September 3rd, 2010
Braces. Just the word itself is enough to fill the hearts of many teenagers with dread. No one wants to stand out at that age and braces can make just that happen. Obviously everyone would like to have straight teeth but the thought of sacrificing up to three years of your most difficult teenage years to the metal brackets and wires of braces can be difficult to stomach.
However, it doesn’t have to be that way, as brace technology has advanced so much over the last ten years that now the options for straighter teeth are much greater than they once were. The traditional fixed metal brace is just one of many options that teenage patients can choose from.
Amongst others, braces and straighteners that have revolutionised the world of braces include the Inman aligner, Six Month Smile braces and Damon braces. Each of these has their own distinct advantages over traditional braces and very often involve treatments that last just a fraction of the time.
For example, the Inman aligner is capable of straightening teeth in as little as three or four months, although most commonly treatment lasts about six months. This is about a quarter of the time of conventional treatment and produces results equally as impressive. Other brace systems such as Invisalign offer treatments that are much more discreet. The plastic retainers of this system are almost impossible to spot when in the mouth and can be removed for cleaning, reducing the long-term impact of braces on the colour of the teeth.
To find out more about the possibility of braces you should make an appointment with a City of London dentist. They can advise you on which brace option is most suitable for your teeth and give you more information about cost and lengthy of treatment.
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.
May 10th, 2010
Six Months Smile is a revolutionary new orthodontic brace, developed in the US and aimed at significantly reducing the time taken to straighten teeth. The Six Month Smile brace can be used to treat a number of straightening concerns including crowding, spacing and bite issues.
Having straight teeth is becoming of increasing importance in the modern world but many people can’t face the prospect of having to wear traditional fixed metal braces for up to two and a half years. This is where new orthodontic treatments such as Six Month are making such a big difference to people’s lives. The main advantages of the Six Month treatment is that treatment time is reduced by up to 75 per cent. As the name of the brace would suggest, the average time for treatment is just Six Months, although the longer the brace is worn the more impressive the results.
The wires used in the Six Month brace are small and discreet. They are tooth coloured so they limit the aesthetic effects common to other more conspicuous braces. As with all orthodontic treatments, you may experience some discomfort at first but this will soon wear off as the teeth become accustomed to the brace. However, it must be said that Six Month braces have been specifically designed to create less discomfort than other braces. You will require short fifteen-minute appointments about every five weeks with your City of London dentist to adjust the braces but on the whole, patients say they are a lot less intrusive than other treatments.
Six Month smile is a new and exciting orthodontic treatment in the UK that is coming to the attention of more and more people. If you have always wanted to put the finishing touches to your smile but have never been keen on traditional style braces, then make an initial appointment to see if the Six Month Smile treatment could work for you.
December 15th, 2009
Being a teenager isn’t easy at the best of times but being told you have to wear braces to straighten your teeth can be an added burden in the most emotionally unstable of developing years. Metal braces can make you stand out from the crowd and cause a loss of self-confidence and esteem at a time when you need it most. This was the thinking behind the development of Invisalign Teen invisible braces, by orthodontists who specialise in teenage patients.
Invisalign braces are made from one millimetre thick clear plastic that is virtually impossible to see unless standing very close to the patient. This completely reduces the visual impact of conventional braces minimising the impact on the life of the patient. This is also achieved in other ways, as the retainers are completely removable meaning they can be taken out for eating and social activities. Each retainer is worn for a period of two weeks before it is replaced with another computer-designed and manufactured brace. Each retainer makes small adjustment to gradually move teeth into the desired position providing beautiful straight teeth.
The limited impact means that teenagers are more inclined to wear the braces than they are other removable straighteners. Invisalign Teen braces also come with special tabs that indicate how long the brace has been worn for, so parents can check if their child has been wearing the brace for the correct amount of time. This and other innovations such as allowing for the development of further molars make the Invisalign Teen brace the brace of choice for parents and teenagers alike. West London dentists are using the Invisalign system to produce discreet straightening to achieve perfect life-long smiles.
November 19th, 2009
Just like the clinically proven Invisalign adult range, the Invisalign Teen retainer system offers straighter teeth with a much higher degree of discretion than conventional metal braces. Invisalign is a system of one millimetre thick plastic retainers worn for small periods to make small adjustments and replaced on average twenty times throughout the treatment.
Nobody really wants to wear a brace but everybody accepts it as a necessary sacrifice to have straight teeth. For years, the only real option for orthodontic teeth straightening was the wire and bracket ‘train track’ braces. These were uncomfortable and very unattractive. Because most orthodontic treatments are most successful in the developing teenage years it was at this age that most braces were fitted. This could often have very negative emotional effects on brace wearers and could lead to a loss of confidence and even bullying in extreme cases.
The Invisalign Teen brace system is specially designed to help teenagers maintain their self-confidence and self-esteem right the way through treatment. Unlike other braces and especially fixed-metal braces, the Invisalign Teen system is designed to fit around the lifestyle of a teenager. It has been created and manufactured in tandem with orthodontists who understand both the teenagers’ social and orthodontic needs. The Teen system has all the straightening power of the adult range with a few added extras. The revolutionary Blue Dot Wear Indicators fade when it is time to change the retainer. The braces are also made with eruption tabs to accommodate for the growth of molars during treatment.
Invisalign braces are manufactured using the latest in 3D imaging and digital x-rays to provide a high level of accuracy. The retainers need to be worn for about 20 to 22 hours a day but can be removed for meal times, brushing teeth and important occasions. They can also be removed when playing sport to accommodate a mouth guard.
Invisalign teen allows the teenager to maintain their lifestyle and make as few sacrifices as possible to have straight teeth. The retainers aim to make the straightening process as straightforward and pleasant as possible. By minimising the impact on the lives of the young patients, Invisalign Teen is becoming a popular choice for teenagers who want straighter teeth. Costs for Invisalign treatments vary but are rarely more expensive than any other orthodontic treatments. Ask a Central London dentist about the benefits of the Invisalign Teen treatment.
October 12th, 2009
Over the last twenty years, a vast array of new cosmetic dental procedures have been introduced that can make you teeth more aesthetically attractive. Cosmetic dentistry has made it possible for those of us not blessed with naturally straight and white teeth to achieve our dream smile.
For patients who suffer from cracked, chipped or broken teeth, a treatment called composite dental bonding can restore the appearance of teeth while maintaining the integrity and strength of your natural teeth. Dental bonding involves using a resin paste, made up to closely resemble the natural colour of the patient’s teeth, which is sculpted into the desired shape. When the dentist is happy with the appearance the resin can be set hard using the intense heat of a laser. Dental bonding can also be used to correct problems with unevenly spaced teeth and also thinly applied to cover discolouration caused by staining and fluorosis.
For teeth that are too badly damaged or discoloured to correct by dental bonding the dentist may opt to use the very latest in porcelain veneers. In the past, veneers were often a last resort because they required a significant portion of the tooth to be worn away to accommodate the chunky and often unrealistic looking veneer. Today, using the very latest in computer aided manufacture and design, veneers can be created that are as thin as contact lenses. These can fit over the top of existing teeth with minimal preparation and provide an incredibly realistic translucent appearance. For severely discoloured or worn teeth, a whole row of veneers can be applied completely transforming the appearance of the smile in only one session.
Another very popular cosmetic dentistry procedure is whitening. By applying peroxide gel to the teeth, the dentist can restore the original white colour of teeth that tends to fade as we get older.
By using one or a combination of these procedures (often known as a smile makeover) a cosmetic dentist is able to produce the patient’s desired smile. There are very few occasions where the dentist is unable to overcome existing dental difficulties to produce the desired effect. Whatever the dental concern you may have, talk to a London W1 dentist about cosmetic dentistry and they will be able to advise which procedures would be most effective for your teeth.
