According to the Oral Cancer Foundation in America, someone dies at least every hour from the disease in the United States alone. Expand this across the rest of the world and we’re talking about a very serious killer. 300,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed every year across the world and the disease is a serious threat, although it is very curable in its early stages. This is why it so important to have yourself checked as a routine, every six months. The perfect place to do this is at your dentist.

Dentists are trained to spot the signs and symptoms of oral cancer and will conduct a check as part of a standard check up. This will give you the best chance of spotting the disease early and an 80 per cent chance of survival. Oral cancer is described as any cancer that affects the oral cavity including the lips, tongue, gums and throat. It usually manifests itself as sores or a red or white colour on the soft tissue in the mouth. These sores are painful and don’t disappear naturally after a week or so like non-threatening sores. There are other symptoms such as unexplained weight loss or bleeding in the mouth. If you are in any way concerned about something in your mouth, make an appointment to see a Chelmsford who will examine you and carry out a brush biopsy if necessary.

There are several risk factors for oral cancer that may make you a more likely candidate. As you might expect, smoking is one of the very high risk factors for contracting the disease. As is alcohol and they are particularly dangerous when combined. Age and sex also make you more likely to be at risk, with men being twice as likely to be a sufferer.

You can protect yourself against oral cancer by avoiding dangerous substances such as tobacco and also avoiding unnecessary sunlight. Seeing your dentist every six months will also give you the best possible chance of beating the disease. Even a short two minute dental exam could make the difference and save your life. Call 01245 268 494 for a free consultation at Advance Dental Clinic in Chelmsford.

Dentures have been around for thousands of years, they have been made from ivory, sea shells, animal teeth, metal and even wood, Benjamin Franklin the Statesman and Queen Elizabeth I are both famous for their wooden ones. Thankfully today we have dentures that are made of a resin or clay material like porcelain. The wearing of dentures is something alien to the mouth and some people just cannot adapt to them, they come in an individual size and right up a full set. They are fitted with a plate explains a Billericay dentist; this is kept in place by the use of a glue and are removed by most people at night. It isn’t advisable to wear dentures at night, and it is also handy to soak them in a cleansing solution while we sleep. They still have the same problems as natural teeth in that plaque can form on the material, but the solutions will completely kill off and detach any plaque that gathers. Before teeth are removed to be replaced by dentures, the dentist will take a mould of the old teeth and some digital photos. This is so the orthodontist can make a set of dentures that are as near in size and shape to the original teeth. This makes it easier for the mouth to accept the new false teeth, although even that doesn’t always work and the mouth will reject the dentures and make the patient gag. Eating with false teeth takes a bit of getting used to and like most other things in life they need a bit of tweaking to fit properly. It can take a few sittings to get the dentures right, but once they are working properly most patients are pleased with the work they do, and the slight inconvenience is compensated by the fact that they can live a normal life and eat the same foods. Call 01245 268 494 for a free consultation at Advance Dental Clinic in Chelmsford.

Is your smile missing something? Lacking that extra spark or shine? Then you could be a perfect candidate for Zoom teeth whitening. Teeth whitening has been used for many years to improve the appearance of smiles across the world but many people don’t know that it s no longer the sole preserve of the rich and famous. Most dentists in the UK will offer teeth whitening as standard procedure and with treatment starting from as little as £60 there is no reason not to try it.

Zoom teeth whitening from Chelmsford dentists is one of the most popular types of whitening treatment because of its ability to achieve great results, fast. By using the power of the advanced  lamp, Zoom is able to speed up the whitening process. The treatment consists of applying a gel containing hydrogen peroxide to the enamel surfaces of the teeth. This gradually seeps in and bleaches any enamel that has lost its original colour.

Our teeth can lose their colour for a number of reasons. Firstly, it may simply be the result of age. Just our hair and skin lose their vitality and elasticity over time, so do our teeth lose their white colour. This is as a result of eating and drinking food with colourings over the course of a lifetime. This obviously means that people who eat and drink these certain foods more are likely to suffer more advanced discolouration. These include coffee, tea and red wine. Smoking is another major cause of enamel discolouration. Many smokers suffer from prematurely discoloured and yellow teeth, which can be treated with whitening.

Teeth whitening from Zoom is capable of improving the colour of the teeth by up to ten shades. This may take more than one treatment however, as some people’s teeth respond differently to the treatment than others. Call 01245 268 494 for a free consultation at Advance Dental Clinic in Chelmsford.

There are many different dental treatments available to improve the appearance of your teeth and smile. Teeth that are damaged either structurally or by staining and discolouration can be restored using veneers or whitening treatments. It is also possible to use orthodontic straightening devices to realign teeth that are crooked. However, one of the most versatile and commonly used cosmetic dental procedures is known as cosmetic bonding.

Cosmetic bonding has been used for a long time in dentistry because of its versatility and ability to transform the smile in a single visit. It is made from a composite resin that can be mixed up to closely resemble the colour of the existing teeth of the patient for an impressive cosmetic result. Cosmetic bonding is commonly used for filling dental cavities or replacing the old fashioned and controversial silver amalgam fillings. It is also used for restoring broken or chipped teeth, closing or evening up spaces between teeth and for covering areas of discolouration.

Cosmetic bonding is very popular for fillings because it has a much better cosmetic appearance than silver amalgam fillings, which can look very unattractive in the mouth. Although bonding is not ideal for use in large areas, it can be used in small cavities and also to hold a ceramic inlay in place. It is also completely safe to use unlike the silver amalgam fillings, which contain mercury vapours that can damage the body. Many patients are opting to have their old silver amalgam fillings replaced with composite bonding for these reasons.

Before cosmetic bonding takes place anywhere on the teeth, the surface of the area on question will need to be etched or roughened to allow for greater grip. The bonding is then applied and made solid using the heat of a dental laser. This makes the bonding firm offering protection and aesthetic improvement to the teeth. Find out more about composite bonding at a Colchester dentist. Call 01245 268 494 for a free consultation at Advance Dental Clinic in Chelmsford

Invisalign is a trade name for a brace that is clear in colour and is referred to as being almost invisible, says a Maldon dentist. Your dentist will first take a good look at your teeth; it will depend on whether your teeth are badly misaligned or the damage is too much for this particular brace. On deciding to use the Invisalign as a means to straighten your teeth, and give you a better smile, they will then take some digital photos and make a model of your teeth. The model is made by placing a putty type material into a mould tray, this is then placed in the mouth and you will be asked to bite down on it. This takes an impression of your teeth, and from this your first of many Invisaligns will be made. They are clear in colour as they are made from a material that is rubber like and see through. They are then fitted onto your teeth in much the same way as a boxer would wear a gum shield; the brilliant thing about them is that they are removable for eating, drinking and cleaning the brace and your teeth. You will need to have a new one made every fortnight and fitted again at the dentist’s to make sure they are doing their job. From the very beginning a computer generated image will be made from the mould, this will show the dentist, and you, how your teeth will be shaped at each stage of the procedure. From this moving model on a DVD you can both see the progress; your dentist especially can then check when you visit them that the progress is going to plan. It isn’t easy to estimate the time it will take as a lot of factors will depend on it, that will include how often you remove the Invisalign and for how long each time. Call 01245 268 494 for a free consultation at Advance Dental Clinic in Chelmsford.

The two fundamental principles of good dental health are effective oral hygiene and regular dental check ups. The two are complimentary and go hand in hand to keep your teeth and mouth in the best shape possible. One without the other will lead to problems in the short and long-term that may involve pain, tooth loss and possibly great expense.

Effective dental hygiene involves thorough teeth cleaning by brushing and flossing at home. Epping dentists can give you more information on effective teeth cleaning which will help to reduce the risk of gum disease and tooth decay. Some basic principles include brushing your teeth with a soft bristled brush for three minutes twice a day, making sure to also gently clean the gums. This will remove the majority of bacteria and plaque that coats the teeth after eating. Also, floss once a day to remove bacteria from the hard to reach places like the gaps between the teeth and areas around their bases.

However, even the most effective oral hygiene routine can succumb to the dangers of dental disease. One of the problems we have is that no matter how well we clean our teeth it is always the areas that we cannot clean effectively that are affected by dental problems. This is why it is so important to see a dentist every six months for a check up appointment. This will ensure that all the areas of your mouth are cleaned and checked for the signs of decay and disease. Early detection of dental disease will limit the damage it causes and allows the dentist to take measures to protect the teeth and gums from further damage.

Dentists are also able to check for the signs and symptoms of other oral conditions such as oral cancer as a routine part of a check up appointment. Call 01245 268 494 for a free consultation at Advance Dental Clinic in Chelmsford.

Twenty years ago it would have been impossible to think that you could go to the dentist and have a false tooth or dental crown made and fitted during the same appointment. But thanks to new technology known as Cerec this has now become a possibility.

Cerec, introduced by Sirona Dental Systems in the UK, is a revolutionary new system that allows your dentist to make new crowns, veneers and inlays in just a single visit, vastly improving upon the old style of treatment which would take about two weeks on average.

Cerec works by utilising the new technology of three-dimensional imaging and digital x-rays. The dentist creates an image of your tooth on the computer using these new tools, replacing the need for dental moulds. Using this image, the dentist can then design the new tooth on the computer to incredible degrees of accuracy. When satisfied with the size and shape of the new tooth, they can then instruct an onsite milling machine to sculpt the new tooth from a single piece of porcelain. This will have been chosen to closely match the colour and texture of the existing teeth of the patient. This fabrication process can take as little as six minutes per tooth.

Once the tooth has been made, the dentist will make some final adjustments to it by staining it to match the other teeth and polishing or glazing it in a furnace. The new tooth will then be cemented in place in the same way as any other dental restoration. This involves preparing the area by removing any enamel that is in the way and maybe etching the tooth for greater grip. Cerec technology is now available from Basildon dentists, cutting down waiting and treatment times for all patients and giving you a same-day beautiful smile. Call 01245 268 494 for a free consultation at Advance Dental Clinic in Chelmsford.

Braces are orthodontic teeth straighteners used to improve the appearance of the teeth, smile and profile. There are many types of braces and aligners that can be used to address specific problems with the teeth but all are used with the aim of making the teeth look more attractive.

Braces have been used for many years although treatment has improved almost beyond the recognition of the earliest braces. Traditional fixed metal braces, often known colloquially as ‘train-tracks’, are effective but they also have a number of drawbacks. Some of the most common include that they are often uncomfortable and even painful after tightening appointments, look unattractive and that treatment often lasts a very long time. In fact, in some cases patients may need to wear the braces for up to three years. This is a very long time for anyone but especially if you are in your difficult teenage years.

Thankfully, over the last ten or so years, a number of companies have taken it upon themselves to produce new kinds of orthodontic braces that address some of these complaints. Braces such as Invisalign and Damon are just as effective as traditional braces but also have the added bonus of being much more discreet, especially in the case of the virtually invisible Invisalign brace, as well as much more comfortable. A number of braces such as Inman aligners and again Invisalign are also completely removable, which means they can be taken out for social occasion and importantly for teeth cleaning.

Treatment times have also been significantly reduced with some treatments lasting as little as six months. This, as well as other improvements, means that orthodontic braces are no longer feared as much as they once were. Patients are happy to wear braces from Chelmsford dentists to improve the appearance of their smile without having to make a sacrifice of three years worth of unseemly fixed braces. Call 01245 268 494 for a free consultation at Advance Dental Clinic in Chelmsford.