Dental phobia or dental anxiety is a very common condition preventing many people from receiving proper dental care and should not be overlooked. This fear can easily lead to poor oral health, as an anxious patient may do whatever it takes to avoid visiting the dentist. The most common types of dental phobia include fear of pain, fear of the dental drill, fear of the dentist, and last but not least fear of needles.

At Benhill Dental Practice in Sutton, we appreciate that dental phobia is a condition unique to each patient but one we can help you overcome. Most patients are reluctant to visit the dentist because of traumatic, past experiences, which may have involved significant pain. Moreover, nervous patients tend to dislike the idea of losing control to the dentist. Dental anxieties and fears may be general or specific and become progressively harder to overcome as time passes.

This way, a negative circle grows where care is postponed and problems ignored until patients are in need of emergency care due to severe dental problems. Emergency appointments are inevitably more stressful for nervous patients and much more difficult to manage. However, a supportive attitude from your dentist can make a huge impact on your dental care and lifestyle.

Caring for nervous patients

Our practice supports nervous patients without the use of dental sedation. When you visit us, rest assured that your teeth will not be the worst we have seen, and no matter how awkward things seem, we are going to help you and not judge you. We are all about practising gentle dentistry and taking the time to talk to patients so that they feel in control at all times of the treatment. For us, it is really important to provide reassurance, as this will help you overcome your anxiety. Our gentle, caring and professional approach to pain-free dentistry can be testified by many happy patients.

Modern dentistry has come a long way and nowadays most treatments are practically pain-free. Our aim is to prevent any serious problems from happening, but if you experience pain or other symptoms, we will get you out of pain and treat your problem thoroughly to restore your oral health.

Taking good care of your teeth and visiting your dentist regularly will eliminate the need for more complex dental treatment in the future.

Composite veneers (also known as composite bonding) are used extensively to improve the colour, shape, position, arrangement, and in some cases, the texture of teeth in order to make them more attractive. Generally, they can be fitted in one visit to the dentist and are minimally invasive compared to conventional porcelain veneers, which require the tooth to be drilled before placement.

At Benhill Dental Practice, we are very experienced with composite dental materials and understand how best to use them for restorative purposes. Our highly-trained dentists have a deep understanding and experience of the nature of the procedure, since they have applied dental veneers to many patients with great results.

The procedure

Dental veneers are very thin, tooth-coloured leaves made of composite or porcelain, which cover the front of your teeth. Based on your preferences, we can alter the shape of your veneers to make your teeth look longer and or closer together. You can have just one veneer or a whole set – the latter is known as a smile makeover.

Your dentist will prepare your teeth first in order to ensure that veneer and your tooth bond completely. After that, they will sculpt the composite dental material into the ideal tooth shape and structure to fit your tooth. Choosing the right shade, and shaping the material to suit individual oral contours, requires a trained dentist with a thorough understanding of facial and tooth structure.

At Benhill Dental Practice, we craft our veneers out of the highest quality composite material for realistic results. Stain-resistant and smoothly polished, composite veneers protect existing enamel and enhance your smile.

Benefits of dental veneers

Since veneers are individually made for each patient, it is nearly impossible to tell the difference between a veneer and a natural tooth. Unlike natural teeth, veneers are stain resistant and cannot form cavities on their surface. Unlike other tooth restoration treatments, they will usually last for 15 years or more due to high-quality bonding agents and improved cement. Finally, with veneers, as opposed to crowns, your natural teeth remain largely undamaged.

Get in touch

If you are not happy with the appearance of your teeth, contact us today and we will help you figure out whether veneers are the right solution for you.

White fillings have always been considered less long-lasting than silver fillings. But, there are now new materials available that are comparable to silver fillings and these are proving to be very successful for our patients at Benhill Dental Practice in Sutton. The life expectancy of a white filling can depend greatly on where it is in your mouth and how heavily your teeth come together when you bite. Your dental team in Sutton can advise you on how long your fillings should last.

Advantages of white fillings

Since they bond to the tooth, white fillings restore most of the original strength of the tooth. Silver weakens the teeth, making them more vulnerable to breaking. Since broken teeth are very expensive to restore, white fillings can save a lot of expense in the long term.

Teeth restored with white fillings are less sensitive to hot and cold than teeth restored with silver fillings when the correct techniques are used, like those we use at Benhill Dental Practice.

White fillings are mercury-free. Mercury in traditional silver fillings, is viewed by some as being toxic.

White fillings also require less removal of tooth structure. Especially with new cavities, the size of the hole made for the filling can be dramatically smaller with white fillings.

What are white fillings made of?

White fillings are made of ceramic and plastic compounds. Because resins mimic the appearance of natural teeth, these fillings have been used in front teeth for many years. When they first were used, resin compounds weren’t strong enough to be used in back teeth. This is because high-pressure grinding and chewing require greater durability.

In the past 10 years, technology has improved enough to allow the use of resin material in your back teeth.

Are white fillings right for me?

Deciding which type of filling to use is best made by you and your dentist at Benhill Dental Practice. They will consider the size and location of the cavity, patient history, cosmetic concerns and the cost. Your dentist in Sutton will discuss all the choices available for dental fillings and help you decide which filling is right for you.

Are your teeth stained or discoloured? Do your teeth leave you feeling self-conscious about your smile? If the answer is yes, then there’s no need to fret. Benhill Dental Practice in Sutton provides professional teeth whitening to restore the natural shine to your teeth. Whether you have an important event coming up or just want to be able to smile with confidence again, teeth whitening provides a quick and reliable solution.

How does teeth whitening work?

Teeth whitening uses a clinically safe amount of bleaching agent to remove stains and lessen discolouration. The bleaching agent comes in the form of a whitening gel that is applied to your teeth. When carried out by a highly trained dental professional, such as at Benhill Dental Practice, teeth whitening is a safe and effective treatment.

Your options

At our modern practice, we offer two types of teeth whitening, depending on your personal needs.

Power whitening is carried out in the dental chair. Your lips and gums are protected with a barrier. A whitening gel is then applied to your teeth and activated using a UV light. After just an hour of treatment, your teeth will appear several shades brighter.

Home whitening involves the use of custom-made mouth trays, crafted to fit your teeth. A whitening gel is applied to these trays, which you then wear for a few hours in the day or night, from the comfort of your own home. Using our custom-made trays means you won’t need to worry about the whitening gel leaking out onto your gums or lips. Results can be achieved in just over two weeks.

In both cases, the extent of the whitening effect will depend on the initial colour of your teeth. Whichever teeth whitening option you choose to take, with our guidance and care you can look forward to a natural-looking finish. While this treatment is a temporary fix, you can prolong its effects.

Minimising foods and drinks that stain strongly and cutting back on smoking will make your treatment last longer. With advice from our experienced dentists, you can make the most of your teeth whitening in Sutton. So get in touch today to enjoy brighter smiles.

Dental hygiene is the practice of keeping the mouth and teeth clean to prevent dental problems. The most common ailments include:dental cavities, gingivitis, periodontal diseases and bad breath. There are also mouth diseases, in which good oral hygiene is required for healing and regeneration of the oral tissues. These conditions can include gingivitis, periodontists or dental trauma, such as that experienced after a wisdom tooth extraction.

Dental hygienists

At Benhill Dental Practice, our staff who specialise in dental hygiene in Sutton are called dental hygienists. The hygienist’s main job is to prevent and treat gum disease. This will include professionally cleaning your teeth, by removing plaque and tartar. This is called a scale and polish.

Our dental hygienists’ most important role is showing you the best way to keep your teeth free of plaque. Plaque is a coating that forms constantly on your teeth. Our hygienists will also give advice about diet and about preventing tooth decay, to ensure your dental hygiene is the finest it can be. The hygienist will work with our dental team to give you care that is tailored to your needs.

At Benhill Dental Practice your dental hygienist has been specially trained to carry out scaling and polishing and can spend longer with you than your dentist. They are also experts at teaching you how to look after your teeth and gums. Often your dental hygienist will spend several appointments getting your gums healthy and ready for the dentist to restore your teeth with crowns and fillings.

Why is dental hygiene in Sutton important?

Regular professional cleaning to remove plaque and tartar, combined with looking after your teeth and gums properly at home, can greatly improve your mouth’s health. A healthy mouth will greatly improve your appearance, help you to keep your teeth and give you fresh breath.

To maintain your dental hygiene in Sutton, we recommend that you follow three simple steps. Brush your teeth last thing at night and at least one other time during the day using a fluoride toothpaste. Also, we recommend you cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks. Most importantly you should visit Benhill Dental Practice regularly to ensure a good level of dental hygiene in Sutton.

Smoking cessation is the process a person completes in order to quit smoking tobacco. According to studies, 70% of people who smoke tobacco would like to quit and 50% have tried to quit in the last 12 months. Smoking is the leading cause of death in the world where the death could have been prevented. It greatly affects health and drastically increases the chances of heart disease and lung cancer.

Dentists and smoking cessation

Dentists can now play a major role in helping people to quit smoking. Dentists see people affected by smoking constantly, can see the negative effects it has in their patients’ mouths and they know that a lot of patients will trust their advice. At Benhill Dental Practice we offer smoking cessation in Sutton to our patients; it’s important that as dentists we advise you of the risks related to smoking tobacco and support you with regards to quitting. Oral health is greatly benefitted when tobacco use is minimised and you will notice some positive changes. It’s important for you to a check in at the clinic often so you can receive support and information from a dental professional.

The damage smoking does to your mouth

Smoking tobacco has a very bad effect on teeth and gums and tobacco chemicals make smokes more receptive to getting gum disease. Benhill Dental Practice offer our patients in Sutton smoking cessation as patients come to the practice regularly with dental health problems associated with smoking. Some of these problems are: sores in the mouth, bad breath, teeth stains and a hairy tongue. In addition to these problems, tobacco smoking is the number one cause of cancer in the mouth and it causes numerous deaths each year.

We provide smoking cessation in Sutton to patients needing advice and assistance. The practice has fully trained advisers to help you throughout your journey to quit smoking, supporting you from beginning to end. To find out more information about smoking cessation in Sutton, or to make an appointment with a trained adviser, please do not hesitate to contact the clinic. With the right help and support, you could quit smoking for good.

Do you still have a silver filling or two lurking in the back of your mouth? Have you not really given it much thought until now? If you are looking to swap from silver to white fillings, in Sutton, then talk to us at Benhill Dental Practice. It is an easy and safe procedure for our skilled dentist, who simply takes away your old silver filling and replaces it with a hardwearing white filling. This hardened substance will stand the test of time and allows you to eat the foods you love. Of course, you still need to look after all your teeth properly. We always recommend that all of our patients clean their teeth at least twice a day.

Why should I get them swapped?

Perhaps you don’t notice the shimmering silver in the back of your mouth, buy maybe your loved ones do? Would you not like to open your mouth for that hearty laugh, knowing all they will see is a mouth-full of white? If so, we have the solution for anyone in this position living in Sutton; silver to white fillings is a growing trend! Come and modernise your teeth and smile, you never know what else might change! A new modern you! Fees are very affordable and all prices for fillings and other treatments are available on our website: https://www.benhill-dental-practice.co.uk. If you are unsure about this procedure or have any questions, then please give us a call and we will help you to gather the information that you require.

Why do we need fillings in the first place?

Teeth require fillings, because an excess of sugary foods and drink cause tooth decay, which eats away at the tooth causing a hole. If teeth are cleaned regularly and thoroughly, the sugar should be removed and decay would not happen, but often this is not the case and many children and adults will have at least one filling. Today, dentists will only use the white fillings as they are the best substance for longevity and give the best look. If you still have the old style of filling, then do not despair, come and join others opting to change from silver to white fillings in Sutton.

Did you know that fear of the dentist is the primary reason UK adults give for failing to attend regular dental appointments – far more than worries about costs or lack of time? Fear of the dentist is a common issue and can range from mild anxiety to full-blown phobia.

At Benhill Dental Practice in Sutton we empathise with patients who suffer from dental phobia, but do not believe it should be a barrier to getting the treatment you need or the smile you deserve. Our skilled and experienced dental team have worked with many anxious and phobic patients to help them conquer their fear once and for all.

We don’t believe in using sedation during treatment, but instead take the time to talk to our patients and find out the cause of their fear. We are proud to practice gentle dentistry.

Thanks to advances in techniques and equipment, many dental treatments are now pain-free. For more complex procedures we use local anaesthetic to ensure that you will experience no discomfort.

One of the main factors of dental anxiety is a fear of being out of control. We will take the time to ensure you feel in control at all stages of treatment, and will provide you with hand signals so that you can indicate if you need to take a short break at any time. Don’t think this will upset the dentist or affect their schedule; we always ensure that adequate time is built into every appointment for breaks, because we know that everyone needs to take a breather now and again.

Many patients who have not seen a dentist in some years because of dental phobia also fear being judged because their teeth are in poor condition. You can rest assured that at Benhill Dental Practice we will never be judgemental; the whole team is sympathetic to patients’ concerns, and all we want is to help you get back into full oral health, then to maintain it for life.

Do you have prominent silver fillings that make you embarrassed to smile in public? Fillings made from metal amalgam are very strong and durable, but are also very obvious because they do not blend in with the natural colour of your teeth.

When they were first developed, white or tooth-coloured fillings were not as strong as metal amalgam fillings. These days things have changed; thanks to big advances in materials and techniques used, white fillings are now considered almost as strong as metal ones, and suitable for use in all areas of your mouth.

White or tooth-coloured fillings are made of a very strong composite material. When your dentist places a white filling, they will carefully select a colour of composite that matches closely to the natural colour of your teeth. This means that the fillings will blend in seamlessly to your smile and nobody will know they are there.

At Benhill Dental Practice in Sutton, we offer the option of replacing silver-coloured metal amalgam fillings with tooth-coloured composite fillings, to improve the aesthetic appearance of your smile. If your metal fillings are old, worn or discoloured, or if you just want to give your smile a cosmetic makeover, replacing metal fillings with composite fillings is an excellent option.

This is a simple and fast procedure carried out in a single appointment here at our Sutton dental practice. Your dentist will first remove your old metal fillings from your teeth, using local anaesthetic so that you won’t experience any discomfort.

If there are any new areas of decay, your dentist will also remove these and will prepare your tooth to take a new filling. After carefully choosing the correct shade of composite material, your dentist will place this in the cavity and shape it for a perfect, smooth and seamless fit. Once in place the material hardens quickly, giving you a strong, healthy and natural-looking smile.

Whiter teeth are top of the wish-list for many people interested in cosmetic dentistry. Our teeth become stained by certain foods and drinks, including red wine and coffee, by smoking and by some medicines and medicated mouthwashes. Many people also find that as they become older they notice their teeth start to lose much of their natural lustre.

At Benhill Dental Practice we offer teeth whitening treatment to help you get that sparkle back in your smile. Teeth whitening can be carried out here at the dental practice or in the comfort of your own home. It’s a fast and effective way to remove the everyday stains from your teeth and give them a natural, brighter, whiter appearance.

Here’s how the treatment options work:

Home teeth whitening

If you choose home teeth whitening, you will still need to visit the dental practice so that your dentist can assess your suitability for treatment, and can take impressions of your teeth for your custom-made teeth whitening trays to be created.

When these trays are ready, we will see you again to check that they fit snuggly and will show you how to use them. You place a small amount of teeth whitening gel in the trays and wear them overnight for about two weeks.

Power whitening

Power whitening takes place here in our Sutton dental practice. Your lips and gums will be shielded and whitening gel will be applied to your teeth. A special lamp is placed over your teeth to activate the gel, which will gently remove even stubborn stains from your teeth. Power whitening takes just one hour, and will result in teeth that are several shades whiter.

Whichever option you choose, it’s important to remember that teeth whitening should only be carried out by a dentist or dental hygienist. The products used in dental practices, unlike those available online or on the high street, are tried, tested and safe. Teeth whitening should also only be carried out on healthy teeth, as patients with cavities or enamel erosion are more likely to experience sensitivity.