June 21st, 2010
In cosmetic dentistry there are many treatments which aim to improve the appearance of the teeth but perhaps none of them is so effective as teeth whitening. Having whiter teeth can completely transform a smile and by doing so have the same impact on your overall appearance. Discoloured teeth can look very unpleasant and unhealthy, and we also automatically associate them as a sign of aging. This means that any discolouration could be prematurely aging you. But restoring the white appearance of your teeth could help to reverse this process and make you look years younger.
Teeth whitening works by applying a special gel in trays to the surfaces of the teeth. These trays have usually been specially designed for each specific patient. The gel, which contains the active ingredient hydrogen peroxide, will act on the protective layer of enamel that has been stained or discoloured. It gradually bleaches the enamel making it look whiter and more uniform in colour.
In some cases this is enhanced by using a special lamp to accelerate the process of whitening. Treatment can be very short, as little as half an hour, or can be longer and repeated over the course of days and even weeks for more effective results. It is possible to lighten teeth by up to ten shades using teeth whitening treatments and with the process starting from as little as £60 it is little wonder it has fast become the most popular form of cosmetic treatment.
West London dentists now offer teeth whitening as standard procedure for all patients when twenty or even ten years ago it may well have been prohibitively expensive for most people. To find out more, ask your dentist at your next check up appointment.
June 20th, 2010
Everybody knows what traditional braces look like, either from personal experience or from knowing somebody who had to wear them. So you won’t be shocked when I say that they’re not exactly the most beautiful things in the world. Yet we all know how important they are for providing patients with beautiful, straight smiles they can have confidence in. Until recently, this sacrifice was the only option if you wanted to have a great smile.
In recent years, a number of other straighteners have come onto the market that have offered similarly beneficial results but without the need for the visual impact. One of the leading lights of this new wave of brace is called the six Month Smile brace and is available from Central London dentists. The Six Month Smile has set out to address all the major drawbacks associated commonly with the old-style fixed metal brace.
Firstly, there is the visual aspect. This has been addressed by reducing the size of the brackets and making them out of ceramic and clear plastic. This makes them much more discreet than the bulky metal brackets of old. The wires are also made of tooth coloured material to reduce the impact.
The comfort factor has also been addressed with the need for fewer uncomfortable tightening appointments with the dentist. Anyone who has had a brace tightened will know what a relief this can be. The treatment time with Six Month Smile has also been spectacularly reduced, with the average treatment time being, that’s right, you’ve guessed it, just six months. It’s all in the name really. This is an incredible three quarters less than treatment with traditional braces on average.
June 18th, 2010
There are many afflictions that can affect the appearance of the teeth. They can suffer from discolouration or staining, become damaged by a physical trauma resulting in chipped or cracked teeth or even become worn due to a natural weakness of enamel. All of these conditions and many others can adversely affect the way the teeth look causing self-confidence and emotional issues, not to mention a great deal of embarrassment.
However, there are many treatments in the world of cosmetic dentistry that allow Central London dentists to treat and improve the way the teeth look. One of the most successful of these is to use porcelain veneers. These are thin ceramic shells that cover the surface of the tooth, restoring not just the colour but also the size and shape of more attractive teeth.
Porcelain veneers are constructed for each individual’s teeth, often using the very latest dental technology. Modern veneers are so thin, often about the same width as a contact lens, which means they require little if any enamel removal prior to fixing them in the mouth. This had always been the slight drawback of veneers, that they involved the removal of otherwise healthy enamel but this is no longer the case.
Porcelain veneers are capable of producing some of the most emphatic and stunning results in cosmetic dentistry, completely changing the appearance of the teeth in as little as one afternoon. For patients suffering from conditions affecting their teeth, having a new set of veneers fitted could be the most significant decision they make for their emotional well-being. A good set of porcelain veneers will last up to twenty years of properly maintained, meaning you can enjoy healthy and attractive looking teeth for the best part of two decades.
June 17th, 2010
TMJ, also commonly known as TMD or TMJD, is short for temporomandibular disorder and is a condition that affects the jaw, muscles in the neck and head and the TMJ joints next to each ear. The TMJ joint is responsible for coordinating movements that lead to eating, drinking and talking so any complaint in the area can have a significant impact on the life of the patient.
The main symptom of TMJ is unfortunately pain. This usually occurs when the patient is chewing or yawning, or any other extended movement of the TM joint. There may also be a painful ringing or tinnitus in the ear. Other major symptoms include swelling around the joint, a change in the bite and profile and trouble swallowing.
One of the major problems when diagnosing TMJ is that a lot of these symptoms can be caused by manifold other conditions, some of which are far more likely to occur. This means that TMJ is often far down the list of diagnoses. Your West London dentist, if they suspect TMJ, will conduct something called a clench test. This involves clenching the jaw to assess whether there is a structural disorder that could be TMJ.
In most cases, treatment of TMJ will involve some level of orthodontics. In some severe cases, there may be a need for surgery but most bite misalignments can be cured with orthodontic treatment. During treatment, it may be necessary to wear a mouth guard to protect the lower teeth. There are various other treatments your dentist will be able to explain upon diagnosis of TMJ. If your jaw joints hurt or are swollen, then contact a dentist and ask for a test for TMJ.
June 16th, 2010
One of the most common problems dentists experience every day is nervous patients in their chair. This can be a problem because anxious patients are not easy to perform complex and often very intricate procedures upon. After all, when you are operating with potentially dangerous tools, the last thing you need is a patient moving around and making sudden jolts. However, most dentists do understand that visiting the dentist is a very difficult experience for some people.
This is why modern dentist training involves a lot of work on how to relax patients and empathise with how they might be feeling. Whereas in the past, dentists were perhaps more concerned with the treatment than with the patients themselves, an attitude shift has seen a move towards a more caring and understanding approach that treats the patient not just the dental concern.
In a recent study, 9 out of 10 Brits admitted to having some kind of fear of the dentist. In most cases this is simply a mild anxiety that is easily overcome but some patients suffer from a much more severe phobia. This can be helped often by just talking to a dentist before your appointment to gain a better understanding of what is likely to happen during treatment. Other methods of relaxing patients include using breathing techniques and aromatherapy before treatment in an effort to calm the patient down. This has proved to be very successful at Central London dentists and has allowed countless patients to receive the necessary dental treatment they required.
June 15th, 2010
Anyone who has gone through their teenage years knows that it can be a very difficult time. So for parents who have children who need braces during this emotionally trying time it can be a concern and something that you would like to avoid. However, most parents know that having an attractive and confident smile is more important in the long run.
Luckily, there is now an orthodontic treatment that means you don’t need to wear ugly, fixed metal braces for as long as three years yet you can still have beautiful straight teeth. This new system is called Invisalign teen and uses a system of one-millimetre thick plastic braces to straighten teeth over the course of about 18 months. The main objective of Invisalign teen is to provide excellent straightening whole minimising the impact both visually and physically for the teenage patient.
The system comes with several specially adapted benefits for the teenage patient and their parents. As well as being comfortable and very discreet they are also fitted with special tabs that change colour gradually to allow the wearer to know when it is time to change the aligner. This also allows the parents to know if their child has been wearing the brace for a sufficient amount of time. They are also designed to allow room for teeth to develop at the back of the dental arc, as they commonly do during the teenage years.
The Invisalign braces are also removable which means they can be taken out for cleaning. This is frequently a problem for fixed braces, as they do not allow for a thorough cleaning of the teeth due the position of the brackets. Invisalign Teen braces are available from West London dentists who can also provide more information about suitability and the benefits of treatment.
June 14th, 2010
Over the last decade there have been a number of new orthodontic straightening devices released onto the market offering improved teeth straightening without some of the sacrifices demanded by conventional braces. Perhaps the most impressive of all these new treatment methods is Invisalign. This is a system that offers patients an almost completely invisible brace minimising the visual impact that puts so many patients off wearing braces.
Invisalign uses a series of one-millimetre thick plastic retainers to gradually reposition the teeth over the course of the treatment. Each retainer is worn for as period of between two and three weeks before it is replaced by another with a slight adjustment. In all there are about twenty to thirty retainers used in the average treatment meaning that the usual length of treatment is about 18 months. This is six months shorter than the average treatment with traditional fixed metal braces.
The other major advantage of the Invisalign system is that the braces are removable. This makes cleaning the teeth easier and more effective, something that can cause problems with fixed braces. It also means that patients can remove the braces for important social and sporting occasions. As long as the brace is worn for a period of twenty hours a day it will still be equally as effective.
The fact that Invisalign braces are so low impact makes them ideal for patients in their difficult teenage years. The braces are almost impossible to see so younger patients will have no need to feel self-conscious about wearing braces. To learn more about the Invisalign system you can ask a City of London dentist for more information.
June 13th, 2010
The Inman aligner is a new tool for of orthodontic teeth straightening that focuses especially on providing patients with a fast and effective treatment, capable of achieving results in as little as sixteen weeks. This really rather remarkable when you consider that some fixed orthodontic treatments can take up to three years.
The Inman aligner is also very discreet when in the mouth. Only a thin metal bar can be seen across the front of the teeth, as opposed to a series of metal brackets stuck to each tooth. The bulk of the straightening power comes form a coiled spring located on the tongue side of the teeth. This is hidden from view but also acts to move the lateral teeth out, creating room for the visible front teeth to move into and straighten. It is this focus on the visible teeth that provides the Inman aligner with its incredible speed.
The other major bonus of the Inman aligner compared to traditional braces is that it is completely removable. In fact, as long as the Inman aligner is in the mouth for between 18 and 20 hours a day it can be completely effective, although the longer you wear it the more effective it will be.
The speed of treatment is becoming very appealing to many people keen to improve the appearance of their teeth in the shortest time possible. This has included brides-to-be and people who are starting a new job and want the confidence that a beautiful smile can give you. Inman aligners are available from London W1 dentists and also cost roughly half of the price of traditional treatment with braces, just another reason why it could be perfect for you and your teeth.
June 12th, 2010
About 7 per cent of men and 14 per cent of women are affected by something known as a gummy smile. This is when an excess of gingival, or gum, tissue encroaches upon the teeth and makes them look uneven and disproportionate to the rest of the mouth. This can be an unattractive and embarrassing condition that can cause a lack of self-confidence. The condition is usually caused by genetics but can be the result of other health conditions such as high blood pressure prescriptions.
In the past, the way to remove this excess tissue involved using a scalpel. This obviously doesn’t sound very pleasant even though the procedure was relatively painless. However, improvements in dental technology have led to the introduction of the dental laser. This has many uses in modern cosmetic dentistry but it can crucially be used to remove excess gum tissue, with several key advantages. Firstly, it uses a great deal of heat, which will not hurt the patient but will cauterise the tissue that it cuts. This also means that the cuts are sterilised and will heal much faster than if they were cut with a scalpel.
This gum contouring using a laser is also very accurate and can be used to create a very pleasant and even looking smile, where all the teeth are even and proportionate to one another. In some cases the tissue may grow back to some extent but this is unlikely. Gum contouring is a very easy and quick procedure that can be accomplished in only one appointment with a London W1 dentist. It is also very affordable and will bring an end to the embarrassing gummy smile that may have been lowering your self-confidence all these years.
June 11th, 2010
If you have just paid out hundreds or even thousands of pounds for cosmetic dentistry work you want to be sure that your smile looks its very best. You may not have realised but the smile is about more than just the teeth and a mouth full of beaming white, healthy looking teeth will look slightly incongruous with wrinkles all around it. After all, every great picture deserves a great frame.
There is an easy solution to firm the skin around the mouth to complete the look of a great smile. Dermal fillers such as collagen firm and plump the skin around the mouth by using a substance called hyaluronic acid. This is a naturally occurring substance in the body that binds moisture in cells. This stops them from drying out and keeps them firm and fresh.
More and more dentists in the UK are now offering dermal fillers as part of a standard practice. The actual procedure is relatively painless and involves several small injections with a very fine needle. These can even take place after an anaesthetic gel has been applied to the area in question to minimise feeling even more. This will mean the whole procedure is completely painless.
Most dermal fillers last for somewhere between three and six months before they need to be topped up. They are perfectly safe for use in the body and will break down naturally after a period of time. Central London dentists are now offering dermal fillers as part of a wider smile makeover or as one off treatments to improve the appearance of the skin on the face and neck. Make an appointment to find out more details.
