fissure sealant will help to strengthen children’s teeth and protect them from tooth decay.

Of course, catching problems early also takes a lot of the stress out of the experience for you and your child. You don’t like to see your child scared or in pain, any more than they like being scared or in pain, and these situations can be easily avoided with regular check-ups.

When your child sees our hygienist, they can learn about a healthy diet, tooth brushing, and looking after their smile, all delivered in an age-appropriate, fun, and engaging manner.

Establishing good oral health habits, including regular visits to the dentist in Stevenage, at an early stage, will help to set your child up with good dental health for life.

Visiting the dentist at least every six months is important for maintaining your oral and overall health. In recent years, studies have shown that a healthy mouth is linked to a healthy body. A healthy mouth starts with regular examinations and cleanings.

At Smilecraft, prevention is a very big part of our philosophy. To help our patients take good care of their own teeth we are always happy to give advice and answer questions about common or not so common dental problems. Our dentist in Stevenage will help you maintain the highest standard of oral health while limiting dental expenditures.

Gum disease and oral health

Gum disease is an oral condition that can cause many problems if not treated at an early stage. It occurs when plaque and germs infect the gums, causing them to become red, sensitive and to bleed easily. Advanced gum disease, also known as periodontitis, affects the supporting bone around the teeth and can lead to tooth loss. If plaque is left on teeth for a long time it can become hard, and cannot be removed with a toothbrush. Only a dental professional can safely remove it. If you brush and floss your teeth on a daily basis and visit the dentist in Stevenage for regular check-ups and cleanings, it is highly unlikely that you will develop gum disease.

Tooth decay and oral health

Tooth decay occurs when the sugar found in food and drinks turns into acid, which attacks the teeth. If this happens often, the plaque acid can create cavities in the tooth enamel. Tooth decay affects people of all ages and it can start at a very young age. It mostly affects patients with very poor dental hygiene.

What can you do?

Clean your teeth and gums twice a day with fluoride toothpaste to remove plaque. This will help stop decay and gum disease as well as bad breath. Moreover, it is important to visit your dentist in Stevenage regularly and ask their advice about what is best for you. Our experienced dentists will examine your teeth thoroughly and create a custom-made treatment plan for your individual needs.

Did you know that gum disease is the main cause of tooth loss in adults? A good oral care routine and a healthy lifestyle can help you keep your teeth and gums healthy and strong for longer. Brushing, flossing and eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis is important for keeping your mouth healthy and disease-free. However, it is more important to visit the dentist at least twice a year or more if you are prone to dental problems.

At Smilecraft, we are passionate about prevention, protecting you from bad oral habits and maintaining your dental health. Our dentist in Stevenage will ensure your gums stay healthy in order to prevent gum disease and keep your smile shining brightly for years to come.

The importance of brushing and flossing

Brushing twice a day is the most effective method of keeping your mouth fresh and clean. It is also a good idea to rinse your mouth with an antiseptic mouthwash twice a day in order to protect your gums. This way, you can reach areas that your toothbrush and floss cannot reach.

Flossing, on the other hand, is often left out by patients. However, it is one of the easiest ways to control plaque build-up and prevent gum disease. Your dentist in Stevenage will teach you how to floss your teeth properly.

Eat a balanced diet

What you eat can help you keep your teeth healthy. Vitamins and other nutrients found in fruits, vegetables and nuts increase the ability of your body to fight bacteria and irritation, helping to protect your teeth and gums in the long run. Moreover, foods rich in calcium and vitamin D such as milk and other dairy products, help promote healthy teeth and gums, and reduce the risk of tooth loss.

Do not postpone your dental visits

Visiting your dentist in Stevenage at least twice a year is extremely important in preventing disease and ensuring that your teeth remain clean and healthy. Your dentist will look for early symptoms of tooth decay and gum disease and will effectively remove plaque stuck to your teeth and gums.

Are you one of the 25% of UK adults who only go to their dentist when they have a problem? This is a bit like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. You need to have regular check-ups to maintain good oral health. Check-ups are also a way to make sure there is nothing else we can help you with.

As a modern dentist in Stevenage, Smilecraft offers a wide array of treatments. We not only fix problems, we prevent them and we can make your smile brighter too.

Prevention is better than cure

The focus of modern dentistry is on prevention. So, we are always keen to find new ways to help you keep your teeth for life. Our dental hygienists, Janet Spence and Nancy Carlton, remove plaque and tartar build up and can show you how to brush more effectively.

If you are a smoker, you are doing your mouth no favours at all. Your dentist in Stevenage can offer stop smoking support. We also do mouth cancer screening. Our hand-held scanning device helps us do a thorough check for lumps or lesions.

If you are having a baby, you will probably find your gums feeling more tender and swollen. Welcome to pregnancy gingivitis, caused by higher progesterone levels. You may need more hygienist appointments to keep gum disease at bay.

If you are sporty, you may need a custom-made mouth guard from your Stevenage dentist. It’s cheaper than new teeth, that’s for sure.

Replacing teeth

If you do get a tooth knocked out, dental implants replace the root, and the crown is replaced with a custom-made durable porcelain replica. This can last for the rest of your life.

Dentures are removable false teeth. You can have either a full, or partial set. A bridge is false teeth that are fixed to neighbouring healthy teeth for support.

Cosmetic dentistry

This is an increasingly popular branch of dentistry that makes damaged, wonky or discoloured teeth look great again. We can brighten you up with teeth whitening, white fillings, braces and veneers. With a happier, healthier smile, your self-esteem will get a boost too.