London cosmetic dentistry

Posts Tagged ‘braces’

The Invisalign® System is Available in London

Friday, September 5th, 2008

Invisible orthodontic braces were introduced in the 1990s, and the Invisalign® system in the late 1990s. The Invisalign® system is now available in London. It consists of clear plastic “teeth aligners” that are made using complicated computer methods. These “teeth aligners” are being currently used to move and straighten teeth, instead of using the more primitive orthodontic wire and bracket system. You may want to know if invisible braces work. In addition to being indiscernible, this technique allows for better and more comfortable teeth movement. Typical therapeutic time for the Invisalign® system is approximately one year as compared to 2-3 years for regular orthodontic treatment. However, limitations do exist, and these should not be a substitute for complete regular orthodontic therapies. For instance, the Invisalign® system should not be used on partially erupted teeth, or teeth that are very crowded. However, Invisalign® is very popular with both adults and teenagers.
You should first visit your London-based dentist for a consultation before deciding if Invisalign® is right for you. Following a complete examination and a careful analysis, the dentist will take alginate impressions of your mouth and have your impressions poured in white plaster in the laboratory. Next, these study models will be scanned using a computer. This technical computer will plan your tooth movements and a succession of 12-48 clear plastic aligners will be fabricated and sent back to your Invisalign® dentist’s office. Your dentist will then give you the first set of aligners and teach you how to snap them into place. You’ll probably say “it does not fit right.” The explanation for this is that the plastic aligner is made to fit the new position that your teeth are going to approximate. After several days of wearing this plastic aligner your teeth will move to where the aligner is guiding them. Following this movement, your teeth will be allowed to rest and allow time for your oral bone to help set these teeth into where they have been guided. Then, after a few weeks, you will visit your dentist to get your new plastic aligner, and place it onto your teeth where it will not fit again, and so on and so forth, until your teeth are positioned into their final wanted set-up. Most likely, you will visit your dentist’s office once a month, so that they may check your progress and perform modifications.

Teeth straightening in London with Invisalign

Sunday, July 20th, 2008

Invisalign is the undetectable way to set straight your teeth without putting on formal metal braces.

Invisalign makes use of a sequence of clear, detachable specially made plastic aligners to budge your teeth. This engineering is also easy, annulling the mouth scratches that can be induced by the metal and wires of conservative braces. This method is more convenient because the person undertaking invisalign treatment need not spend too much of time in a London dental clinic.

Why People Prefer Invisalign Over Metal Braces?

• People prefer invisalign to metal braces because they are hygienic.
• No metal bands or wires which can trap food or plaque in your teeth.
Oral hygiene can be easily maintained.

Pros and cons of invisalign:
Pros:
 When compared to the conventional metal and rubber band braces the invisalign aligners are removable. This helps you to remove them when you eat or brush your teeth

 You need not worry about the breakage of rubber bands because invisalign aligners are convenient. You need not visit your dentist often.

 The transparent colour of the invisalign aligners does not make it noticeable. Your teeth are perfectly aligned without feeling self conscious.

Cons:
 People with sensitive gums or teeth will feel some discomfort when they wear invisalign aligners. But this discomfort will be only temporary. Once you get used to invisalign aligner you will not feel it.
 In rare cases some people break aligners due to teeth grinding habit. And the constant removal of the aligners is a bit risky.
Invisalign aligners are a bit more expensive than the regular metal braces.
 Consider the following before going in for invisalign:

Before Choosing Invisalign seek the advice of your dentist:
Your oral health is of course vital and your decision to straighten it is a great idea. But it is always better if you get your dentist check the complete condition of your mouth and find out if you are fit for this treatment. Some people may have to undergo gum treatment before invisalign.

Advice on getting Invisalign braces in London!

Sunday, May 11th, 2008

Did you wear braces when you were small? Did you get tired of being mercilessly teased by friends and family as, “robot head, metal mouth” and so on? Well unfortunately I’ve got bad news, bad teeth and alignment is generally hereditary so jp082005_2011.jpgthere’s very god chance that your children will have to wear braces too! But there’s good news too!
London dentists have a new alterative to the old painful metal wires and brackets! Invisible braces are here to stay! Yes that’s right INVISLAIGN braces are a set of invisible plastic braces which are individually designed to move your teeth back to the original position as painlessly as possible.
Advantages-
1. These braces are made of invisible plastic moldable material not clearly visible to the eye.
2. Individual braces are manufactured by a computer so you get the best fit and alignment to tooth movement.
3. More efficient and take lesser time to achieve treatment results.
4. The unsightly metal braces and brackets are completely eliminated and the pains and aches of the metal poking gum tissue is completely done away with.Disadvantages-
1. Pretty expensive!
2. These braces can only be used for the simplest of cases and can’t be used with partially erupted teeth or severe crowding.
3. These braces need a special laboratory to manufacturer the braces and you will get a set of new 12 to 48 aligners to make the teeth move to new positions.
4. As the braces are removable the patient has to co-operate in wearing the braces or its no use.

Orthodontic Treatments in London

Friday, April 11th, 2008

241301sdc.jpgOrthodontics is a specialized branch of dentistry that involves the study and treatments of growths related to a patient’s jaws, teeth and overall face structure. Orthodontics in London is in high demand these days, with thousands of people having undergone the treatment last year and more adults actually wanting this treatment. So, what is behind this enormous popularity attached to orthodontics? It is because orthodontics is about taking better care of your teeth and jaws. It strives to improve the harmony that exists between your jaws and your mouth, enabling better capability of biting, chewing, maintaining overall oral hygiene and, of course, being entitled to a great smile.With so many people seeking the wonders of this treatment, orthodontics is becoming a field of specialization and the general course for orthodontic treatments begin with a general dentist referring you to a specialist. However, general dentists may also deliver similar services according to the mildness of condition. Anything beyond that needs special professional intervention. The most popular reasons for a referral to a specialist include - teeth protrusion, teeth asymmetry, crowding, open bite, deep bite, reverse bite, impacted and injured teeth, etc.

Orthodontic can have no single treatment. Every treatment procedure in orthodontics is tailored according to the patient’s condition and should be conducted under special professional supervision. However, some of the most popular orthodontic treatments may include, but are not limited to, fixing permanent and removable teeth braces, fixing functional appliances for controlling the growth of the patient’s teeth and jaws, and fixing retainers.

London in all (braced) smiles

Saturday, March 1st, 2008

When we look at the faces of kids or young adults, we see most of them wearing some or other kind of braces. We might wonder why so many people have to undergo dental treatment? All their teeth so abnormal? In fact, many have some or other type of bite problem such as overbite, underbite, or crossbite, which may range from mild to moderate. The device used to treat this kind of a problem is called dental brace or orthodontic brace. Depending on the severity of the problem, one has to wear fixed braces or removable braces. If the condition is mild such as slight malocclusion that can be corrected by slight movement of the teeth, the option for you is a removable brace. If your condition is a little more complicated requiring movement of a number of teeth in different directions, you definitely require a fixed brace, maybe with some other procedures depending on your condition. In fixed braces, the brackets are glued to the teeth with a cement and hooked to the molars with elastic bands. They are weaved together with nickel-titanium wires, which are sensitive to temperature. When cold they are flexible, but on reaching body temperature, they become firm and attain proper shape; hence no longer require any reshaping as against the previous metal wires. Nowadays tooth coloured braces or aligners are available for those who do not wish to have a metallic smile. However, these aligners are useful only to those who need only minor adjustment of their teeth and not recommended for difficult cases. Treatment using invisible aligners requires more time compared to fixed braces. There are lingual braces that are fixed behind the teeth and they are not easily visible. But they can cause discomfort while talking as they restrict the movement of the tongue. As we are wearing these braces to get a beautiful smile, we have to be careful about our eating habit too. We should avoid drinking aerated drinks, which are acidic in nature and avoid sticky food items that might get around the braces causing discolouration.

Now different types of braces are available according to ones needs and they range from traditional stainless steel, to nickel-titanium, ceramic, and gold plated (for those who cannot use nickel due to allergy. there are other newer varieties that are available in London which are self-tying as against manual tying. The latest of this category under development is the one with a microchip attached to it, which can accurately measure the force to be applied on the teeth. Therefore, in the future we would be wearing microchip-implanted braces that would tell us when to go to the dentist or when to remove them.

Stainless steel smiles around London

Saturday, March 1st, 2008

Orthodontics is a specialty of dentistry that deals with the study and treatment of tooth irregularity, disproportionate jaw relationships, or both. Treatment can focus on dental displacement only, or can deal with the control and modification of facial growth. Orthodontic treatment can be done for aesthetic or cosmetic reasons that are, improving the general appearance of your teeth and face. However, treatment is often prescribed for practical reasons, like providing functionally - you have to bite and chew to eat your food, get nourishment and stay healthy.

You can get orthodontic treatment at any age - 4 to 90. Orthodontic treatment works best and is less painful new when you are 8 to 14. Jaw growth is at its fast between the ages of 8 to 9 this is best time to reshape the mouth. Then you wait till 12 or 13 for most of the permanent teeth to grow and start full orthodontic treatment. As you get older the treatment takes longer and hurts more. By the time you are 20, you may need surgery to expand your jaw.

London teenagers like flashing a Stainless Steel Smile. Your mouth is usually sore for the first week after you get braces and whenever the braces are tightened. You will get so used to the braces. Standard braces should not affect your talk or voice. If your lips get sore, you can put wax on the braces to prevent the braces from scratching and inflaming the sore. If you start orthodontic treatment when you are 18 or older, your teeth feel like they are loose in your mouth.

You will have to avoid contact sports like boxing, wrestling, and karate. Wear an orthodontic mouth guard during any sporting activity.

You cannot chew gum! You may also have to avoid hard sticky, gooey or crunchy foods - Caramel, toffee, - anything that can stick on your braces and pull them off your teeth. You will have to be careful with crunchy foods like carrots and apples.

The cost of orthodontic treatment in London can be between £1,000 and £3,000.It may appear costly, but it is not really so. A normal orthodontic treatment can mean about 100 visits to the orthodontist. This works out to about £10 to £30 per visit. It appears costly because the bill is the lifetime costs of straightening your teeth. The total bill is less than the total amount you have to pay for the lifetime maintenance and repairs on your car.