Category: Braces

When you visit an orthodontist as an adult, it can feel like a bit of a let down to be told that, despite all the different aligners available, that you need a fitted orthodontic retainer.

Known to many as ‘metal’ or ‘full’ appliances, these are often associated with younger children and teenagers, thus making many adults who wear them feel a bit, well, odd.

But it is a fact that sometimes as we age, our teeth move and with other things such as extractions and trauma, this can cause our smiles to fall out of perfect alignment. Or, perhaps you weren’t given access to orthodontics as a child and are looking to set it right as an adult (which we applaud!).

At Aura Dental, we have helped thousands of adults who have worn traditional braces in St John’s Wood to get the smiles that they deserve. We provide everything from the initial consultation up to the customised retainers, to ensure that your teeth move exactly the way you want them to, and give you the confidence boost that comes with straighter teeth. Perfect!

So, what are the other advantages of wearing traditional braces in St John’s Wood?

They work!

OK, this may sound a bit obvious but in every case where fitted braces in St Johns Wood have been applied, the teeth will move as our team or any other dental professional wants them to.

And while this may take a bit longer in an adult due to the teeth being more set in position, we can assure you that when your teeth move, your smile will be transformed for the better.

Simple

In your search for adult orthodontics, you may have read about the different types of aligners that are available and while it sounds ideal to have removable appliances, it can make treatments complicated.

An invisible aligner has to be worn for so many hours a day, it has to be worn in succession and the wearer has to invest in a toothbrush to carry with them to clean their teeth after they eat.

With regular appliances, none of this is needed, allowing you to simply have them in your mouth and for our team to make the adjustments as required.

Oral health

Once again, you may have concerns that your teeth will become rotten if you wear a fitted appliance.

But, with the regularity of check-ups and visits to the hygienist to keep them clean, the majority of adults who wear fitted orthodontics improves. So once they are off, your smile will glisten!

Preventive

Wearing an appliance to straighten your teeth at any age can have a dramatic impact on your health; with gaps being closed and your teeth becoming straighter, this can prevent decay and allow for correct brushing.

Confidence

OK, so you may not feel over the moon when they are first fitted, but as your teeth move, you will feel your confidence grow and once they are off, well, your smile will be stunning!

When you are an adult with misaligned teeth, chances are you have had a fair few searches on the internet looking for a solution. 

Well, in the past 10 years, your choice for treatment has exploded! Everything from clear aligners to lingual braces are now available for you to explore with our team, and like always, what we help you to choose will be based on the most suitable appliance type for your misalignment.

Because at Aura Dental, we know more than you may think about braces in St Johns Wood, offering our patients 9 different types of orthodontic treatments. If you need to straighten a front tooth or need something a bit more advanced, we have them all here and can see you through each procedure with confidence and care. Perfect!

But which of our braces in St Johns Wood is right for you? In this article, we will look at lingual braces- a hidden gem that can straighten your teeth without the stares!

What are they?

First things first, a lingual brace in St Johns Wood is fitted; you won’t be able to remove it as you would with Invisalign.

However, it is fitted onto the back of your teeth, providing discretion- hence why this appliance is so popular among adults. It is made from brackets and wires in the same way as an orthodontic option, and it will require adjusting and tightening in the same way to move your teeth.

How do they work?

Much like the traditional orthodontic treatments, this appliance uses wires, brackets and tightening to move your teeth into their new position.

This means that, unfortunately, you may experience a more intense sensation of pressure in your mouth after each adjustment. But, they work well with more advanced cases of misalignment and can help patients who need to have their molar or canines rotated.

Can anyone have them fitted?

Almost, yes!

While this appliance is popular with adults and teenagers, it is possible for children to have them fitted but our team may advise against this.

As they are behind the teeth, they are harder to clean and so, they may be unsuitable for younger children. Also, the adjustment process can be a bit fiddly and invasive, which can make children a bit more nervous about their dental care, so we may advise regular orthodontics for smaller children.

Are they more expensive than regular braces?

Yes, they are but this is due to the skill of the orthodontist who fits them; it is tough to fit braces on to the back of teeth and requires additional training.

Also, if you want to brag to your friends, another reason for the expense is that part of the brackets are made from gold. Very classy!

Can any dentist fit them?

No, additional training is required for an orthodontist to fit a lingual appliance but when you come to Aura Dental, we have team members who have that expertise and more. So why not call us today?

When you have children, it is hard enough to get them to go to the dentist without the added pressure of orthodontics coming into it.

While unpopular, orthodontics and aligners are more common than ever these days, especially when it comes to young children and teenagers. Why? Because the link between having straighter teeth and better oral hygiene in later life has long since been established, meaning that more dental surgeries than ever before are eager to ensure that your children grow up to have healthy, straight teeth.

At Aura Dental, our team share this vision and are happy to offer suitable children discreet braces St John’s Wood. We will aim to conduct an orthodontic assessment by the time your child is 7 years old and, with the help of some additional tests and computer software, we will choose the most suitable aligner to assist in the straightening of your child’s teeth. Perfect!

But is it worth it? Read on for some of the most overlooked advantages of braces St John’s Wood for children.

Better oral health

It is well known among dentists that straighter teeth are easier to clean.

And so, if your child comes to us for braces St John’s Wood, one of the long-term advantages is improved oral health. As crooked teeth allow gaps for plaque to hide in, this can increase the risk of gingivitis and tooth decay – simply because your child can’t reach those areas easily.

Using aligners to straighten teeth reduces these hiding spots and prevents these issues (and others) from forming.

Improved speech

Misaligned teeth can also cause speech issues; try sticking your finger behind one of your teeth and talking; notice how it impacts on your vocal patterns?

This is because the tongue can move properly when all of the teeth are straight and so if there are any protruding teeth, it can cause lisps. Having orthodontics at an early age can help your child develop better pronunciation and inflexion which will add to their confidence when speaking.

Better chewing and digestion

Teeth are made for biting and chewing and so, if your child’s teeth are misaligned, it can cause incorrect eating techniques.

In turn, larger chunks of food reach the stomach and cause excess acid production, worsening the chances of acid reflux and heartburn. Straighter teeth allow for better chewing and grinding of food and reduce the likelihood of gastrointestinal issues.

No headaches!

Teeth that are not aligned can grind when your child is asleep, causing the muscles in the facial and neck areas to become overtired and tense. This results in a higher incidence of headaches and even migraines, which is something no child should have to endure.

An aligner equates to straighter teeth, which reduces grinding; therefore no headaches! Simple!

Boosts confidence

And of course, if your child wears an orthodontic appliance when they are younger, they are more likely to be confident when they are older, due to straighter teeth, improved facial symmetry and clearer speech. What’s not to like about that?

In years gone by, if you wanted to straighten your smile as an adult, you may have been told that the only suitable option was a metal appliance.

We are happy to say that while an orthodontic aligner will always have its place in dental care, it is no longer the only option for adults who want to improve their smiles. Recent advancements have seen an upsurge in the number of clear and invisible appliances across the UK and at Aura Dental. We are happy to have a myriad of different types to offer.

At Aura Dental, we believe that everyone should be happy with their smile, so whether you have a cosmetic alignment issue or have a more pressing issue such as an over or underbite, one of our braces in St John’s Wood can help. With many different brands to choose from, we will endeavour to find the perfect aligner to help you get that straighter, healthier smile as soon as possible.

But what are some of the different braces in St John’s Wood that we offer? Read on to find out!

Invisalign

Exceedingly popular with adults and teenagers alike, these braces in St John’s Wood are removable, invisible and can straighten your smile on average in 6 months.

Worn for 22 hours a day, they require changing every 2 weeks but do not need to be tightened, making the entire process more comfortable for you.

Damon

A fitted alternative, the Damon aligner does not need tightening; instead, it utilises a set of sliding brackets that adjust as your teeth are moved, making them more pleasant to wear.

Like Invisalign, these can correct an array of issues from overbites to overcrowding and can straighten your smile in as little as 6 months.

Lingual

When you think of a metal aligner, you probably envision a metal wire and brackets affixed to the front of the teeth.

While a Lingual appliance is composed of a metal wire and brackets, they are attached to the back of the teeth, making them invisible to the naked eye. They will need adjusting throughout the treatment but this allows them to treat more specific and complicated problems. Depending on the severity of your misalignment, you will need to wear them for an average of 12-18 months.

Six Month Smiles

As the name suggests, these aligners are typically worn for 6 months!

Unlike the other appliances in this list, these are used to treat purely cosmetic issues and are attached to the front 6 teeth in your mouth. They will require adjusting but can get you that straighter looking smile you want in as little as 12 weeks.

Inman Aligners

A mixture of Invisalign and a metal aligner, the Inman Aligner is a discrete way to straighten your front teeth while also being removable.

Using a set of titanium coils, this aligner moves the misaligned teeth into the correct position and requires a check-up with our team every 2-weeks so we can assess its progress.

In the adult world, confidence is key to almost every area.

And if you were one of the children who outright refused to wear an aligner as a child, you may have grown to realise how important straight teeth are!

Not only do straighter teeth make daily interactions easier, but it has also been found that in the workplace, people who have straighter teeth have an improved chance of being listened to and are seen as more reliable by customers and other members of staff.

There are now ways to get straighter teeth as an adult without the use of traditional metal aligners. Clear and invisible aligners are helping thousands of adults across the globe get the straighter smile that they want, without concern about appearances.

At Aura Dental, our team is proud to be able to offer the most suitable patients Invisalign braces in St. Johns Wood. Discrete, removable and easy to care for, these braces can easily be fitted around a busy lifestyle, without needing to attend dental check-ups every few weeks. Personalised to fit over your teeth, Invisalign can help you get that straightened smile you

deserve in under a year. Fantastic!

But how else can Invisalign braces in St.Johns Wood improve your life?

Confidence

Having a straight smile is great, but being able to show off your teeth while wearing these braces in St. Johns Wood is what separates Invisalign from other braces.

It is made from a clear plastic, which gently pushes your teeth into their new locations, without the need for metal brackets or wires so no-one one will know you are wearing it!

Cleaning

Any dentist will tell you that straighter teeth are easier to clean.

One advantage of getting straighter teeth in your adult years is how easy it becomes to clean your teeth effectively.

And of course, cleaner teeth equates to a whiter smile and reduces the risk of cavities and gum disease.

Health

As mentioned before, if your teeth are not aligned, it is easier for plaque and bacteria to stay in your mouth undetected.

There have been mountains of evidence which has highlighted the link between excess plaque in the mouth and secondary issues like heart disease, diabetes and even cancer.

So, getting your teeth realigned as an adult can significantly improve your long-term health and avoid the development of life-threatening diseases.

Functionality

With crooked or spaced teeth, it can be hard to not only bite into food in a single bite, but it can be tougher to grind food correctly.

And as this is what teeth are designed to do, it creates an issue with functionality.

Straighter teeth will allow you to bite into food and to chew it properly, without bits getting stuck in between your teeth!

Better sleep

Misaligned teeth can cause nocturnal grinding, which can lead to broken sleep, headaches and migraines.

Straightening your teeth can alleviate those morning headaches, reduce the occurrence of migraines and will help you get a good night’s sleep!

Do you remember a time when having orthodontic treatment would equate to wearing metal aligners?

Not so any more! Surprisingly, in modern times, orthodontic treatments have changed so dramatically that even adults who have slightly misaligned teeth are seeking them out. As this field of dentistry has advanced, the need for metal aligners has reduced and it is now possible to get a straighter smile using either a clear or invisible aligner.

At Aura Dental, we have a myriad of different braces in St. Johns Wood for you to choose from. Specially selected by our orthodontists and cosmetic dental team, we will ensure that the aligner you wear is as discreet as possible and will be provided in the fastest timeframe possible, allowing you to get on with your day to day life without too many dental appointments. Perfect!

But what are some of the braces in St Johns Wood that we can offer you at Aura Dental?

Invisalign

As the most well-known of all the invisible aligners we offer, Invisalign is one of our most popular braces in St Johns Wood.

Custom-fitted to slot over your teeth, this set of clear trays gently applies pressure to your teeth without the need for tightening, giving you the smile you want in 6 months (on average).

Six Month Smiles

One of our pure cosmetic aligners, Six Month Smiles is attached to the front 6 teeth in your mouth and is designed to improve the aesthetics of your smile. This popular option is not suited for moving molars or more advanced orthodontic cases, but it can straighten minor misalignments in 6 months or less (it’s in the name!).

Inman Aligners

A clear aligner, the Inman aligner uses clear plastic and titanium coil springs to gently push your teeth into the desired alignment.

Ideal as a stand-alone treatment or as an option for straightening teeth before cosmetic options, this aligner is removable and offers a turnaround time of around 6 months, depending on the severity of the misalignment.

Lingual Aligners

Fixed to the inside of the teeth, Lingual aligners are a suitable option for those who have more severe cases of misalignment but don’t want to wear the regular orthodontic aligner.

By tightening and adjusting to create the sedated effect, this option is discreet and easy to use but offers treatment time of 24 months.

Damon Aligners

Damon aligners are a fitted brace which utilises clear, plastic brackets and a thin wire to gently push your teeth.

Suitable for more complex cases, this aligner will require tightening but is exceedingly fast, with an average treatment time of 12 to 18 months.

Retainers!

Once you have completed your orthodontic treatment with our team at Aura Dental, it is essential that you wear a retainer to prevent relapsing.

Our team can offer a standard, orthodontic retainer which is removable, or we can offer a Vivera retainer, which is 30% stronger than standard options, ensuring that your teeth don’t fall out of line.

With orthodontics at Aura Dental, you are spoiled for choice when it comes to picking out the right kind of braces in St. John’s Wood. We have so many different kinds to treat different problems and budgets that it really is your one-stop practice for this kind of treatment. From teens to working professionals, there is a brace out there that’s right for you and in-depth consultation for orthodontics with our highly trained dentists can set you on the right path to a straighter and more beautiful smile. We have traditional braces, clear aligners and many other kinds of devices that you might not even know exist, which is what we hope to explain in this article. Technology has come such a long way in recent years so there has never been a better time to seek orthodontic care.

Types of Braces in St. John’s Wood

Whether you are in school, a student or even an adult with an office job or thriving business, it’s never too early or too late to fix crooked teeth and malocclusions. Straighter teeth have proven to be easier to clean and therefore you can look forward to having a healthier mouth, not to mention a more beautiful smile which holds the secrets to the laws of attraction. Well at least it will certainly help, just like these types of braces can help fix your teeth:

Lingual Braces – a different take on traditional braces, lingual braces use brackets that are fixed to the back of the teeth instead of the front of the teeth like traditional braces. A wire is then threaded through these brackets and different tensions are applied in order to pull the teeth into position. Like with traditional braces, lingual braces can be used to pull a stray tooth into place in a way that clear aligners might not manage, but by being set on the back of the teeth, lingual braces in St. John’s Wood still offers a reasonable amount of discretion.

Invisalign – the favourite child of the orthodontic world, Invisalign offers state of the art technology for straighter teeth sooner than with traditional braces and with far more discretion. In fact, these clear aligners are just about invisible when worn and can even make your teeth look shiner while wearing them because of the bright clear plastic. The technology used to custom create this system for you is like none other, with painless scans that allow a computer to 3D print your aligners so you can get an exact and snug fit each time. Depending on how complicated your teeth are to begin with will determine how long you need to use the aligners for, people with mildly crooked teeth can see results in just a few weeks while the more complicated cases may take 6-9 months.

Inman Aligners – this is probably the quickest way to fix the front ‘social’ teeth. In just a matter of weeks the unique Inman aligner both pushes and pulls the teeth into position at the same time by wedging them between two thin wires which are placed under tension in order to close any gaps, fix forward protruding teeth and correct crookedness.

These are the 3 main solutions we offer patients for their orthodontic issues however, there are at least 4 more options for you to discuss with our dentists before choosing what’s best for you, we also offer a range of retainers which will help you keep the shape of your newly fixed teeth for years to come.

The world of orthodontics is a big one with so many options to choose from, patients looking for braces in St. John’s Wood will have the freedom to choose a system that not only suits their pocket but their lifestyle as well. At Aura Dental, we understand that your image is very important to you, which is why you want to straighten your teeth and you probably don’t want to do it with an unsightly set of metal tracks. We can offer you invisible as well as slightly more visible options for orthodontic appliances each with their own ability to straighten your teeth in a shorter period of time than traditional braces.

Invisible options

Young working professionals may feel that they can’t afford to present themselves with any orthodontia showing on their teeth and thanks to modern technology this is totally possible, there are systems with appliances that are just about invisible that will allow you to straighten your teeth discretely:

Invisalign – as the name so aptly suggests, Invisalign will align your teeth while remaining invisible with a set of clear aligners that are made custom to your teeth. This system can fix any orthodontic problem like overcrowding, gapped teeth, and malocclusions which are problems with the bite. Depending on your personal orthodontic problems, Invisalign can work anywhere from as little as 7-14 weeks up to about 9 months and the entire time no one will even know you’re undergoing treatment.

Lingual braces – These braces in St. John’s Wood, work in the same way that traditional braces do in so much as a bracket is fixed to the tooth and a wire is fitted to the bracket under tension in order to pull the teeth into position, however, the major difference is that they are fixed to the back of the teeth instead of the front which makes them impossible for other people to see. Depending on the severity of your problems they can take 12-18 months to achieve the final result

Visible options

There are some options for orthodontics that are more visible than the above-mentioned systems but these can sometimes be more affordable and in some cases work much quicker than their invisible counterparts:

Inman aligner – this is a removable appliance that can adjust the front 6 teeth very quickly when compared to other systems, we are talking weeks rather than months. These are made of 2 nickel-titanium coils which are placed under tension on the back and front of the teeth and over time they simultaneously push and pull the teeth into alignment by providing a squeezing effect.

Damon System – these braces in St. John’s Wood are like traditional braces and they too are fixed to the front of the teeth, however, instead of using metal brackets, this system uses clear or tooth coloured brackets in order to support the wire that will pull the teeth into position. These special brackets are far less noticeable than the metal ones and the system is often used on those with highly complex orthodontic problems.

When it comes to straightening teeth, there is a world of options available to you. But with options comes confusion. Which is the best option to fix my particular problem? Which option best suits my lifestyle? Which option will work the quickest? So many questions, all of which we can answer at Aura Dental because braces in St. John’s Wood have never been easier to understand. From slightly crooked teeth to complicated bite problems, our aim is to get you smiling with confidence for years to come.

Teeth in the 21st century

There is absolutely no reason for you to be going about your life feeling self-conscious about your teeth in the 21st century because fixing teeth has never been more accessible to a greater amount of people than it is today with braces in St. John’s Wood and whatever reason it is you are seeking orthodontic treatment, we have a solution for you.

Invisalign – far and wide the most popular option for adults, this treatment has taken over the orthodontic industry with its ability to fix a wide range of problems while being almost completely invisible. This suits many adults in all kinds of different lifestyles from active and sporting to sedentary and professional. Invisalign fits into your life with ease and comfort and it can work in less than half the time of traditional braces and, being a removable appliance, you are not limited with your choice of foods and also enables you to easily clean your teeth.

Lingual braces – think of traditional braces but on the back of your teeth instead of the front. This option of orthodontic treatment is fixed in your mouth for the full length of treatment but is virtually unnoticeable. Lingual braces can be used to fix complicated orthodontic problems like stray teeth growing out the pallet or very crooked or skew teeth which makes it an ideal choice for adults who want to treat their problems with discretion.

Inman Aligner – this is an elegant and quick solution for those who have teeth that jut forward out of the correct position. This system pulls the teeth back into an upright position so that they form a nicely shaped arch that you can be confident about when you smile.

After the treatment

No matter how long or how quick your braces in St. John’s Wood took to complete, we are sure that you’ll want to maintain your newly straight smile for a long time, which is why we recommend getting a retainer to hold your teeth in place as they have a habit of going back to their original positions without one. This can be done with removable or fixed retainers which involve a thin wire being fixed to the back of the teeth or clipped on over the front of the teeth at night before bed. However new Vivera retainers, which use the same revolutionary technology as Invisalign, are a custom made clear guard that keep teeth in the correct position. This new technology is stronger than the more traditional retainers and completely invisible which is almost always the better option for adults.

The orthodontic industry has come a long way since the 1990s. There was a time in the past when it was fairly common to see children and teenagers grinning up from school photographs with a full set of braces glinting on their teeth. In recent years we have seen that with new innovations making the process of teeth straightening more appealing to a wider range of people, there are now several more discreet methods for young people and adults alike to straighten their teeth for a smile that fits their own desires, and helps them to reach their ideal appearance.

This more aesthetically pleasing smile is something that we at Aura Dental can offer you; braces in St. John’s Wood allow you the confidence you may be looking for, not only at the end of treatment but throughout it as well. This is partially what makes it the preferred option for patients who are looking to straighten their teeth more quickly than they would expect with traditional braces.

Are you looking to get your teeth straightened and want to know more about braces and what they could do for you? Read on to find out more.

How far have orthodontics come?

For many years in history, people all across the globe have been trying to find ways to be able to straighten their teeth. It may be comforting to know that you are not alone in your desire to achieve a more aesthetic smile; geniuses like Aristotle tried to come up with ways to fix orthodontic problems and straighten teeth that were crooked.

Modern orthodontics

In the 20th century when malocclusions were categorised into different classifications, the process of using metal tracks and elastics to pull the teeth and jaw into place was perfected, but we have come a long way since then. Now, what you can expect from the look of orthodontics in terms of braces in St. John’s Wood is so much more appealing than what we are traditionally used to. We are talking about Invisalign.

First (and most importantly to some patients) there are no sticky impressions that need to be made which means no rubber sliding down the back of your throat for 5 minutes. Now we use a quick and easy 3D scan to take a digital impression of your teeth, with this scan a computer is able to determine exactly how your teeth will shift over time and it will help a laboratory create a set of clear aligners that will shift your teeth in increments by pushing them into place. Thus they are able to offer results in less than a year. These aligners are removable for cleaning and eating and as the name suggests they are invisible too, which means that no one will notice you wearing them. Because they are custom made to work around you and your lifestyle, they can be changed every 1-2 weeks at home so that you don’t have to make constant trips to the dentist throughout your treatment. 

With these new braces in St. John’s Wood, you are able to control how you adjust your smile with absolute discretion thanks to this innovative technology.