Author Archives: Smilecraft Dental Care

How to get a healthy smile in Stevenage

A healthy smile is one of the first things people notice about you. A great smile can also provoke many emotional responses from laughter to empathy — and smiling may even make you look younger, according to a recent study led at by the Max Planck Institute in Germany. The best way to maintain a healthy and beautiful smile from birth through old age, is to practice good oral hygiene habits, visit your dentist regularly for check-ups and cleanings, eat a healthy diet, and take care of any dental concerns as they arise.

At Smilecraft in Stevenage, we appreciate that healthy teeth take constant effort. Even if you brush and floss your teeth on a daily basis, visiting the dentist for regular cleanings and dental check-ups is essential in order to keep your teeth and gums strong and healthy. We also offer a range of preventive treatments to protect your teeth and gums against damage from plaque and tooth decay.

Keep your gums healthy

Your gums are more important than you may think. Not only do they protect your teeth, but also help support them. Looking after your gums is as important as taking care of your teeth. This is mainly because early stage gum disease is not painful, therefore can go untreated. Even if you brush and floss your teeth diligently, you will need to visit our dental hygienist for removing all the plaque build-up through thorough scaling and polishing. Dental plaque and tartar tend to hide in hard-to-reach places beneath your gums and only your hygienist can remove them effectively.

Gum disease shouldn’t be an issue if you clean your teeth regularly at the dentist. However, be aware of red and swollen gums that bleed since they may be indicative of mild gum disease, which is entirely reversible.

Prevent tooth decay

Sometimes, trying to eliminate tooth decay seems like an impossible task. However, avoiding sugary sweets and snacks as well as regular brushing and flossing are the most important things you can do if you want to avoid tooth decay. When you brush your teeth don’t forget to reach the backs of your last teeth with your tooth brush. It is also really important to clean around the edges of any crowns, bridges and dental. Our experienced hygienists can also show you how to clean between your teeth effectively.

Straighten your teeth with discreet, short-term orthodontics in Stevenage

Some people say that having a straight, beautiful smile is the best accessory, but not everyone is born with perfect teeth. While conventional braces are typically considered the best way to straighten your teeth, not everyone likes the effect of metal. Luckily, modern dentistry offers other to straighten your teeth discreetly.

Orthodontics in Stevenage If you are one of the many adults in the UK who are unhappy with the appearance of their teeth, then did you know that in just six months you could be enjoying a straighter, healthier smile? At Smilecraft in Stevenage, orthodontics are made possible with Six Month Smiles. This innovative treatment, helps us combine the best aspects of traditional braces with modified techniques and materials. The result is a hassle-free cosmetic solution that fits your busy lifestyle.

What are Six Month Smiles?

Six Month Smiles consists of tooth-coloured brackets and wires, which are very discreet when fixed onto your teeth. They function just like metal braces, with the exception that they are designed to improve the appearance of your front teeth instead of altering your bite.

Treatment with Six Month Smiles braces is much quicker than with conventional braces as it focuses on correcting only your front teeth. Whereas metal braces can take 18-24 months or more, Six Month Smiles braces can give you straight teeth in as little as six months, as their name suggests.

Because the treatment is gentle, you shouldn’t experience major pain or discomfort. Patients opting for the clear fixed braces can expect quicker results even to other short-term teeth straightening treatments such as Invisalign.

What to expect

During your initial consultation, your dentist will assess the state of your teeth and gums and let you know whether you are suitable for Six Month Smiles orthodontics in Stevenage. You will have the chance to ask questions and learn more about the treatment from our experienced dentists. After that, you will be provided with an individual treatment plan detailing the specifics of your treatment.

If you decided to proceed with Six Month Smiles, your dentist will fit them over your teeth. Throughout the treatment, you are expected to visit the dentist at least once a month for checking and adjusting the braces.

A dream smile is waiting for you

Are you one of the millions of adults in the UK who are unhappy, self-conscious or even embarrassed about your smile? Many adults will spend their entire lives covering their mouths when they laugh, smile or talk. They feel stuck because they do not want to wear traditional metal braces for years, or are concerned that other treatments could be too invasive or too expensive. Now, there is an effective, safe and affordable solution that fits your lifestyle. Visit Smilecraft to talk about your cosmetic braces in Stevenage.

Just what you need

Six Month Smiles is an adult teeth straightening treatment that can do exactly as the name suggests and straighten your teeth in an average of just 6 months.

Six Month Smiles provides a combination of proven traditional dental techniques, modern tooth-coloured materials and innovative design. This teeth straightening system uses discreet clear braces to gently straighten and align your teeth in a time frame of 4 to 8 months.

We know that as an adult it can be embarrassing to wear a brace, however our adult braces in Stevenage are subtle, so no one need know that you are having your teeth straightened.

Six Month Smiles can even straighten your teeth without the need for the removal or extraction of any neighbouring teeth, as can be the case with traditional metal braces.

At our friendly practice, this treatment also includes the provision of a retainer. Once you are done with your Six Month Smiles braces, this retainer will be bonded to the inner surfaces of your teeth. It will prevent your teeth shifting back into their former crooked positions. We recommend that this retainer should stay in place lifelong, to ensure your new smile lasts for years to come.

Get started

If this treatment sounds like the answer to your unhappy smile, the first step is to book an appointment with one of our highly qualified dentists, so we can evaluate your teeth and mouth.

For reliable and successful treatment with braces in Stevenage, trust us to create the smile you have always wanted. Our dentists and hygienists have over 100 combined years of experience in treating patients. We believe every one of our patients deserves a smile to be proud of.

Your guide to orthodontics

Orthodontics is all about straightening or moving your teeth to give you an even bite and an aesthetically pleasing smile. Braces are a major part of orthodontics in Stevenage. But it is about more than just the appearance of your teeth; it also concerns their health and function. Orthodontics helps to ensure the long-term health of your teeth, gums and jaws, by making sure the pressure of your bite gets spread evenly across all your teeth.

Do I need orthodontic treatment?

Many people have crowded, crooked or protruding teeth. Orthodontics in Stevenage, at Smilecraft, will straighten your teeth or move them into better positions. This not only improves their appearance and the way your teeth bite together, but also makes them easier to clean.

Sometimes the upper and lower jaws meet in such a way that they bite together incorrectly. This can put a strain on the muscles of the jaw, cause jaw and joint pain and even headaches in some cases. Orthodontic treatment at our practice can correct this to ensure you bite more evenly and so reduce the strain on your jaw.

A little bit of history

In the early 1900s, orthodontics involved using gold, platinum, silver, steel and gum rubber to form loops, hooks and ties. In fact, 18 karat gold was routinely used for wires, bands and clasps. Why gold, you might ask? This is because it is malleable and easy to shape. However, gold had its drawbacks. Because of its softness, it required frequent adjustments and it was hugely expensive. These gold bands wrapped entirely around each tooth, meaning the original modern brace was rather glitzy!

In the 1930s, stainless steel became widely available, but using it for braces was considered rather controversial. It wasn’t generally accepted as a material for orthodontic treatments until the late 1950s.

Thankfully times have changed and now your orthodontic treatment is more accessible and affordable, but also much more reliable and safe.

With ever advancing technologies and equipment, orthodontics in Stevenage has never been so successful and innovative. Give us a call today to see how we can help you get your smile back into shape.

Bringing you the latest in dentistry

At Smilecraft, we are committed to bringing you the latest in dentistry so that you have the most comfortable and precise experience available. We want to make visiting the dentist a positive event that fits into your lifestyle well and leaves you feeling fresh and ready to get on with your day.

One of the tools we work with is called The Wand. We think that’s a great name for this piece of equipment because it seems to work magically during many dental procedures.

How does it work?

The Wand is used to numb an area for dental work such as fillings. It is held in the dentists hand like a pencil and applied to the required area. Your procedure is then carried out as normal.

If we are going to use The Wand in Stevenage for a procedure, we would be happy to show it to you beforehand if you would like to see it. Some patients like to do this so that they know what is going on. Others prefer not to see. Your experience is up to you, just talk to us about what you want.

The patient experience

With The Wand, there is no initial pain like when you have an injection. Many patients do not know when the numbing has taken place.

Another striking difference is that the numbing is highly localised. The anaesthetic is applied in pulses at low pressure so it does not spread beyond the areas where it is necessary. This means that using The Wand does not lead to a large area where there is a lack of feeling, numb lips or dribbling.

Patients feel more able to simply go on about their day after having treatments involving The Wand.

Nervous patients

There are lots of reasons why people have issues visiting the dentist. Talk to us if you are a nervous patient and we will do everything we can to make you more comfortable.

One of the triggers that usually ranks pretty high on the list of issues around the dentist is the injection. With The Wand, we think that you will find the experience much more comfortable and easy to face. Once you start having positive experiences at the dentist, it may not seem so daunting in the future. Talk to your dentist about using The Wand for your treatment.

Orthodontics and braces in Stevenage

No matter what language you speak, a smile is a language all of it’s own. The problem is that sometimes you might give the wrong unspoken message because you are embarrassed by your crooked teeth that leave you reluctant to smile. Feeling embarrassed about having wonky teeth is nothing unusual; this is why more people are deciding to have braces in Stevenage.

Braces in Stevenage Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry specifically concerned with straightening the teeth, which is normally achieved with the use of braces. A dentist specially trained in orthodontics may also deal with more serious issues relating to the shape of the face and mouth.

Train tracks, be gone!

In the past, there was no way to disguise the appearance of your braces. They were obtrusive and took a long time to work, so most adults tended to live with crooked teeth.

The great news is that this is no longer the case. Technology has improved dramatically and many brands of modern braces are almost invisible. The differences between children’s and adult’s teeth mean many types of adult braces only target the front teeth.

The benefit of only straightening the front teeth is that the entire treatment may take just 6 months to complete. Apart from boosting your self-confidence, having your teeth straightened can offer a number of other benefits. Straight teeth are easier to care for and can help you to maintain your long-term oral health more easily.

Find out more about braces in Stevenage

If you feel inspired and want a healthier smile with straighter teeth, here are a few things to remember. Wearing braces does mean that you need to pay extra attention to your oral hygiene during the treatment. There is also a commitment in time to having them adjusted by your dentist every 5 to 6 weeks. You will also need to have a permanent retainer fixed to the back of your teeth to prevent them from moving back to their original positions. If you’re tired of your crooked or gappy teeth, why not come to Smilecraft here in Stevenage and see what braces can do for you. Just think in a few months time you could be speaking fluent ‘smile’.

All you need to know about orthodontics

Today many patients are becoming conscious of their crooked teeth, but want to stay away from the more abrasive method of filing the tooth away to fit crowns or veneers.

Orthodontics in Stevenage is now increasingly popular with adult patients. This is because of the huge technological advances that have been made over the years. No longer do our patients have to spend years of their life with an unsightly fixed metal brace.

orthodontics-stevenage Invisible braces that are now available to you at Smilecraft can provide a solution to crooked teeth, without the conspicuous look of traditional teeth straightening treatments. What’s more they are often even faster at producing results than traditional fixed metal braces.

Six Month Smiles

At Smilecraft we use Six Month Smiles for our patient’s cosmetic orthodontic needs. This is a treatment that has been pioneered by an American dentist and is very popular in the USA. Six Month Smiles has taken the best aspects of fixed braces and adapted the treatment and materials to give adults a cosmetic solution that fit our patient’s lifestyles. As the name suggests the average treatment time is just 6 months. For some patients, it can take up to 9 months, while others can look forward to successful orthodontics in Stevenage in as little as 4 months.

There are regular milestones along the way, which will help us make sure your treatment is completed as quickly and efficiently as possible and to your satisfaction.

Will I need to wear a retainer?

Yes. This is usual with orthodontics in Stevenage. The retainer we provide is necessary for maintaining the new, straighter position of your teeth. You will have a choice between a removable retainer, the most popular option, or a fixed retainer attached to the backs of your teeth.

Can anyone have Six Month Smiles?

Unfortunately no. However they provide a great solution for adults and older teenagers with crooked or gappy teeth, who do not require a major alteration to their bite. In fact, the majority of adults we see with mild crowding or spacing between their teeth are suitable candidates for Six Month Smiles. So, why not give us a call to arrange your initial consultation with one of our experienced dental team.

Braces make happy faces

Braces not only create attractive smiles, but are also essential to creating healthy, aligned teeth that will continue to serve you for decades to come. The idea that braces are reserved for the likes of teenagers and young adults alone is outdated.In fact, adults represent an ever-growing portion of patients in the UK seeking teeth straightening treatment.

braces-in-stevenage Whatever your age, our experienced dentists at Smilecraft can help you decide if braces in Stevenage are the right solution for you.

Problems fixed by braces

Under the skilled care provided by our dentists, you can regain the confidence in your smile, while enjoying results that are effective and long-lasting. Please visit our before-and-after smile gallery online to see what our patients have achieved with braces in Stevenage.

A consultation with one of our experienced team will be necessary to determine if teeth straightening treatment is the best option for you. Our braces in Stevenage can fix issues such as crooked teeth, crowded teeth, gaps between your teeth, overbites, underbites and misaligned bites.

You may feel embarrassed when you smile if you are experiencing any of these issues. Not only are these issues a cosmetic problem, they can also affect your ability to chew and speak. Misaligned bites can even lead to neck and jaw pain.

Six Month Smiles for a confident smile

If aesthetics is one of the main reasons you’re looking to achieve straighter teeth, then Six Month Smiles might be just what you need. This system involves the use of clear cosmetic braces that target the front 6teeth, which are most prominently on display when you smile. The system takes the best of the traditional braces system and updates it so it works faster and more comfortably than before.

At our practice, you won’t have to wear bulky conspicuous braces, or spend years waiting for results. With Six Month Smiles you could have straight teeth on average in just 6 months and start to feel confident about your smile within the year. So treat yourself to the smile you deserve with braces in Stevenage. If Six Month Smiles isn’t right for you, then we’re on hand to explore another options with you.

Your children’s oral health

Preventive dental care for your children is hugely important.Dentists will encourage parents to bring their children for regular check-ups from an early age.

childrens-teeth-in-stevenage Check-ups from a young age will help to ensure that children won’t suffer from untreated dental decay which can have serious effects on the health of their teeth. There are numerous preventive treatments that children of any age will benefit from.

Keeping children going for regular dental appointments can encourage them to keep up with their oral hygiene routine, benefitting them for the rest of their lives. It is important to choose the correct dentist for your children’s dental needs, such as Smilecraft in Stevenage.

How to avoid tooth decay

Avoiding giving children unnecessary sugar is a good way to establish healthy eating patterns to protect a child’s teeth for life. Milk and water are the only drinks that are recommend be put into a baby’s bottle.

Ideally babies should be introduced to a feeding cup as soon as possible. Fruit juice given to children, should be diluted and given in a cup. It is recommended to restrict juices to mealtimes only. If the child tends to snack between meals it is best to avoid sweets and biscuits as much as possible.

Cleaning children’s teeth

Plaque will start to form on children’s teeth and gums as soon as the first tooth appears. So, it is very important to begin a regular tooth-brushing routine as soon as possible.

It is important to use a toothbrush that is appropriate for the child’s age and stage of tooth development. A small-headed soft toothbrush should be used as soon as the first tooth arrives. Dentists, such as Smilecraft in Stevenage recommend character toothbrushes, as they are an excellent way to make brushing fun for children.

Is fluoride important for my child’s teeth?

Fluoride is in most toothpastes but special children’s toothpastes are better for babies and infants because the amount of fluoride is controlled. It is important to have just the right amount, not too much or too little.

To avoid excess fluoride from toothpastes, children under six years should be supervised when tooth-brushing and only use a small amount of toothpaste. If you have any queries regarding fluoride it is always best to ask a dentist, such as Smilecraft in Stevenage.

Enhance your smile with orthodontics

Are you embarrassed or self-conscious about crooked, poorly-spaced or crowded teeth? If the top and lower teeth do not line up, it can cause problems with your bite.If you do not like the way your teeth look, the chances are that you do not smile freely. This can affect your self-esteem as well as social and professional interactions. At Smilecraft, we have helped many patients with orthodontics in Stevenage and know that a beautiful smile can really make a difference to your life.

What can orthodontics do for me?

Orthodontics is a field of dentistry that focuses on aligning and straightening teeth. Straighter teeth have obvious benefits aesthetically, but have other advantages too. Straighter teeth are easier to clean, and reduce the number of gaps for plaque to accumulate in. This means that your teeth will be healthier as well as looking better and thus having positive effects on your confidence. Orthodontics in Stevenage could be the answer to your wishes for a beautiful smile and great oral health.

Braces are not for me

For many of people in Stevenage, orthodontics used to mean ugly metal braces. But it does not have to any longer. Advances in dental technology have allowed faster, more comfortable treatments, which are much more discreet, due to tooth-coloured wires and brackets. You can have the smile you want without the inconvenience, discomfort and unsightliness of older systems.As the treatment time are now usually shorter, it can often save you money too.

How does it work?

We offer orthodontics in Stevenage to give you the smile you have always wanted.Impressions, photos and x-rays are taken at the start of treatment so that we can tailor our approach to your needs. We advise on oral hygiene and arrange regular check-ups,to make sure that your treatment is proceeding as planned. A retainer is used after treatment to ensure that your teeth do not move back to their original position.

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