Author: Aura Dental
Invisible braces; are they any good?
We have been supplying Invisalign in St. John’s Wood, for many years and have had great experiences with seeing our patients through treatment schedules using invisible aligners, let’s talk more about them.
What are invisible aligners?
Invisible aligners are an orthodontic tool; it’s role is to progressively straighten your teeth over time. They are in thin plastic forms which you wear over your teeth; they fit very snuggly to the point of being slightly tight, but this is the sensation of the system pushing on your teeth over time. It is that consistent pressure which will coax your team to adopt a new position;exactly which position this is depends on the shape of the aligner.
This makes the shape of the aligners the most critical element for treatment. Unlike a brace which is worn for the entire patient orthodontic journey, clear aligners are only worn for 2-weeks each, as part of a series of aligners making up the length of the treatment. This could be anywhere between 4 months and 2 years depending on the starting and finishing position as well as how the patient’s teeth respond to treatment.
Are invisible aligners invisible?
Invisible aligners and one of their earliest manufacturers options that we use in the clinic are not strictly invisible but due to being completely translucent and very thin, they are hardly noticeable when being worn.
Invisalign in St.John’s Wood has been particularly popular with adult orthodontic patients; this seems to be due to a higher expectation amount. Our adult cohorts as teenagers and young adults usually use NHS funded braces, and have to wait to see the results of the orthodontic care when they finally have their braces. But this is not true with Invisalign in St.John Wood.
Another aspect that makes clear aligners more appropriate for adult patients is the removability; you must, of course, return them to your mouth and wear them for 22 hours each day for the treatment to work.
Computer-aided dentistry
The most innovative aspects of invisible aligners is the use of computer aided design and the 3D scan of the patient teeth in order to design and iron out the treatment schedule. This gives better predictive results, so we can show our patients a real-time example of how their teeth will look upon completion.
It is this computer aided design that allows aligners to be sent through to 3D printers and manufactured. It can take as little as four weeks for a set of aligners to be produced from a 3D scan and sent to our clinic, allowing you to start your treatment promptly.
Due to how critical the shape of an aligner is to an effective treatment, there are certain do’s and don’ts with your aligner; they can be quite sensitive to heat and easily warped in a washing machine or tumble dryer. This can easily occur by cleaning your aligner in hot water, so take care to not throw your aligner in with your washing or into a tumble dryer!
The value of good oral hygiene
Oral hygiene for many is often nothing more than a background afterthought. And this is the cause of dentistry in general;the best dentistry is preventative and our dentist in St.John’s Wood would prefer to keep you out of the chair!
For a lot of patients, good oral hygiene can be quite an awkward object as they believe their oral hygiene is fine and so, advice is an insult. Alternatively, they may know their oral hygiene could be better and would not like to be reminded. As medical professionals, we don’t judge our patients’ personal choices when it comes to how they wish to keep their own teeth. As long as the consequences are understood, it is important to maintain good hygiene for your health and bank balance.
A primary condition caused by oral hygiene issues is a cavity, but often, only a few of our patients know exactly how cavities are formed. Cavities are made by colonies of bacteria who attach themselves to the enamel of tooth; they digest sugar producing lactic acids much like the lactic acid that is produced in our muscles during exercise, but when it is produced at the surface of the tooth, lactic acid is particularly good at attacking the calcium compounds within the enamel. This weakens and softens the localised area and the bacterial colony exploits this getting deeper into the tooth. They do not do this in order to eat the tooth, only to provide a sheltered spot in which they can happily continue digesting the sugars from inside your mouth. It is this parasitic behaviour that results in the formation of a cavity, which will drill deeper and deeper into your tooth overtime eventually compromising structural integrity and resulting in the crumbling of the tooth.
This process accelerates over time as dentin components are weaker and more susceptible to damage by acids. The precursor to these colonies’ foothold inside your teeth is a biofilm that curved over the tooth surface. This film is called plaque and is a mix of many different bacterial species. By regularly removing plaque from your teeth and disrupting biofilm, you are preventing the next stage of the bacteria’s invasion.
Even with regular brushing of the teeth, it is tricky to remove plaque from certain spots. This includes between teeth, areas that have been damaged by cracks around bridgework, and where the dentie of the root has become exposed as gums recede.
During the early stages of a cavity,there are little to no symptoms. This is also the stage where it is easiest to treat. Catching cavities at this stage is one of the main reasons why the regular screening for cavities which occur during your six month regular checkup at our dentist in St.John’s Wood is so important.
As well as being able to see cavities at early stages by a simple examination of the enamel, our team is also able to ascertain the depth of the cavity; it is possible that quite a small hole extends deeply into the tooth.
If you are experiencing a cavity,you can get in contact with our dentist in St. John’s Wood. You can do this via the phone or email as well as the contact form on our website.
Which is better-braces or aligners?
There is no answer to the phrase which is better; a more useful question would be which is a more appropriate treatment for me in my personal case, Invisalign in St. John’s Wood or their braces? What are the pros and cons?
Braces suitable to a wider range of conditions compared to aligners, which have convenience and comfort in their everyday use to their advantage. This is a loose generalisation, so let’s look more closely at them.
Standard metal braces
The focus of the traditional orthodontic metal brace is around it’s arch wire. This is a metal rod that is around the arch of the mouth (where it gets its nickname). Attached to the arch wire is the bracket glued to the front of the teeth. When a similar arrangement is glued to the back of the teeth it is called a lingual brace. This is related to the standard metal brace but it’s much harder to fit and less noticeable.
The brace allows an orthodontist to apply pressure to the patients teeth, which is done by tensioning the arch wire. Once under tension, the archwire will continue to press on the teeth and the brace loosens. This is done during a trip to your orthodontist every 4 weeks throughout the treatment and is called brace tightening. It can be quite uncomfortable and over-the-counter pain relief is recommended for a few days after a tightening.
Invisalign style clear aligners
The aligners we use (Invisalign in St. John’s Wood) are a lightweight plastic othoditic tool looking very similar to a gum shield only transparent and less noticeable when worn in public. This is what has led to the nickname invisible braces even though they are technically not a brace.
They are only worn for about 2-weeks each and one is used in a sequence, which comes together to cover the course of the treatment. This can be anywhere between 6 months to 2 years. Each of the aligners is a slightly different shape and the force that pushes on the teeth comes from the elastic tension and the tight fitting. Aligner adjustments occur every two weeks compared to the 4 weeks with an orthodontist. They are smaller steps making some far more comfortable than a brace tightening.
Maintenance and everyday use
Traditional metal braces are fixed in place and they have to be worn when eating and drinking. This can lead to missing certain foods when making your meal choices, like sticky toffee and popcorn, as these have a habit of becoming stuck between the brackets and the archwire. After you finish eating, you have to take care to thoroughly clean your braces. If you have any food left which is stuck so close to your teeth, it will become a cavity risk.
This is not an issue with Invisalign in St. John’s Wood, which you can remove before eating. As long as you brush your teeth before replacing aligners there should be no increased cavity risk and this is much easier than maintaining a brace.
Treatment effectiveness
Both treatments have limitations; this is particularly pronounced with clear aligners who are only considered an effective treatment on the front 4 teeth and lack the necessary force to alter the position of molars in any significant way.
I have a cracked tooth; should I book an emergency dental appointment?
Cracking a tooth might sound like a rare or strange situation but it’s fairly common and easy to do, usually on hard foods. And our dentists in St.John’s Wood are happy to help.
In general, most people understand that a damaged tooth is something that needs to be treated and this is often the case if there is any form of discomfort. Deep cracks can be exposed, making them sensitive to changes in temperature. But a patient’s experience of cracking over a long period of time can become complacent, even though this type of cracking is painful but rarely beyond treating. We have to explore the reasons as to why cracking of the teeth can occur, so you can keep an eye out for it.
Night-time tooth grinding can be a common source of cracking teeth as well as having uneven chewing pressure when eating. Night-time guards are available to prevent grinding in the clinic; even the pressure long-term, however, you may require some form of orthodontic treatment. Misalignment can result in placing an excess amount of pressure on a protruding tooth in order to crack it during everyday wear and tear. Either way, cracked teeth need to be addressed as it was a sign of a form of structural weakness in the tooth. If the crack is from a cavity or has now formed a nook in the tooth, this can be exploited by bacteria to form a cavity in the near future.
Not all dental cracks are visible with the naked eye but if you have a sharp pain when biting down hard which fades as quickly as it came, this is one of the signs of a cracked tooth and a sign that the crack in the tooth is opening up under pressure exposing the nerve. This exposure closes again as soon as the pressure is reduced; if you notice this, you should attempt to book an appointment as soon as possible. Our dentist in St John’s Wood maintains a number of empty slots during our daily appointment schedule allowing us to provide same day emergency care.
A crack in a tooth which extends down below the gum line can act as a conduit for bacteria to gain access to the jawbone and beneath the tooth. This can cause dental abscesses and would have to be addressed with a root canal unless the crack is treated in time.
There are many treatment options available to us which depend heavily on how the cracks present in your case; the most minor form of surface cracking can be addressed with a polish in order to smooth out the tooth surface and a fluoride sealant to to help reinforce the enamel against further damage.
A full fracture of the tooth is a crack that penetrates from the surface enamel and goes all the way to the root but with the two pieces remaining in place, this crack can progressively spread over time if not treated. Our dentist in St Johns Wood will endeavour to hold the tooth together using filling material; if the crack continues to spread down the tooth, a crown may be required to hold the tooth together.
A split tooth is the most dramatic form of crack, dividing the two into two pieces with molars who have two individual roots. There may be the option to recover the tooth via crowning it but for the front teeth or canines it will usually result in the tooth having to be extracted.
Poor oral hygiene – an introduction
Are you suffering from poor oral hygiene and in need of treatment? Then look no further than Aura Dental London in St Johns Wood where our expert dentists will be able to see to your needs and requirements in a professional and friendly manner.
What do we do?
At our dentist in St Johns Wood we offer expert treatment together with general dentistry which is often overlooked by a lot of people who get busy with their work and social lives and end up neglecting proper care for their teeth. If you think you are one of those people who need to get back into the routine of caring for your teeth then the best way to start is by making an appointment with your dentist in St Johns Wood and ask for an initial check up. This will enable the dentist in St Johns Wood to be able to provide you with accurate advice and guidance on the best way to maintain dental health and oral hygiene.
What treatments do we offer?
We find that one of the most common forms of treatment required within the UK as a whole is fillings. You may have had at least one filling in your lifetime as it is a very common occurrence. Fillings are needed when you get holes in your teeth and are made up of material that gets placed in the teeth to replace parts of the natural tooth that are now missing.
Dental decay
You may need fillings if you suffer from dental decay as this is one of the main causes of damaged teeth. This happens when people eat too much sugary and fatty foods and drink and do not take care of their diet. This causes bacteria to form in the teeth and the gums which ends up causing erosion and holes to form. Another cause of holes and damage to teeth is caused by poor technique in brushing teeth. This will eventually cause you to suffer tooth pain which can cause discomfort and cause you to struggle to go about your day-to-day life.
What are your options?
If you feel that you are suffering with a hole or pain and discomfort in your teeth and you may require fillings then visit your dentist where the experts will be able to have a thorough consultation and check up so that they can see what the issue is and quickly resolve it for you in a professional and friendly manner. Fillings can be performed on the day and is a quick and easy procedure. The filling will get drilled into the hole and filled with white substance and this will treat the broken tooth and relieve you of the pain. You will not suffer any pain when the dentist inserts the filling into your tooth but if you do feel any slight discomfort your dentist will be able to give you local anaesthetic and some painkillers after the procedure. It will be best to avoid eating and drinking hot foods and drinks for the first 24 hours so that the filling remains in place. After 24 hours you will be able to eat and drink as normal.
Invisalign for a happy and more beautiful smile
There are many different issues that may affect the way you feel about your smile and rest assured that you are not alone. Many people are sitting at home looking at before and after pictures on dental websites and daydreaming about how they can improve the look of their smile. Does that sound like you? Don’t worry, we have all done it! In response to the increasing demand in dental cosmetics and in line with advances in technology, dentists have developed Invisalign. Invisalign is a modern and revolutionary method of addressing the issues with your smile at your comfort, convenience and discretion. If your teeth are clean and healthy then this is the perfect treatment for you, speak to us at Aura Dental and find out about Invisalign in St. John’s Wood today.
How does Invisalign work?
Dentists have been using Invisalign in St. Johns Wood since 1998, there is no need for you to settle with the way your teeth look any longer. Many hundreds and thousands of patients have undergone treatment using Invisalign in St. Johns Wood, so speak to us at Aura dental today, we are here to help you. At the first appointment, your dentist will carry out a full examination of your mouth to make sure that your teeth are clean and healthy and you do not have any underlying issues which may affect the invisalign treatment or get worse with invisalign treatment. Once this has been verified then x-rays and scans will be carried out of your teeth which will be used to help tailor your invisalign treatment. A 3D scan of your mouth will show you what a successful course of Invisalign can do for your teeth, those all important before and after pictures that you have been dreaming about! Once you and the dentist come to an agreement about your expectations and what you are looking for then the x-rays and scans of your mouth will be sent off to the laboratory to have the Invisalign aligners created specifically for you. The Invisalign aligners come in a series and each aligner is designed to move your teeth gradually into the correct positions so that once you have worked your way through the whole set of aligners that have been designed for you then you will reach the final look that you were hoping for.
Advantages of Invisalign
The Invisalign aligners are invisible as hinted in the name, which makes them extremely convenient if you are self-conscious or embarrassed by conventional metal braces. You can take them out whenever you need to, which means they do not hinder any of your daily activities and you can eat and drink whatever you like when you like as you just take them out before your meal and then put them back into your mouth when you have finished. They are also very easy to clean and they are comfortable to wear as they have been specifically made to fit your mouth precisely.
Speak to us at Aura Dental today to find out how you can address the aesthetic issues of your teeth and find out more about how Invisalign in St, John’s Wood can help you.
Invisalign in St. Johns Wood
Factors affecting the Aesthetics of your teeth
Everyone knows the importance of good oral health and you may have an excellent dental hygiene routine and visit your dentist on a regular basis, but still be unhappy with the aesthetics of your smile. There are many different factors which affect the aesthetics of your teeth and these can include misaligned teeth, crooked teeth, wonky teeth and protruding teeth. These issues can detrimentally affect the look of your smile and may in turn affect your self-confidence and have a negative impact on other aspects of your life. We at Aura Dental want you to smile beautifully and happily and we are waiting to hear from you.
Many adults have not undergone orthodontic treatment when they were younger, however it is something that they are now considering in their adulthood. There is no need to settle with the way your teeth look anymore as advances in Dental Technology means that orthodontic treatment has become more convenient, comfortable and accessible than ever before. Previously adults have been put off by the thought of conventional braces which are made out of highly visible metal wires and brackets. Because of this reluctance, dentists have developed Invisalign. Speak to us at Aura dental to find out about Invisalign in St. John’s Wood and how this can help you address the aesthetic issues of your teeth and smile.
Invisalign in St. John’s Wood was introduced over two decades ago and has attracted many hundreds and thousands of patients to correct the aesthetic issues of their teeth. Invisalign is an Invisible orthodontic treatment which uses transparent, metal-free aligners to correct the alignment of the teeth. If you have clean and healthy teeth then Invisalign in St. John’s Wood could be the perfect treatment for you. Speak to our team here at Aura Dental to find out more today.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign in St Johns Wood, as suggested in the name, is a discrete form of orthodontic treatment which is why it is an attractive alternative to traditional braces especially in adults who have increased self-consciousness and are put off by the visibility of metal wires and brackets in their mouth. The dentist will carry out a full examination of your mouth to make sure that you have no underlying issues which may affect the treatment procedure or be exacerbated by the treatment itself. Once the dentist is assured that your teeth are clean and healthy they will carry out x-rays and three-dimensional scans of your teeth full stop these will be used to show you what successful treatment can do for your teeth but also to create a series of aligners which are individually tailored to your mouth to to provide comfort and accuracy of the treatment. These aligners are worn 2 weeks at a time, and they will gradually push the teeth into the correct positions as moulded by the aligners.
Visiting the dentist during the treatment procedure will help ensure that your teeth are moving correctly and that no underlying issues are occurring in the meantime. The duration of the treatment will depend on the extent of movement necessary to achieve the smile that you are looking for and speaking to your dentist here at Aura Dental will help you find out more and answer any questions that you may have. Speak to our team today, we are always here to help you.
How can my dentist help with a dental emergency?
Sometimes, unexpected things can happen to your teeth that can be uncomfortable and/or painful. This is why we offer our emergency dentist St John’s Wood service to help our patients in those moments when they are concerned about their oral health.
Reasons for having an emergency dental appointment
There are a few different things that can happen that may cause you to call our emergency dentist St John’s Wood, and we will do all we can to help you at that moment. Our team is highly qualified to deal with the most severe dental cases, and you can have a peace of mind knowing you are in good hands.
Toothache
This is one of the more common reasons that people will come to us for an emergency appointment. Toothache can be unbearably painful, and can stop you from doing your normal day-to-day activities. The pain is usually targeted in one area, causing it to be extremely sensitive, painful and uncomfortable.
When you come to us for an emergency appointment about toothache, we will do what we can to relieve your pain through different types of medicine, depending on the severity of your case. We will then try to find out what the cause of the pain is, and do what we can in that moment to treat it. If further treatment is needed, then we will create a plan to help you with it in the future.
Loose Tooth
If you have knocked a tooth out, then this can be painful, and can put the area at risk of infection. This is why you should contact our emergency dentist St John’s Wood if your tooth gets knocked out or becomes loose. It is especially important to contact us if you have continuous bleeding after it happens. If you still have the whole tooth intact and it is clean, then we may be able to reattach it, but if not, we will discuss options with you for future treatments to replace it.
If your teeth have become loose without knocking them, this could mean that there are bigger problems at play, such as periodontal disease. It is important to not ignore these symptoms, as they will only get worse over time, the quicker you contact us, the easier it will be to treat the problem.
Cracked tooth
Another reason that you may need to contact us for an emergency appointment is if you have cracked your tooth. This can cause sharp pain when you bite down, and when you eat or drink. It can also cause that tooth and the surrounding teeth to weaken at a faster rate. Depending on the severity of your case, there are several things that we can do to help you if you have a cracked tooth.
If you have a minor crack in your tooth, we will most likely just lightly polish the area to smoothen out any rough areas. On the other hand, if your whole tooth is cracked, this may need a root canal to treat it, or sometimes we can just repair it with material used for fillings.
Have you heard invisible braces cost more? 5 myths about Invisalign debunked
When you are looking to straighten your smile as an adult, you may think that the only course of treatment open to you is going to involve traditional metal or orthodontic braces.
And as an adult, you want to avoid that!
But orthodontic technology has come a long way over the last 20 years and today, the majority of dental surgeries are able to offer their patients either clear or invisible braces or aligners. As the names suggest, these are visually discrete and can provide you with the same movement that you would have once only been able to achieve with a metal brace.
At Aura Dental, we have not fallen behind the times and can offer our suitable patients clear braces, while also being able to offer the world-famous Invisalign in St Johns Wood. As the name suggests, this aligner is the closest aligner on the planet to being visually invisible and is custom-fitted to your mouth. Removable, comfortable and easy to clean, it is no wonder why it is so popular!
However, you may have heard some myths about Invisalign in St Johns Wood which make you question its effectiveness. Here, our team breaks down some of the most popular myths about this aligner.
Myth- It’s only suited for adults
Fact- Invisalign in St Johns Wood is used primarily on adult patients. However, this is due to adult patients being more reliable per se, and not taking the aligner out for hours on end, which can delay treatment.
We do offer this brace to teenagers and there is even a set of these aligners being trialled in children, so one day, your child may be able to wear this brace too!
Myth-It can’t treat bite issues
Fact- Invisible braces have become exceedingly powerful over the last few years and now, the majority of them can treat overbites, underbites and indeed crossbites.
However, if there is a misalignment with your jaws, you will probably need a metal brace.
Myth-It takes longer than traditional braces
Fact- Many people remember that one friend in school who wore metal braces for seemingly years on end. And it stands to reason that as invisible aligners provide less force when they are realigning teeth, that the treatment will take longer.
But, as this aligner is best at treating mild to moderate cases of misalignment, the average treatment time is between 3-6 months. So, very short!
Myth- It’s painless
Fact- We truly wish that all orthodontic treatments were comfortable but the fact is that when it comes to moving teeth, there is going to be discomfort.
When wearing an invisible brace, we recommend using over the counter pain relief, such as anti-inflammatories to keep discomfort levels low.
Myth It’s more expensive than traditional braces
Fact- It can be cheaper but this will depend on how long you need to wear it for.
Which is one reason why we advise patients to keep aligners in their mouth’s for 22 hours per day; to keep costs down!
Worried about oral cancer? 5 signs you need to see our dentist for screening
Are you finding it harder to chew and swallow food? Do you have oral ulcers that you cannot get rid of?
If so, you need to see our team.
As scary as it is to consider, the rates of oral cancer are rising in the UK and in fact globally, making it all the more important to see your dental team regularly for check-ups. If you are in a worrying place where you aren’t sure if you have oral cancer, don’t worry! With early detection and treatment, it has one of the highest survival rates of all cancers and so, you should really see a member of our team if you have concerns.
Because at Aura Dental, we know how important it is to screen for oral cancer and so, our dentist in St Johns Wood provides all of our patients with cancer screening as part of our biannual check-ups. If you have concerns about cancer between check-ups, however, please contact us right away so we can help.
But what are some of the signs of oral cancer to look out for at home? Our dentist in St Johns Wood answers that question below.
It’s hard to chew and swallow
If you are having issues biting into food, chewing it or swallowing, then you need to see our dentist in St Johns Wood for a check-up.
If you are suffering from a cold or flu, then these problems could be due to inflammation or may even signify a long-term undiagnosed allergy. However, if they persist for more than 2 weeks, come and see our team.
Weight loss
Unexpected weight loss is always worrying and should always be explored by a medical team.
As before, just because you have lost weight, it doesn’t immediately point to the big c, but may once again highlight an issue with food intolerance, allergies or even stress and mental health issues.
But if you have seen a doctor and all of these issues have been screened for, you may need to see our team for oral cancer screening.
Recurrent ulcers
From time to time, most people get oral ulcers; usually due to stress or illness.
But if you are noticing consistently occurring ulcers in your mouth, on your tongue or on your lips (they can look like a cold sore) then you need to see our team.
If one of the ulcers grows to the size of a 5 pence piece or larger, seek emergency medical assistance.
You can’t move your tongue and jaw correctly
As you may have guessed, if you struggle to stick out your tongue or are having issues with jaw movement, this could point to a hidden tumour underneath your tongue or in the jawline or joint. Of course, it could also indicate nerve issues, but nevertheless, if you notice that your tongue feels heavy, is not as mobile as it once was or is just feeling stiff, then you should contact our team for an oral cancer check.