General Dentistry

Dental Hygiene

A hygienist appointment can often be mistaken for an ‘unnecessary extra’ by patients who don’t wish to spend any more than they have to at the dentist.

The two major causes of tooth loss are tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease. With good dental hygiene and regular professional teeth cleanings from a dental hygienist, these types of conditions can often be prevented.

At your hygienist appointments our clinicians work to help prevent and treat gum disease which can be that vital difference between healthy teeth and gums and the need to undergo preventable and costly treatments.

Dental Bridges

For patients that have lost a tooth it can really affect not only their confidence but also the functionality of how they are able to chew and eat food.

A dental bridge can be used to replace one or more missing teeth and works by literally bridging the gap between the adjacent teeth. Dental bridge treatment involves a ‘false’ tooth or teeth that are perfectly colour matched with your natural teeth and secured into the gap – anchored to the neighbouring teeth on either side, with the help of two dental crowns. We, at the Essex Smile Centre, will however recommend a dental implant is always the best way to replace missing teeth if clinically possible,as it is less damaging to the adjacent teeth.

Emergency Dentist

In the case of a dental emergency we understand that it can be frightening and sometimes painful for patients, which is why we’ll try to help you as quickly as possible. At The Essex Smile Centre we keep spare time slots set aside every day to accommodate these emergency cases which are allocated on a first come, first served basis.

What constitutes a dental emergency?

• Severe toothache with pain radiating to eye, ear and / or throat
• Kept awake at night and uncontrollable with painkillers/analgesics.
• Pain with facial swelling and a temperature.
• Trauma to the face resulting in broken teeth.

Nervous Patients

Fear of the dentist is very common and unfortunately can lead to people developing a phobia that causes them to avoid dentists altogether for sometimes years. Without regular check-ups and treatment a patient’s oral health can suffer irreversible damage which is fully preventable.

At The Essex Smile Centre we work to help our nervous patients gain access to the dental care they need in a way that is as comfortable as possible using a range of techniques to reduce their anxiety and fear. These techniques are EFT, also known as tapping , (carried out off site with Mrs Lynne North ) and some clinicians also offer some dental hypnotherapy.

Teeth Damage At Night

Teeth grinding (Bruxism) can develop as a bad habit or can even be an involuntary movement and most commonly takes place at night when patients aren’t even aware and have no control over it. Grinding your teeth can lead to an unbalanced bite, worn teeth, sensitivity, aching jaws and broken teeth and fillings as well other painful complications.

Our experts can provide special anti-clenching devices that are worn at night to help protect the teeth and jaw. This will not only reduce the side effects from the grinding and provide a restful, comfortable night’s sleep but also help prevent problems arising in future.

Snoring and Sleep Apnoea

Snoring is an global underestimated problem and something that many people aren’t even aware they suffer from. Not everybody who snores has sleep apnoea and not everybody who has sleep apnoea snores as there are different types. As dental experts we are often the first port of call for detection of sleep apnoea which can be a potentially dangerous problem.

At The Essex Smile Centre we are leading UK clinicians for Somnowell Anti-snoring devices which are used to help treat snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea.

If you would like to find out more about any of our General Dentistry treatments, please click the links in the menu, or speak to us to find out more.