When you visit a dentist these days, you can easily get carried away with fantasies of perfectly shaped white teeth created by cosmetic dentistry.
And, while, at Smilecraft, we agree that of course you should have well-aligned, shapely, white teeth, if you want them, we also believe that good oral health forms the foundation of every beautiful smile.
That is why when you join our clinic and come to us for your first appointment with a Stevenage dentist, we will start by taking a detailed look at your gums, jawbone, tongue and mouth, as well as your teeth. We will also have a good chat with you about your dental history, and your dental desires.
However, if we find that you need some remedial work, we will carry this out using modern equipment, techniques and materials.
For example, your fillings no longer need to be made of mercury amalgam. Your Stevenage dentist at Smilecraft can use composite materials that match your tooth colour and withstand the stresses and pressures that biting and chewing place on teeth. With this kind of filling material, we do not have to remove so much of the tooth in order to give it something to bond too, which means your teeth are stronger too.
It may be that at some point, you will need to have root canal therapy. This need arises after bacteria have entered into the pulp of the tooth, either via a crack or decay. These bacteria give off acid, which irritates and infects the tooth, leading to severe toothache as the pressure increases inside the tooth. Our dentist will clean out the canal, removing the pulp and filling the resultant space before sealing it.
If you need to have teeth removed, your Stevenage dentist can fill the gap left with a bridge. Bridges are false teeth supported by the teeth next to them, or by dental implants. This stops the surrounding teeth from tipping into the gap left by the lost tooth.
However, if you come to us for a twice-yearly check-up, visit the hygienist, and brush and floss twice a day, you may never lose a tooth or need root canal therapy.