Are you looking for a new dentist? Have you just moved into the area?

In this month’s blog the team at Teeth and Smiles look at the key factors to consider when choosing a new dentist in South East London.

Location

The dental practice’s location in relation to your work and home will have a big impact on how easy it is for you to attend for your dental appointments.  A dental practice that is easily accessible will mean that you are more likely to attend for you regular, routine appointments. Teeth and Smiles is easily accessible by car, rail, and bus. There is pay and display parking on the street.

Hours

At Teeth and Smiles we understand that everyone leads busy lives and the team will therefore try our hardest to ensure that we can find a time for your appointments that fits with your other commitments. We can also offer longer appointments so the whole family can attend together, ensuring that no-one’s oral health is forgotten.

Infection Control

All dental practices are governed in the same way as hospitals by the Care Quality Commission and are bound by the rules of the Health Technical Memorandum 01-05. This provides strict rules and guidance on how all instruments are sterilised in between patients and how surgeries are cleaned to ensure that there is no risk of cross contamination. You can see the results of our latest CQC inspection online.

Treatments

Here at Teeth and Smiles the team are able to offer a wide range of preventive and cosmetic dentistry including dental implants, teeth straightening and teeth whitening. Alongside this the team are also able to offer facial aesthetic treatments including wrinkle reduction and dermal fillers.

Fees

Teeth and Smiles is both an NHS and private practice and our current list of fees can be found on our website. We are also able to offer 0% finance to help you spread the cost of your dentistry, ensuring that you perfect smile is within reach.

So, what are you waiting for? The team at Teeth and Smiles are ready and waiting to help craft the beautiful smile, you desire! Do not hesitate, call today on 020 7352 7049 and book an appointment.

Fed up of dodging the camera at family events because of your crooked or crowded teeth? Invisalign can ensure that you are always photo ready.

Invisalign pioneered the first clear aligners; each feature is designed to help reveal the smile you deserve. This is why over 21 million people have transformed their smiles using this nearly invisible clear brace worldwide. Invisalign is designed to treat a wide range of straightening issues, from minor tooth movements to more complex cases. The fantastic 3d treatment planner enables you to see the result of your teeth straightening procedure before starting treatment, enabling you to feel confident in the results you will see.
Invisalign offers a number of different benefits:

Aesthetic & Comfort Benefits

• Invisalign aligners are very discreet. The clear aligners are barely noticeable, making them a popular choice for both adults and teens.
• Invisalign aligners provide a comfortable fit. Smooth, medical-grade plastic is gentler on cheeks and gums, avoiding the irritation of metal brackets and wires.
• Invisalign aligners give you a confidence boost. You can smile and speak freely during treatment, without the fear of unsightly metal brackets and treatment achieves a straighter smile for long-term confidence.

Convenience & Hygiene Benefits

• Invisalign aligners are removable. It is possible to take them out to eat, drink, brush, and floss, allowing for normal eating and easier cleaning.
• Invisalign aligners allow for improved oral hygiene compared to traditional braces. It is easier to brush and floss thoroughly as the aligners are removable, reducing plaque buildup and gum disease
• Invisalign aligners require fewer appointments and shorter visits compared to traditional braces.

Effectiveness & Lifestyle Benefits

• Invisalign corrects a wide range of issues like crowding, gaps, overbites, and crossbites.
• While undergoing Invisalign teeth straightening you will have no food restrictions. You can eat your favourite hard, sticky, or chewy foods without worry.
• Invisalign teeth straightening provides predictable Results. Advanced technology allows visualization of your treatment plan and progress. You will be able to see the end result before starting treatment giving you confidence in the expected results and your final look.
• Invisalign aligners allow you to continue with all your usual activities. No wires means you can play sports and activities without interference or risk of injury.

These Invisalign aligners are custom made to move your teeth little by little, each tiny shift taking you a step closer to that next version of you – efficiently, gently and accurately. Call Teeth and Smiles today on 020 7352 7049 and book in for a consultation to start your journey to a straighter smile!

At Teeth & Smiles the team can help you to smile proud this festive season with a course of teeth whitening.  The reason teeth whitening has seen such an increase in popularity is because is easy to do, non-invasive, has very little risk of side effects and most importantly it works!

Teeth whitening procedure

Here at Teeth & Smiles we offer at home teeth whitening.

Your dentist will take impressions of your teeth and these are used to create a custom made whitening tray. You will be shown how to apply the whitening gel to the trays and your dentist will advise you how long you will need to wear the trays for. You can then take the trays and whitening kit home and complete the treatment in your own time. Once completed it will be necessary to top your whitening up every 2-3 years to keep your teeth looking their best.

Benefits of teeth whitening

• Teeth whitening ensures you can be confident of always making a great first impression
• Whiter teeth can help you to appear more youthful
• Teeth whitening improves self confidence
• Teeth whitening does not cause any damage to your teeth and gums
• Teeth whitening provides a dramatic change in appearance for a relatively small outlay.

 

Aftercare

We recommend the following tips to care for your teeth:

• Brush your teeth for two minutes, twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
• Cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks.
• Quit smoking
• Visit your dentist regularly

 

Looking for a brighter, whiter smile? Teeth whitening could be just the solution you are looking for. If you would like to get your teeth looking great for the festive season call Teeth & Smiles on 020 7352 7049 and book a consultation today.

Root canal treatment is used to save a tooth that is badly decayed or infected.

When a tooth’s nerve tissue or pulp is damaged, it breaks down and bacteria begin to multiply within the pulp chamber. The bacteria and other decayed debris can cause an infection or abscessed tooth. An abscess is a pus-filled pocket that forms at the end of the roots of the tooth.

Root canal procedures have the reputation of being painful. But the procedure itself is no more painful than having a filling placed.

In this month’s blog the team at Teeth & Smiles look at what happens if your dentist refers you for root canal treatment.

The procedure will follow these steps:

 

Preparation

Your dentist will first take an x-ray to see the shape of the root canals and determine if there are any signs of infection in a surrounding bone. They will use local anaesthesia to numb the area near the tooth. To keep the area dry and free of saliva during treatment, your dentist will place a rubber dam (a sheet of rubber) around the tooth.

Cleaning

The next step involves drilling an access hole into the tooth. The pulp, bacteria, and decayed nerve tissue are then extracted. The area is meticulously cleaned using a series of root canal files.

Sealing

After thoroughly cleaning the tooth, it is sealed. If an infection is present, the dentist may apply medication within the tooth to eliminate the infection. Alternatively, the tooth may be sealed immediately after cleaning. If the root canal procedure cannot be completed in one session, a temporary filling will be placed in the external cavity of the tooth to prevent saliva and food from entering between appointments.

Filling

At the next appointment, to fill the interior of the tooth, a sealer paste, and a rubber compound called gutta percha are placed into the root canal. A filling will be put in to close the access hole created at the beginning of treatment.

Restoration

The final step may involve further restoration of the tooth. It is normally advised that following root canal treatment the tooth is crowned to help strengthen and protect the area, restoring it to full function.

A tooth’s nerve is not vitally important to a tooth’s health and function after the tooth has come through the gums. Its only function is sensory — to give the sensation of hot or cold. The absence of a nerve will not affect how your tooth works.

If you need to book root canal treatment, call Teeth & Smiles today on 020 7352 7049 to book a consultation.

Mouthguards protect against injury to the teeth and the jaw. The shape of each person’s mouth and teeth are different, so it makes sense that a one-size-fits-all approach to a mouthguard is not going to give you the protection you need. In fact, a poorly fitted mouthguard can cause even more damage when hit with an intense force.

Properly fabricated, custom-fit mouthguards play a significant role in not only preventing dental injuries and injuries to the jaw, but also in reducing concussions, pulpal injury, and the loss of teeth. Mouthguards are used to relieve the stress concentrated on the teeth by absorbing the shock vibrations that cause injury.

It is estimated that an athlete has over a 50 percent chance of receiving an oral injury during their career in sports. A properly fitted mouthguard is going to reduce the opportunity for injury and the severity of any injury.

In this month’s blog the team at Teeth & Smiles look at the benefits of wearing a sports mouthguard

It protects your teeth from suffering trauma.

Should you suffer blows to your face, a sports mouth guard can effectively absorb some of the force. This reduces your chances of getting a tooth broken or knocked out.

It protects your brain.

Engaging in contact sports carries a risk of concussions, which can lead to brain injuries. Wearing a sports mouth guard helps absorb the shock from direct blows to the jaw, thereby reducing the impact and protecting the brain.

It protects your soft tissues.

Athletes or highly active people tend to experience soft tissue injuries while they are giving it their all. Wearing a sports mouth guard ensures your soft tissues’ safety, such as your lips, inner cheeks, tongue, and gums. It keeps your teeth from splitting them open or chomping down on them.

It protects your braces.

If you are undergoing teeth straightening treatment, you should consider using a sports mouth guard. Aside from preventing damage to your braces, the protective device also prevents your braces from causing you injury.

A well-fitted mouthguard

A properly fabricated mouthguard covers and protects all the teeth and has an adequate amount of thickness to cushion the jaw. There is ample room between the top and bottom teeth so that if someone is hit in an upwards motion, the teeth are not forced together. It should also protect the front teeth from a frontal blow that can knock the teeth out. It should easily stay in place without much movement, and it should feel comfortable in the mouth while wearing it.

Your dentist will take an impression of your teeth and mouth and create a mouthguard specifically for you. If you have braces or a fixed bridge, the dentist will mould your mouthguard around them for a precise fit. When you have the braces removed, you will need to get a new impression and a new mouthguard from the dentist.

When it comes to protecting your mouth, a mouthguard is an essential piece of athletic gear that should be part of your standard equipment from an early age.

Oral injury is not something to leave to chance. Yes, you may play over 100 games without incident, but it only takes one time of getting hit the wrong way and you can have a permanent injury. If you need help with getting yourself or your child a custom fit mouthguard, be sure to visit Teeth & Smiles before your next game! Call us today on 020 7352 7049to book a consultation.

When you first attend for an appointment at Teeth & Smiles and at least once a year from then on, the team will ask that you complete or amend your medical history form. This ensures that the dentist has all the necessary information regarding your health to ensure that they can provide safe and effective dental treatment.

All this information is confidential and is held under the 1998 Data Protection Act. It may be necessary at times for your dentist to contact your doctor, but they will always ask your permission prior to doing this and will only do this to ensure that any treatment will not be adversely affected by your current medication or health conditions.

Medication

It is essential for the dental team to have an up-to-date list of all medications you are currently taking to ensure that any proposed treatment is safe. Certain medications may necessitate a referral to a specialist to ensure treatment can be carried out in the safest possible environment.

Antibiotic cover

Antibiotic cover is no longer deemed necessary for patients with cardiac conditions or rheumatic fever. Nonetheless, if you suffer from these conditions, the dentist may opt to use an anaesthetic that does not contain adrenaline.

Allergies

It is important to list any allergies in your medical history so the dental team can avoid using materials or prescribing medication that might cause an adverse reaction.

Diabetes

Individuals with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing gum disease. Therefore, it is essential to inform your dentist of your condition to ensure that you attend more frequent routine appointments. Diabetic patients may also experience longer healing times following dental procedures. It is recommended that diabetic patients schedule their appointments early in the morning to minimise the likelihood of missing a meal.

Epilepsy

If you are epileptic, it is important that the dentist knows so that they can have the appropriate drugs on hand should you have an episode during treatment. Epileptic patients find that they are more likely to suffer fits when they are stressed or anxious, so it is important to make sure that you discuss any worries with the dental team.

Pregnancy

It is important to tell the dentist as soon as you find out that you are pregnant. The dentist will aim to leave any dental treatment until after the birth of your baby and will refrain from taking x-rays. During pregnancy, some women find that their gums bleed and require closer attention. It may be worthwhile visiting the hygienist for regular cleaning and advice or oral care routines.

If you would like more information about how the dentist uses your medical history do not hesitate to ask at your next appointment. Call Teeth & Smiles on 020 7352 7049 and book a consultation today.

When opting for teeth straightening, it is essential to consider the time and commitment required for maintaining the required level of oral hygiene. Proper care of both your teeth and braces is crucial to prevent gum disease or tooth decay, which can significantly impact the success of your treatment.

Here at Teeth & Smiles, the team have come up with our top tips to care for your brace, whether you have fixed or removable appliances.

Never Skip Brushing

Taking care of your teeth and gums takes on a new level of importance when you wear braces. It is very important that you take the time to brush your teeth regularly.

Use a toothbrush with a soft head, this can be either an electric or a manual one, with a fluoride toothpaste and ensure that you brush after every meal to remove any food that may have become lodged in your braces. If left this can cause a build-up of plaque and eventually lead to decay and gum disease.

To ensure that you are never caught unprepared always carry a toothbrush and toothpaste in your bag.

Floss Daily

Flossing and interdental cleaning can help to remove those food particles missed by brushing alone. Gum disease and tooth decay can quickly develop where food particles are left trapped. Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults in the UK and could severely affect the outcome of teeth straightening.

Foods to skip

When wearing fixed braces, it is advisable to avoid consuming sticky or chewy foods that may become lodged in the braces. Additionally, it is prudent to refrain from eating crunchy apples, carrots, and other hard foods that could potentially damage the wires. For those with removable braces, it remains possible to enjoy all your favourite foods, as the aligners can be taken out for meals.

Along with avoiding certain foods, you’ll also want to watch what else you put in your mouth when you have either fixed or removable braces. Nail biters or pen chewers can damage their braces quite easily. Crunching down on other hard objects, such as ice, can also spell trouble.

Fizzy drinks can also cause problems as they are often high in sugar and are acidic. If your teeth are not cleaned properly it can lead to tooth decay and enamel erosion whether you have fixed or removable braces.

Get Damage Repaired Quickly

No matter how careful you are, at some point your braces are likely to snap or break. Ideally you should see your dentist as soon as possible. If you notice any damage to your braces or aligners, be sure to book a repair appointment as soon as possible. This will ensure that your treatment can be continued as planned and will prevent your teeth from regressing back to their original position.

Do Not Skip Appointments

If you consistently miss appointments, it can greatly increase the length of time you will need to wear you brace for and in the long term can hinder your desire to achieve a straighter smile.

If you would like to find out more about how teeth straightening can improve the appearance of your smile, call Teeth & Smiles on 020 7352 7049and book a consultation today.

Anybody can suffer from sensitive teeth, although it is most likely to affect those aged 20-40.

In this month’s blog the team at Teeth & Smiles look at some of the common causes of sensitive teeth.

Toothbrush Abrasion

Toothbrush abrasion or brushing too hard can cause enamel to be worn away. This is especially likely to happen where the tooth meets the gum line. This exposes the dentine and can lead to sensitivity.

Be sure to only use a medium or soft bristled manual toothbrush or an electric toothbrush. This will make it more difficult to brush too hard. Where enamel has been worn away it may be necessary to build teeth up using white, composite fillings.

Acid Erosion

Every time we eat acidic foods or drink acidic drinks, the enamel on our teeth is softened and small particles can chip away. If you have a lot of acidic foods and drinks, the dentine may be exposed, causing sensitivity

Try to limit acid attacks on your teeth to mealtimes. Avoid sipping fizzy drinks throughout the day as this means that your teeth are constantly under attack. The dentist may also apply fluoride varnishes to your teeth to help strengthen and protect them.

Gum Disease

Gum disease affects most adults at some point. Over time a build-up of plaque or tartar can cause the gums to recede, exposing the tooth roots and causing sensitivity.

The best treatment for gum disease is a good oral hygiene routine, your dentist will remove the plaque from your teeth and advise you on the best oral hygiene aids to maintain your teeth between visits. To protect the roots of teeth it may be necessary to build the teeth up with a white, composite fillings. In severe cases it may be necessary to perform root canal treatment, re-moving the nerve from the tooth means that it can no longer be sensitive.

Cracked Tooth

A cracked tooth is one that has become broken through eating or tooth grinding. A crack can run from the biting surface of a tooth down towards the root. Extreme temperatures, especially cold, may cause discomfort and sensitivity.

Cracked teeth can be repaired with white, composite fillings or crowns. If the crack runs right through the root, it may be necessary to perform a root canal treatment to ensure that the tooth remains strong.

Tooth Grinding

Tooth grinding is often a sign of stress and can occur while you are asleep, so you be unaware that you do it. Over time tooth grinding can wear away teeth, causing them to become sensitive.

To protect your teeth, it may be advised that you wear a gum shield. This means that rather than damage your teeth when you grind you will be grinding against the plastic retainer. Damaged teeth will also need to be repaired or built up to prevent them being damaged further.

Teeth Whitening

Some people may find that they experience sensitivity while undergoing teeth whitening. This should be temporary and stop when you complete the treatment.

The sensitivity should disappear when you finish treatment. The dental team will also be able to advise you on ways to reduce sensitivity during treatment, by filling the whitening trays with sensitive toothpaste in between whitening treatments.

Teeth & Smiles’s comprehensive dental services can help to treat your sensitive teeth. Call today on 020 7352 7049and book a consultation.

Invisalign removable aligners are made of clear resin meaning that they should be practically invisible when they are in place. With Invisalign achieving the smile you always dreamed of doesn’t have to be a big deal. In fact, it barely has to impact your day-to-day life at all.

Treatment Process

Your dentist will take an impression of your teeth to check whether they are suitable for straightening using the Invisalign system. Once it has been confirmed that you are suitable for the treatment you will be provided with a detailed treatment plan which will give you an exact picture of where your teeth will end up. This means you will be able to see the outcome of your treatment before committing.

The time it takes to complete treatment varies from person to person, depending on the complexity of the treatment plan. Your dentist will be able to give you an idea of the treatment time prior to treatment commencing. On average, Invisalign treatment time is 12 to 18 months, though you can start seeing results in a matter of weeks.

Your dentist will recommend scheduling a dental check-up and cleaning before you begin Invisalign treatment, to make sure your teeth and gums are in top health and to avoid unnecessary risks.

Once you approve your plan, your unique aligners will be created. You will wear each set of aligners for 20 to 22 hours a day, changing to a new set of aligners every 1 to 2 weeks, as directed by your dentist. Each set of aligners will gently and gradually shift your teeth into place, according to your treatment plan, towards your beautiful new smile. You will need to attend for appointments every 4-6 weeks so that the dentist can monitor how your teeth are moving and issue you with your next set of aligners.

Benefits of Invisalign

No Unsightly Metal Brackets – When the aligners are in your mouth no one else will know you are in the process of straightening your teeth.

Removable for Important Events – This means that if you have a job interview, a wedding, or an important family event you can briefly remove the retainers. You will not need to worry about un-fortunate photos of your teeth straightening process appearing for years to come.

Removable for complete cleaning – Another reason being able to remove your aligners can be useful is to ensure that you can thoroughly clean both them and your teeth. You will be given advice on the best products to use to clean them fully.

No hassles when you try to eat different foods – You do not have to worry about breaking brackets or wires as you would if you were to choose traditional teeth straightening. Invisalign aligners are removed when you eat and drink and therefore means you can continue to eat a full and varied diet including all your favourite foods without fear.

So, what are you waiting for, call Teeth & Smiles on 020 7352 7049, and book in for a consultation to see if your perfect smile is closer than you think!