Garden View Dental Care

Does a broken tooth need an emergency dentist appointment? Read on to find out!

It is a subject that can make even the toughest person cringe- the idea of having a sudden, unbearable pain underneath one of your teeth.

In the UK, dental emergencies are no laughing matter, with almost every dental surgery dedicating certain time slots each day to managing them. And, if you have ever needed one of those appointments, you’d also know that there is nothing funny about them too.

But unlike other medical emergencies, few dental patients are actually aware of what constitutes an emergency trip to their local dentists.

At Garden View, our emergency dentist in Buckinghamshire is trained to handle any issue that you bring to us with care and professionalism, allowing you to leave our surgery feeling better, with any painful issues resolved. We pride ourselves on being able to offer emergency dental appointments each day, meaning you won’t have to wait long to be seen by a member of our team. Perfect!

But what are some of the issues that require a visit to our emergency dentist in Buckinghamshire?

Swelling of the neck, face or mouth

Swelling to the face, neck or mouth is one of the most common occurrences that our emergency dentist in Buckinghamshire sees. And, even if you notice a swelling in these areas that doesn’t hurt, you still require an emergency appointment.

Swelling could be indicative of a number of serious dental issues, such as infections, abscesses or even an impacted tooth trying to erupt. While the swelling may not initially hurt, our dental team will almost unanimously agree that it won’t stay painless for long, so best to book an appointment as soon as you notice it.

Extreme discomfort

Obviously, one of the main reasons anybody asks for an emergency dental appointment is because they are in discomfort.

Be aware that there are different types of discomfort when it comes to teeth, with feelings such as throbbing, burning, pulsing or sensitivity all pointing to an issue that requires urgent care.

Fractured teeth

A common occurrence for people who play sport are fractured, broken, chipped or even cracked teeth that need to be urgently seen by our team.

While this may seem minor in comparison to swellings or abscesses, an untreated crack in your enamel can allow bacteria to infiltrate the pulp of your tooth, which can lead to infections and intense discomfort. As a cracked tooth can be repaired with a simple application of composite, why not opt for the easier option?

Ulcers which have not healed

Ulcers in the mouth can indicate a heavy-handed approach to brushing, stress or can point to something more worrying.

If you have had an ulcer on your gums or on your inner cheeks which has not healed, book an appointment with our team as soon as possible for an urgent assessment.

Trauma

And finally, if you have recently had a tooth knocked out of your mouth due to blunt force trauma, you will need a same-day appointment to prevent infection and close the gap.

Worried about visiting the dentist? How our Wand at Garden View can help

It can be a somewhat unnerving experience for dental patients who require a filling; after they are reassured by their dental professional that it will be minor, they are then faced with a large needle containing the numbing agent. Far from calming!

Along with drills and the odours associated with dental surgery, many patients rank the numbing injection needle as one of their top worries when they visit their surgery for a check-up.

While some patients can come to terms with the sight of the needle, patients who have more intense dental phobias fail to cope and often avoid dental check-ups for years on end simply because they dislike these needles.

As dentistry has advanced in its treatment of phobic patients, there are now solutions to many of the average worries that patients will have. And, when you come to Garden View for your dental treatment, our dentist in Buckinghamshire will use the Wand to numb your gums.

Never heard of the Wand? Read on for the advantages it offers over typical injections.

It looks inconspicuous

Let’s be honest; the traditional dental injection needle is far from a pleasant sight.

Usually composed of a silver syringe and the long, black needle, it is no wonder so many dental patients dislike it!

When you come to our dentist in Buckinghamshire, you may be surprised at the appearance of the Wand; it looks like a pen! With no sterile surfaces and no enormous needle, it is much easier to feel relaxed as it is placed into your mouth to administer the numbing relief.

It is targeted

Many dental patients complain that when they have been injected, one entire side of their face goes numb.

Not so with the Wand! As our dentist in Buckinghamshire will tell you, it offers a more targeted approach to numbing the required area, meaning no discomfort during the procedure and no sagging face afterwards!

Also, it’s effects wear off much quicker, allowing you to go about your day as normal after the dental appointment.

It is painless

And of course, one of the main advantages that the Wand offers over traditional dental injections is that it is painless to use.

The needle contained within the Wand is thinner and shorter than needles which are typically used to numb a patient’s mouth, and with our team’s expert training and skill in using the Wand, you won’t even know that you have had an injection.

It is time-saving

If you have had a filling or an extraction in the last 10 years at an NHS dentist, you may remember having to wait around while the numbing injection took effect.

As the Wand is more targeted, it saves a great deal of time for both you and our team. Once injected, the surrounding area becomes instantly numb, meaning that you will have less time in the dental chair and an overall shorter appointment. And of course, there is nothing more popular for a nervous dental patient than a shorter appointment!

Want to correct a minor issue with your smile? FAQs about clear braces in Buckinghamshire answered

When you look at photos of yourself or look in the mirror while brushing your teeth, do you ever wish your smile was a bit straighter? Is there a gap you want to be rid of?

In the past, any adult wanting to alter their smile would have been given 2 options by their dentist; either wear heavy, traditional, metal braces for an extended period or simply learn to love their smile. Today, there are options for people who have more complex cases of misalignment, alongside those who just have a single tooth that is out of line.

With many orthodontic treatments being more affordable for adults to undertake, you can get the straighter smile you want without worrying about discretion. In this article, one of the more cosmetic based clear braces in Beaconsfield, Six Month Smiles will be examined, with the top 5 FAQs about this aligner answered. Enjoy!

How does it work in just 6 months?

When you approach your dentist about clear braces in Beaconsfield, you will need to undertake a lengthy assessment to see if you are suitable.

In short, this brace works in 6 months as it is only suitable for people who have cosmetic issues with the teeth at the front of their mouths. For instance, if you have more complex orthodontic issues, these clear braces in Beaconsfield are unlikely to be able to help correct that issue, making them unsuitable.

Can anyone wear a 6-month smile brace?

As mentioned in the previous paragraph, no.

If you have minor misalignment, are looking to close a gap or simply have a slightly off centre smile, then you will probably be suitable for Six Month Smile Aligners.

But, if you are looking to alter your bite or have any other complex orthodontic problems, then you are likely to be more suited to a fitted brace with a longer-treatment time.

Will it cause damage to the roots of my teeth?

There is no evidence that the Six Month Smile brace creates any damage to the roots, the teeth or the gums.

In fact, compared to other orthodontic options, it actually has been shown to create fewer issues (if any) with these areas, potentially due to it being worn for a shorter period of time and due to the severity of the issues it is being used to correct.

Does a faster treatment time mean it is more uncomfortable to wear?

You may experience some minor discomfort while wearing the Six Month Smiles braces, but this is normal with all orthodontic appliances.

Any pain that you experience should be manageable with over the counter pain relief. If it isn’t, contact your dentist for an assessment as your braces may not be correctly fitted.

Is it a noticeable brace?

As this brace has a thin metal frame across the front, it is more discreet than traditional metal braces. Therefore, your colleagues, friends and family members should not be able to notice this brace, but it is not completely invisible.

Unsure if your toddler needs to see a dentist? 5 advantages of early childhood dentistry

It goes without saying that there are very few children out there who enjoy that biannual trip for a dental check-up.

And, as a parent, it can feel like a bit of a pain in the neck to have to drag them along to it, especially if they are toddlers. Some parents of younger children adopt an interesting approach to childhood dentistry- they are only milk teeth, so why should they need looking after?

Luckily, these parents are becoming the minority; there are many advantages of getting your child seen by a dental team as early as possible, not only to prevent further dental issues but to also reduce the likelihood of any phobias developing. As innumerable studies have found, there is a link between early exposure to dentistry and improved oral health later in life, so it can make a difference.

At Garden View, our team is always welcoming towards younger patients, who may need a bit more encouragement to come in and see us. Our dentist in Buckinghamshire will always be as friendly as possible towards your child, making the entire experience about learning how to care for teeth fun and memorable.

So, what are some key advantages of early years visits to our dentist in Buckinghamshire?

Decay detection

Many parents are aware that their child enjoys sweets. As many younger children struggle with learning how to brush their teeth correctly, this can lead to a higher incidence of cavities in this age group. If you regularly bring your child to see our dentist in Buckinghamshire, potential decay can be detected earlier, allowing for a less invasive and uncomfortable treatment option. Perfect!

Fluoride

Milk teeth are physically weaker than adult teeth, as the outer layer of enamel is thinner.

As mentioned before, mix thinner enamel with sweets and poor brushing, and you have a recipe for decay and cavities. Our team will be able to apply fluoride sealant to areas of your child’s teeth that need a little added strength, protecting the tooth from bacteria and decay.

Orthodontic

If you have a history of orthodontic issues in your family, the earlier you get your child seen by a member of our team, the less invasive any potential treatments will be.

Orthodontic issues which may occur with adult teeth can be detected early, allowing our team to apply less uncomfortable treatments to correct them.

Improved oral health

As you may have guessed, there is a real oral health benefit for your child in visiting our dental team earlier in life. Not only will we be able to show them how to clean their teeth, while monitoring for any spots of decay, but earlier exposure to dentistry has also been linked to superior oral health in later life.

Confidence

And with improved oral health comes higher confidence!

Not just with their smiles, but in their willingness and ability to attend dental check-ups throughout their life without experiencing any undue fear or anxieties about having their teeth examined. Perfect!

Seeking an emergency dentist in Buckinghamshire

Unscheduled dental care is classed into two categories within which you need to fit in order to see a same-day emergency dentist in Buckinghamshire; emergency or urgent. If your personal situation can wait until the next available appointment then we do not regard it as either an emergency or urgent and we will make an appointment for you when possible. These two classifications are set out in a guideline by the NHS to ensure that each person is seen according to the severity of their needs, and if your health may be further put at risk due to a dental emergency, then an unscheduled appointment may be granted to you

Types of emergencies

It is very important to take note that any dental situation that has caused swelling in the eye or throat needs to be seen immediately, as ignoring such a problem may lead to suffocation or loss of vision. If there is excessive bleeding that you cannot seem to stop, particularly if this has occurred after a tooth extraction, then we need to see you immediately in order to stop the bleeding and find out why it started. The following possible circumstances may also require an emergency dentist in Buckinghamshire:

Tooth/face abscess

This is when an infection in the tooth pulp causes a pocket of pus to fill under the tooth or in the gum, if it is left untreated it can spread to the ear or throat. If you have an abscess you will probably be in an extreme amount of pain and sometimes it may rupture, causing bleeding and this needs to be seen immediately in order to stop the infection from spreading. Antibiotics and pain medication may be prescribed in order to manage an abscess until it is gone.

Knocked-out teeth

Knocked out teeth may be saved if you receive treatment quickly, we advise that you collect your tooth if you can find it and keep it moist in your mouth until we can replace it. Ice can help lower swelling in the area while you are waiting to be seen by our emergency dentist in Buckinghamshire.

Broken crowns or teeth

You will need to make an urgent appointment with your dentist if a crown has broken or come off, as it will be opening the tooth up to a serious infection. If you have a broken or cracked tooth, it is likely that your pain levels are very high and we can help take care of that, as well as fix the tooth in order to keep it free from further infection.

Chipped tooth

Sometimes you can wait to get a chipped tooth fixed, and other times you cannot. This can be decided under particular circumstances, specifically whether the chipped tooth may risk cutting the cheeks or lips, as this could cause further complications.

Bleeding and soft tissue damage Damage to the cheeks or gums that will not stop bleeding needs to be seen with all due haste, as wounds that will not close can be at risk of getting infected and too much blood loss can be a danger as well.

A dentist in Buckinghamshire for nervous patients

Scared of the dentist? Or is it just needles that make you afraid? Either way, we at Garden View want you to know that we take your anxieties very seriously and would never do anything to belittle your very real concerns about any treatments you need at our dentist in Buckinghamshire. Many people have dental or needle phobias and you are not alone in wanting to avoid these kinds of situations, but your oral health is of great importance to us and we have taken steps to make you feel as relaxed and calm as possible, and to try to remove your anxiety altogether.

Dental and needle phobias

These phobias and their related anxieties often stem from a fear of pain, and it isn’t your fault; the human brain is hardwired to avoid pain at all costs in order to help us survive and your brain is just trying to protect you. In many cases however this fear of pain comes from a very legitimate and real negative experience in the past, that triggered your brain to associate that past experience with dentistry. It could have been a painful dental experience in childhood, or a negative experience with an unkind dentist who treated you badly, or even an experience out of the dental practice with needles, that has caused you to become phobic of them.

Patients who have these phobias can be difficult to work on and the experience is not pleasant for anyone involved, which is why dentistry has come up with creative ways to help patients like you who may be nervous about the visit. Many dentists offer sedation in the form of gas for those who are afraid of needles, this ‘happy gas’ will make you feel calm and completely at ease before and during dental procedures and will help you get through the ordeal with a smile. There is also IV sedation for those who are fine with needles, but hate the dentist. Your dentist in Buckinghamshire hopes to provide you with the kindest care we can give in order to help change your brain into feeling safe in the dentist chair, rather than afraid. We want your experience to be a good one as our aim is to take away your pain, not give you pain.

Wand painless injections

In order for most dental work to take place, the area needs to be numbed and the only way we can do this is by injecting a local anaesthetic into the area we intend to work on, this used to cause a problem with pain phobic and needle-phobic patients until we got the CompuDent system which has revolutionised the feeling and look of traditional injections. The ‘wand’ that we use looks more like a pen than a needle and syringe, and it feels about the same as holding a pen in your mouth. We are now able to administer our local anaesthetic painlessly so that your anxieties can be at a total minimum. You will feel nothing once the liquid starts to work and you will feel nothing when we are giving it to you either, all you have to do is lie back and comfortably let the dentist in Buckinghamshire do their job.

A straight smile with clear braces in Beaconsfield

If a crooked smile has been bugging you for years you may think it unbelievable to be able to straighten it with speed and discretion, but believe us when we say that clear braces in Beaconsfield can help you get there. We at Garden View want to offer you, and other adults like you who have lost confidence due to crooked teeth, the opportunity to straighten any misalignments you have quickly and easily, so that you can get back to embracing life with confidence and the assurance that you are presenting the best smile you can to the world.

The psychology of a beautiful smile

While your teeth may work just fine to bite into and chew food and logically there should be no reason for their crookedness to be irritating you, there is in fact a psychological reason why they are; natural selection. It is ingrained in humans to choose a mate that is ‘of the best stock’ the most attractive and healthy that we can find in order to continue our genes, now attractiveness has an ebb and flow over different generations, but the theory remains the same; we inherently look for the best option available to us. This isn’t just true when it comes to searching for a romantic partner, but it also has an effect on who we prefer to work with, and who we trust with important things, so what does this have to do with teeth?

People in society are constantly making unconscious observations about those around them, observations based on our natural instincts when finding partners. People with good teeth automatically outrank those with seemingly ‘bad teeth.’ These perceptions that society makes based on our smiles are not something we can avoid, which is why so many people are looking to improve their features, starting with the teeth and clear braces in Beaconsfield.

How it works

Invisalign is a system devised with clear aligners that gently push your teeth into the correct position. By using a digital scan of your mouth and teeth, a laboratory is able to create a custom set of aligners for the course of your treatment, each aligner is made slightly different to the last so as to accommodate the new tooth position, as well as continue to push them into place until they are aligned just how you want them to be.

Benefits

Invisible – as the words ‘clear aligner suggest’, this treatment is completely invisible and no one will even see that you have anything in your mouth, allowing you to partake in orthodontic treatment with discretion, instead of the old methods that would have seen you wearing metal braces for 2 years.

Removable – for those into active-sports lifestyles in their free time, the aligners are completely removable for short periods of time, as well as for eating and cleaning, which allows you to enjoy life as usual without any hindrance.

Quick – for those of you who are in a hurry to fix your smiles, you will be pleased to know that clear braces in Beaconsfield allow you to fix your misalignments quickly without any damage to your natural teeth.

Root canal treatment at dentist in Buckinghamshire

Don’t panic, it really isn’t so bad, we promise. We know that the thought of this treatment probably has you cringing, but there really is no need, it is a standard dental procedure that we at Garden View do weekly – if not daily – and most of our patients leave feeling surprised at how painless it was in the end. In fact, if you are in need of a root canal treatment you are probably in more pain right now than you will be in our chair at the dentist in Buckinghamshire, and we hope that by providing you with an understanding of the treatment, you can come to visit us without any fear.

When do you need a root canal?

If there is an infection inside the pulp of your tooth, you are going to know all about it because that tooth is going to be hurting. Biting, chewing, and even speaking may be painful and we want to take that pain away. If you don’t take care of that tooth now, the infection and the consequences thereof will spread to other teeth; a painful tooth could, however, mean something else like a simple small cavity or a piece of popcorn that’s been lodged in there a while. The minute you start to feel discomfort make an appointment to come see your dentist in Buckinghamshire, in order for us to determine what treatment you may need, but here are some other symptoms you can look out for too.

Sensitivity

If cold or hot foods and drinks make you wince in pain for a particular tooth it may indicate an infection.

Discolouration

An infection in the pulp could blacken the tooth on the outside, in which case it may be too late to rescue that particular tooth, but we will need to take care of the infection to save the rest of your teeth.

Persistent pain

Not only will you feel pain deep in the tooth, but if you leave it long enough the pain will be felt in your face and jaw.

Loose teeth

An infected tooth may begin to wiggle in its socket.

Treatment

A root canal treatment at your dentist in Buckinghamshire is a procedure that removes the decayed pulp from inside your tooth to help preserve it before it has a chance to infect other teeth or fall out completely, there are four steps to this treatment:

Numbing

Anaesthetic is administered with our special wand so that you will feel nothing during the procedure.

Drilling

The dentist will make a space at the top of the tooth to expose the infection.

Cleaning

We will then remove the infected pulp from your tooth and properly clean out the space with jets of water.

Filling

After cleaning the tooth is then filled with a special substance once more, to replace the pulp and then it is given a temporary covering while a crown is made to be permanently fitted later on.

Treatment can take roughly ninety minutes during which, and for a while afterward, you will not feel any pain.

Emergency dentist in Buckinghamshire

We at Garden View aim to make every experience at our practice a good one for all our patients. We know that facing a dental emergency can be a panicky time for many people who are in pain, are concerned about the look of their broken smile or are even nervous about dentists. This can be on top of having experienced a facial trauma that warrants an emergency dentist in Buckinghamshire. But we take these unscheduled appointments in our stride to make you feel as comfortable and as reassured as possible that you are in good hands, and that we will do everything we can to restore your smile and oral health.

What is a dental emergency?

A dental emergency is something that absolutely cannot wait for a regular appointment, something that has severe bleeding and/or pain, as well as injuries that put the rest of the mouth at risk or the future of your health at risk if they are not seen immediately, these can include several instances.

Swelling – Severe swelling in the jaw, eye area, or throat after dental surgery or facial trauma is very risky and is considered an emergency that needs to be seen to immediately, do not hesitate to call our practice if you experience unexpected swelling.

Knocked-out tooth – If a tooth has been knocked out it may still be able to be re-implanted and restored to its former position if you are able to find the tooth and bring it into your emergency dentist in Buckinghamshire as soon as possible. If you do manage to do this, try to keep the tooth moist in your mouth in order to keep it alive so that we can put it back in. Applying ice to the outside of the face to reduce swelling in the area and pressure to stop the bleeding can greatly help your chances of restoration.

Bleeding – Bleeding that will not abate, especially following a tooth extraction surgery or due to a cut in the mouth is something that needs to be seen immediately and without hesitation.

Chipped or broken teeth – A chipped tooth can sometimes wait for a regular appointment, however, if that tooth is putting the rest of the mouth at risk by cutting open the lips or cheeks then it needs to be seen to. Broken or cracked teeth can be incredibly painful and may need to be attended to with all due haste in order to avoid an infection entering the tooth’s pulp.

Pain – Tooth pain that does not go away with over-the-counter pain medication and causes you to be incapable of functioning normally can be rather urgent, and we recommend you call into your emergency dentist in Buckinghamshire to make an emergency appointment to try to sort out the cause of your pain.

Burst abscess – This may involve a severe amount of bleeding as well as pus and needs to be taken care of immediately, an abscess can spread the infection to the rest of your body and even cause septicemia which is why it is important to seek emergency dental care for the sake of your future health.

Preventive dentistry at a dentist in Buckinghamshire

While it is true that a dentist in Buckinghamshire is there to fix all sorts of problems from crooked teeth, to dental emergencies, to day to day cavity filling, we at Garden View believe that preventive dentistry can help patients more in the long run, by providing not only healthy dental advice but regular care that helps patients avoid all kinds of damage that they would prefer not to have to come in for. No one wants a root canal when the option to avoid one is available.

Where to begin

If you have children, start them young, a positive first experience at the dentist can avoid years’ worth of anxiety that many adults still suffer from due to dental phobias. By avoiding dental anxiety children are more likely to maintain a good record of dental check-ups into adulthood than those who didn’t get into the habit as youngsters. At the dentist in Buckinghamshire, we aim to create an environment that children can feel comfortable in. We also provide them with the best sources of education regarding their dental health and preventive treatments like fissure sealing and fluoride enhancers, in order to maintain their oral health and avoid cavity fillings which may be scary for a child to endure; prevention is always better than a cure.

For adults

We offer dental hygiene appointments with our professional dental hygienist who will use specialised scaling and polishing techniques with tools and pastes, in order to give you a deep and complete clean of not only your teeth, but your gums as well. It is advised that you get these appointments regularly and you can schedule them along with your regular dental check-ups or between check-ups so that you are getting the most from our dentist in Buckinghamshire.

Things to look out for

Bad breath

Not just the morning breath you wake up with or that garlic from the pizza the night before, but the kind of bad breath that just doesn’t seem to go away, not even with brushing. This is a sign that you may have plaque and the beginnings of gingivitis which is the start of gum disease. There could also be an underlying medical issue in the gut, throat and/or nose that causes bad breath, even diseases like diabetes or kidney disease can cause it, but it is a good idea to first get it checked out at the dentist. If we rule out anything in the mouth then you will know that you need to investigate further elsewhere. But if it is caused by bad dental hygiene, then we may help you sort it out.

Decay detection

This is something you may only notice because you have pain, but a dentist will be able to find it a lot sooner than that, which is why regular check-ups are important. They could help you avoid pain altogether, even our dental hygienist can help detect any problem areas before you begin to notice them.

Sensitive teeth

Sharp pain in the teeth when you drink or eat something too hot or cold is not normal, and if you experience tooth sensitivity it is an indication that you need to see a dentist, as we are able to help you desensitise your teeth with fluoride treatments.

Author: Garden View Dental Care