Resolving Tooth Sensitivity With Dental Veneers

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Woman at the dentist

Painfully sensitive teeth can be a thing of the past using porcelain veneers.

Tooth sensitivity can vary in degree of severity. Some patients may notice only a mild version of this, very occasionally, when they drink really hot or cold drinks.

Most people in this situation, are able to live with this occasional  level of discomfort and may well do nothing about it. Even mild sensitivity should be checked by a dentist though, as it may indicate the first stages of enamel erosion, or even a cracked tooth. Even if no treatment is decided on at this stage, your dentist may offer advice on diet and cleaning so that the rate of erosion is, at least, slowed down.

Whilst these patients may decide to simply live with the occasional inconvenience of tooth sensitivity; for others, this is much less of an option.

Painful tooth sensitivity

For some patients, sensitive teeth can be much more than ‘uncomfortable’ and can leave them in a significant amount of pain. In some cases, this can be triggered by even mildly warm or cold drinks and even cooler air passing over the teeth on a cold day can make going outside something of a challenge.

At this stage, it is often too late to do anything to ease or correct the problem through preventative mean such as changes in diet and cleaning regimes. Intervention by one of our Chelmsford dental team, however, can make a radical difference to the quality of life for these patients through the use of porcelain dental veneers.

Why veneers are needed

Our teeth are made from a number of ‘layers’. The external layer is made from enamel, a very hard and non porous material. Although the enamel on our teeth can take a lot of pressure before cracking, certainly enough for us to be able to eat most foods comfortably if the enamel is healthy, it can be weakened through consumption of too many acidic food and drinks.

A diet, as ‘nature intended’ would certainly contain these acids, in the form of citrus fruits for example. This would not be a major issue though as the enamel on our teeth regenerates if we give it sufficient time. Unfortunately, in modern society, we consume far more acidic food and drinks, not just in the form of citrus fruits, but also in soft drinks and many other high sugar beverages, in addition to any sugary foods that we eat.  Add to this the fact that we increasingly tend to snack, rather than eat three main meals, and the enamel on our teeth simply does not have time to remineralise, and the enamel gradually wears away.

Replacing your tooth enamel

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Delivering High-Quality Dental Care For Children

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Children showing great teeth

Dr Hiten Pabari looks at some of the challenges of ensuring good oral care for kids in our high-sugar age

There is little doubt about it; even if we aren’t actually addicted to sugar, most of us take pleasure in the sweet taste it produces. This has probably happened for as long as man has existed, with honey being an obvious source in the early days.

Whilst all sugars will lead to tooth decay without good care, man’s diet at this time would have been largely sugar free, with just the occasional ‘treat’. These days though, the story is entirely different.

The fact is that sugar is everywhere, and not just in the obvious places. Whilst, as adults, we can control our sugar intake to some extent, by reducing the amount of sugar we add to tea or coffee and watching what we eat, the reality is that sugar is added to almost everything, including many savoury products. This may be challenging for us, but our children simply don’t have that ability to distinguish what is healthy for them and what is not.

Most kids love sugar

You will be very hard pushed to find a young child that does not like sweets, and whilst we may have some control over their consumption, they are still likely to find ways of accessing it through friends and perhaps relatives. Add to that, the fact that they may not brush their teeth as well as they should, and it is probably not surprising to know that needing to have extractions under general anaesthetic is one of the leading reasons for young children to be admitted to hospital.

Investing in their future

You may have read in a past blog, or elsewhere, that it is advisable to bring your child to see a dentist around the time of their first birthday. We know that children can find the dental environment a little strange, and may even refuse to open their mouths or even sit in the dental chair on their first visit. It is pointless trying to force them to do this (unless there is a real clinical and urgent need) and, at Blue Sky Dental, should this happen, we simply use the time to talk to them, helping us to gain their trust. After a few visits to our Chelmsford practice, the vast majority of children will allow us to examine their mouth with little problem. This ‘bond of trust’ between dentist and patient, and especially younger patients, is very important in the provision of effective dental care.

Benefits to parents

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A New Year Smile Makeover For 2019?

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Smile makeover

Christmas may not be here yet, but it never hurts to plan ahead!

Most of us are probably currently busy buying presents, putting up the Christmas tree and making travel arrangements to visit friends and relatives over the forthcoming festive period. It won’t be long though, until our thoughts look further ahead to the New Year and all the resolutions that many of us regularly make.

New Year resolutions vary in scope and also, possibly, realism in many cases. Even though we spend millions each year on gym memberships, deep down, many of us know that our determination will not last and we will have spent a lot of money for little gain. There are ways that you can spend money though, that will bring great results. This applies to our Chelmsford patients who are determined to see an improvement in the appearance of their teeth and smile for the New Year ahead.

Smile makeover

Some patients may need quite significant intervention to radically improve their smile. Especially where teeth are missing and there has been a period of neglect, restoring the mouth to a functional state is likely to be a priority. This might include advanced procedures such as the use of dental implants to replace any missing teeth.

For the majority of patients, this will not be necessary and they may be looking to ‘fine tune’ their smile. At Blue Sky Dental, we are able to help you to achieve this through the use of one, or a combination of procedures, that come under the category of a smile makeover.

The stages of a smile makeover

Before any cosmetic treatment can commence, it is important to make sure that your mouth is in generally good health. There is little point in having beautiful white teeth if they are likely to fall out due to periodontitis, for example. We will treat any instances of decay, most probably using a white dental filling where this is needed to retain the natural appearance. We also recommend that you have a thorough scale and polish, which can be carried out at our Chelmsford dental clinic by the hygienist. Once we are happy that you have a healthy mouth, your smile makeover can begin.

Orthodontics

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Dental Aftercare For Extractions

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Dr Kostas Karagiannopoulos

Looking after yourself, and the extraction site, will lead to a faster and more comfortable recovery

We all want to avoid needing to have a tooth extracted, especially when it is an adult tooth that has to come out. Thankfully, with the range of specialist services available at Blue Sky Dental, we can offer many ways to hopefully avoid this final outcome.

In some situations though, removing a tooth is the best, or only, option that is realistically available. We have discussed the actual extraction procedure in an earlier blog and today, we take a look at how you can help to look after yourself and also aid the healing process for a speedy recovery.

Initial aftercare

Once a tooth has been extracted, the dentist will apply some sterile gauze to the area which you should keep in place for a short while until they remove it. This acts to stem the blood flow from the site and initiates the formation of a blood clot. This clot protects the socket and starts the healing process. You should do everything possible not to dislodge the clot (more of that later) and you will be given some extra gauze for use at home in case it does come out. If the clot comes out again after you have used this additional gauze, you can use a CLEAN handkerchief to stem the flow again. Once the dentist is happy that the clot has formed, you will be able to leave our Chelmsford dental surgery.

Caring for the clot

It is important not to dislodge the blood clot as this will slow down the healing process and may lead to a ‘dry socket’ where the extraction site is exposed. This can be very painful and can also lead to infections. If you are in any discomfort following an extraction, please contact us straight away. There are many ways that a clot can be dislodged; for example you should avoid poking it with your finger, tongue or any other object. Also please avoid using that part of the mouth for eating and avoid any ‘aggressive’ actions such as spitting. You should not brush that part of your mouth although you will need to keep it clean to prevent infection.

Keep it clean

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Are Dental Implants Painful To Have?

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dental implant in bone

Implant dentist, Dr Hiten Pabari, puts your fears to rest.

More and more people are now aware of dental implants and increasingly, we are receiving more enquiries about this procedure than we have in the past.

The reality is that nobody wants to lose a tooth, and especially when it is one of the visible teeth at the front of the mouth. Most patients are cautious about using dentures to replace the missing tooth though, due to their sometimes unstable nature, and a wobbly front tooth is not a good look! With dental implants, this problem is eradicated as we will explain later.

At Blue Sky Dental, we want our patients to have the best treatment possible, and, for patients that are suitable candidates for dental implants, this is considered to be the best way to replace a missing tooth, or teeth. Despite this, some patients do have genuine concerns about the nature of the procedure, sometimes fueled by exaggerated cases that they may have read about. In today’s blog, we attempt to answer one of the main concerns we often hear about this treatment; namely, is it really painful to have it?

Planning the procedure

Placing a dental implant means precision. It is also important that the implant is placed into an already healthy mouth in order to minimise the risk of infections such as peri-implantitis. Before any treatment starts, we will have a full consultation with you where the treatment will be discussed. We will also assess the available bone structure to determine whether the implant can be placed immediately or requires a prior bone graft. Scans and x-rays will be used in order to determine the exact placing of the titanium implant, taking into consideration important factors such as the position of nerves etc. If, during your pre-procedural examination, we discover issues such as gingivitis, this will be treated before your procedure can take place.

Anaesthetic

As the fear of painful treatment is one of the things that deters some patients from having dental implants, it is worth reminding our Chelmsford patients that modern anaesthetics are very powerful indeed. Whilst we accept that you are unlikely to actually ‘enjoy’ any invasive treatment, pain is unlikely. You may experience some discomfort but this should be manageable. In reality, it is often the anticipation of pain, rather than any actual physical pain, that people tend to experience.

On the day of the procedure

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How Does It Feel To Have Botox Treatment?

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Facial aesthetics smile

Facial aesthetics is becoming increasingly popular, but some patients still have reservations. Is this valid?

In addition to both family and cosmetic dentistry, we offer a selection of facial aesthetic treatments here at our Chelmsford dental practice.

These are growing in popularity, perhaps boosted by some of the popular reality TV programmes. Despite being safe and successful when carried out by qualified practitioners, some people still have some reservations about them. Below, the facial aesthetics team at Blue Sky Dental offer answers to some of these concerns.

Safety first

Botox has suffered from some negative press in the media. Most of us will have seen extreme examples of Botox treatments, whether requested by the patient or a procedure gone wrong. We can assure patients that we take all precautions to prevent this from happening. Our facial aesthetics team are fully trained and qualified and we reserve the right to refuse treatment where we are concerned either for the patient’s safety if the procedure should go ahead, or where extreme treatment is requested.

A natural look

Another concern for many people is that it will leave them with ‘puffy lips’ or a ‘frozen face’ where they are unable to smile. Again, providing that the treatment is carried out correctly, your lips and face should appear natural, albeit with less facial wrinkles than before. You will be able to laugh and smile as much as you want. It is worth mentioning that there may some minor localised bruising at the sites of the injections. These only last a few days but you may wish to arrange your social calendar around your treatment.

A painless procedure

The only sensation that you will feel during your procedure is a small pricking as the needle enters the skin. The needle used is very fine and the Botox is added in small quantities; so there is no need to be concerned about any discomfort you think you might feel.

Growing old gracefully

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Dietary Impact On Our Teeth

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What do the foods that you eat say about the likely long term health of your teeth and gums?

Especially when compared to early dental care, modern dentistry can now perform wonders in restoring teeth that are damaged or decayed. The latest procedures make the chances of retaining a damaged natural tooth much higher; but what also plays a major part in your ability to keep your own teeth, is what you put into your mouth.

In addition to the specialist dental treatments that we provide at Blue Sky Dental, we always keep in mind the fundamentals of good oral health care, and regularly remind our Chelmsford patients that, by and large, they have the majority of control over whether their teeth are healthy or not.

In addition to how well they clean and floss their teeth at home, supplemented by periodic visits to our hygienist, it is often day-to-day eating and drinking habits that create the biggest impact on their teeth.

Sugar

The well known number one enemy of healthy teeth is, of course, sugar. What may not be as well known though, is that sugar itself is not directly responsible for tooth decay. What it does is provide an effective food source for the bacteria in our teeth that do cause the damage to our teeth. A constant and steady flow of sugar products will almost certainly mean a rise in the number of harmful bacteria in our mouth. It is the acidic bi-products from these which will gradually destroy the enamel of your teeth and eventually allow the bacteria to find their way into the inner and more vulnerable parts of our teeth. When this occurs, toothache and root canal infections are probably not very far away.

By reducing the quantity of sugar that you consume, including sugars that are ‘hidden’ in foods, you will, in effect, be cutting off the food source of these bacteria and limiting the damage that they do. By reducing their number, it should be easier to to keep your teeth clean and healthy with regular brushing and flossing.

Carbonated and sports drinks

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Are Your Teeth At The Crossroads?

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Blue Sky Dental in Chelmsford

When the time comes and you decide to improve your teeth, the Blue Sky Dental team are here to help!

There is an old story about a guitar player whose career is going nowhere. He arrives at a crossroads, where he is met by the devil who tells him that if he sells his soul to him, he will be rich and famous. The guitarist agrees, and that, so the myth goes, is how the ‘Blues’ was born.

Fortunately for our Chelmsford patients, you don’t need  to sell your soul in order to help you have great looking teeth, but you will probably arrive at your very own crossroads, when you decide that your own teeth are not as healthy or as attractive as they could be. This is probably more likely if you have either not seen a dentist for some time, or have done so very sporadically over the preceding years.

Making the decision

Everybody will be different, but you may have been living with unhealthy and discoloured teeth for a while and not been especially bothered by it, providing that you weren’t in any discomfort. Sometimes though, a change of circumstances, such as being in a new relationship, may bring these problems to light. For others, it can be a spur of the moment ‘Eureka’ moment when you look in the mirror and think ‘enough is enough’. When this happens, Blue Sky Dental of Chelmsford will be here to help you in your quest for healthy *and* great looking teeth.

The starting point

The first thing that needs to be done when you decide to turn the corner is to have a consultation with one of our Chelmsford dentists. We will discuss your general health and other issues before giving you a thorough oral examination. If you have neglected to keep dental appointments for some time, it is quite likely that we will find some common issues that occur when this happens. Both gum disease and dental cavities are very common; the extent of these will probably depend on how well you have looked after your teeth.

Before we look at any restorative or cosmetic treatment, it is essential that your gums are given a clean bill of health. If early stage gum problems are found, in most cases, straightforward scale and polish procedures by the hygienist, coupled with enhanced personal oral care will suffice to clear them up. Any signs of advanced gum disease though, may need specialist treatment that requires affected teeth and gums to be cleaned right down to the tooth roots.

Restoring your teeth

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Why You Should Use A Trusted Dentist For Your Dental Implants

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Dr Edward Sammut - Specialist Dentist

Cutting corners on medical procedures could very easily backfire, says Dr Edward Sammut.

Choosing to have dental implants is understandably a major decision for most people. The cost implications and the invasive procedure involved means that people don’t take this decision lightly.

Almost without exception though, patients of Blue Sky Dental  tell us, at a later date, that it has changed their life in many different, but positive, ways. Because it is a complex procedure, that may stretch your budget a little however, it is important that the correct choices are made.

One of the biggest factors for many people is the cost of teeth implants. It isn’t the cheapest method of replacing missing teeth, but does offer a large number of benefits over cheaper treatments like bridges or dentures. Implants are though, actually good value for money, and whilst there may be an initial outlay; with good care, dental implants can last for well over twenty years, whereas dentures and the like may sometimes need replacing a few times in the same time period.

Getting it right

A major concern of implant dentists in the UK, are the advertisements that some patients may see about having your implants placed cheaply abroad. Many of these are at a significantly reduced price and some even throw in flights and hotels too! Unfortunately, the old saying that if it sounds too good to be a bargain, then it probably is, almost certainly applies here.

For the benefit of any of our Chelmsford patients who may be considering taking up one of these offers, here are a few good reasons why you possibly shouldn’t.

Qualifications and experience

If you have your implants placed by the team at Blue Sky Dental, or any UK practice, you can be sure that the treatment will be carried out by someone who has undergone years of additional training and has the relevant qualifications. Can you be sure that this the case when you go abroad to an unfamiliar dental practice? Standards and qualifications can vary from country to country and it may well be that they are not experienced, or even worse; you could even be their very first patient! Precise dental implant placement is a complex procedure and cutting corners in this way could potentially have a very bad outcome. There have also been a few instances noted of people travelling to have a single implant placed, only to be ‘pressured’ into have more extensive treatment when they get there.

Language and understanding

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Back To School – Oral Health Tips For Your Kids!

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Hygienist Samantha Henly

With school ahead, it’s time to reassess your child’s oral health, says Blue Sky Dental hygienist, Samantha Henly.

Within the next few weeks, children in the UK will be returning to school, perhaps causing a sigh of relief for some parents who can then return to normal ‘adult life’. Whilst we all love our children, we are also responsible for encouraging good habits; none more so than how they look after their teeth and gums.

Naturally, we can’t expect very young children to understand the details of why they should brush their teeth or not eat so many sweets. To a child, the taste of sugar in their mouth is very nice, thank you very much, so why spoil it with the taste of toothpaste!

However good your own child is at cleaning their teeth, there are always areas where, as parents, we can improve how they do this by taking the time and effort to help them. In today’s post, we take a look at a few of these areas where things can, perhaps, improve.

Night time routine

Children should, of course, clean their teeth in the morning, but night times are especially important as there is a fair chance that they will have consumed quite a lot of sugar throughout the day. It is essential that this is removed before they go to sleep by brushing their teeth well. Parents should supervise young children when they brush, and make sure that they do so for at least two minutes of actual brushing time. Once cleaned, nothing but water should be consumed, not even a drink of milk, as this contains natural sugars which are just as harmful to the teeth as refined sugar.

Involve your children

Children like to be involved in decisions as much as they can. Whilst there are areas where this is obviously not practical, you can certainly involve them more in the area of their oral health care. Simple things like letting them pick a new toothbrush or which flavour toothpaste (make sure it is suitable for their age and contains fluoride) can also encourage them to be more willing to clean their teeth. A timer, or timer phone app, are also useful things that can be used to encourage them.

Packed lunch

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