If you are a fan of the many talent shows on TV, you will know how much first impressions count. Remember when Susan Boyle came onto the Britain’s Got Talent stage back in 2009? Everyone wrote her off before she’d even opened her mouth to reveal she had the voice of several angels. She went on to become a major star, and to have quite a visual makeover, but even so her looks have deprived her of being taken seriously by many.

Visual information, collected almost subconsciously, can permanently influence our opinion of another person, especially in situations such as dating and job interviews. If we don’t smile, people can easily assume that we are miserable or unfriendly, whereas the real reason may be because we are ashamed of our wonky teeth.

Of course, by the time we are adults, many of us are unwilling to have visible teeth straightening devices that will attract unwanted attention. This is why we offer clear braces in St John’s Wood at Aura Dental.

The clear braces revolution

Invisalign is an innovative kind of braces in St John’s Wood. Instead of the usual brackets, bands and wires, it uses clear plastic trays, rather like mouth guards, that push rather than pull your teeth into alignment.

This kind of braces in St John’s Wood has several advantages over wire and bracket braces.

Invisalign avoids the teenage look that is often associated with ‘train-track’ braces by the use of incredibly thin, clear plastic trays that fit snugly over the teeth, and are hard for other people to spot. Importantly for many adults who have public-facing jobs, they do not interfere with speech.

Another big plus is that Invisalign trays are removable. This means no food stuck in brackets and wires that can takes ages to brush away, and therefore much less chance of tooth decay. You can eat whatever you like but it is important to only drink water when the aligner is in because you could stain the plastic.

Also, if you really need to, you can remove the aligner for a few hours for important business or social events. You must wear the aligners for at least 20 hours a day if the treatment is to stay on schedule.

Titanium is not just a multi-coloured metal used for making interesting jewellery. It is also used in dental implants. In St John’s Wood, at Aura Dental, these miniature miracles have been improving the lives of many patients who have lost teeth.

There are 4 reasons why titanium is the go-to metal for dental implants in St John’s Wood. Titanium is lightweight, very strong, and does not corrode after being inserted into the body.

But along with being light, durable and strong, titanium has another property that makes it the stand-out choice for use in implants – its capacity to actually mesh with bone tissue. Titanium’s ability to do this makes it a very popular choice for dental implants, which need to be housed in strong, healthy bone tissue so that they can withstand the multi-directional strong forces associated with biting and chewing. When someone loses a tooth, the bone that once held the root very quickly starts to lose its density. Titanium implants actually encourage the jawbone to produce new bone tissue and blood vessels, and so help keep it strong and healthy for all the remaining natural teeth.

All about your jaw

If the jawbone is not healthy or the gum has receded, teeth can come loose in their sockets. In St John’s Wood, dental implants made of titanium help the jawbone to maintain a healthy size. It may be necessary to have preparatory bone grafting treatment before implants are fitted, if the jawbone has lost density. This may add several months to the treatment process, as time has to be allowed for the grafts to take and generate new bone tissue.

The procedure

In St John’s Wood, dental implants are fitted in 2 stages following an in-depth consultation and examination to make sure the jawbone can take, or can be made to take the implants. If they are, our dentists create new sockets in the jawbone and insert the titanium implants. This surgery is usually done under local anaesthetic, but sedation is also available if you are an anxious patient. After several weeks or possibly months of healing time, during which the titanium implants bond with the bone, artificial teeth, custom-made to blend with your natural teeth, can be fitted.

 

George Angelidakis, our resident Invisalign Specialist answers your questions about Invisalign.

Over the past month we asked our Invisalign patients what questions they wanted to have answered before deciding to get Invisalign. Here are the top 5 queries they raised…

1.How is Invisalign different from braces?

Invisalign is a removable device called an aligner, similar to a mouth guard but less bulky. It appears near invisible when in your mouth and after a few days getting used to it, you’ll hardly notice it. You can remove the aligner when you eat, brush your teeth and in extreme cases such as a significant event. Apart from these occasions, the aligners must be worn as directed to make sure your treatment is not prolonged.

Fixed braces require brackets to be bonded to each individual tooth using wires and rubber bands to move your teeth. A bit more care and attention is required for fixed braces to avoid breakages to brackets or wires (usually done while eating!), which will prolong your treatment. Also, fixed braces promote food packing (getting caught in crevasses around the bracket) during every meal and this can compromise or affect your oral hygiene. Clear, aesthetic braces are available today that can significantly improve aesthetics during the treatment, however, they are still more noticeable and bulkier than an Invisalign aligner.

There are certain cases where one or the other is more appropriate. We will assess your personal circumstances and advice on the best options for you.

A very happy patient wanting to show off her new smile:

2. What are the pros and cons of Invisalign?

Pros:

• Nearly invisible
• Can be removed while eating, brushing teeth and in extreme cases for significant events
• Less likelihood of breakages and need for emergency visits
• Ideal for those with busy schedules and frequent travel
• Before and after result can be previewed via digital simulation
• Oral Hygiene is kept ideal throughout the treatment as the aligners are removed during meals and you are able to floss and keep the interdental spaces clean.
• Very safe, as the aligners apply mild pressure on the teeth to be moved.

Cons:

• Not suitable for all cases. Sometimes a fixed braces may be required
• Requires self discipline to ensure aligners are worn at all times
• Cost can be slightly higher than fixed braces depending on the complexity of the treatment

3. How does it work?

You will start by having a comprehensive check up with x-rays to ensure you are suitable for the treatment. If suitable, Invisalign will digitally model your teeth and using 3-D technology, simulate the movement of your teeth over a period of time. The appropriate number of Invisalign aligners will be determined and your dentist will advise you when each one needs to worn and for how long.

Each aligner will adjust your teeth to prepare for the next aligner. Every time you change your aligner, it will feel tighter at first, but you will subside after a few days as your teeth adjustment further.

Is it George or the patient who has just finished Invisalign treatment?:

4. How long does it take and how do I make sure my teeth don’t move when I’m finished? 

Very generally speaking, the treatment will usually last between 3 and 9 months. Discipline in wearing the aligners will determine the length of your Invisalign treatment. If you wear them 22-23 hours a day except for eating, drinking and brushing your teeth, your treatment should take the amount of time determined in your 3D simulation.

The state of your hygiene can also affect the length of your treatment. It is very important that you undergo regular hygiene cleans throughout your Invisalign treatment to avoid delays.

Good ongoing oral hygiene is also important after your treatment to prevent your teeth from moving again. Build up of plaque on your teeth can cause small movements, particularly in the first few months after your treatment has finished. You will need either a fixed retainer (a small wire stuck to the back of your teeth) and/or a removable retainer (much like the Invisalign aligner and worn at night usually) to prevent your teeth trying to move back to their original positions.

5. How much will it cost?

The final cost of your treatment depends on the complexity of your case. The simpler the case the lower the cost is likely to be. You should also take into account the need for regular hygiene cleans throughout your treatment.

At Aura Dental, Invisalign prices start from £1599 for simple cases. However adult Invisalign treatment will often fall between £2,500 and £5,000. The cost of your initial consultation (£75 plus x-rays) will be incorporated into this if you choose to proceed with the treatment. Hygiene cleans can be added on as directed (regular clean is £70; deep clean is £95).

We do appreciate that that these are not small amounts of money, but they are an investment in your smile, which you will be with you forever. There will be a low cost financing options that can help you spread the cost of your treatment over time.

If you are interested in Invisalign, come and see us at Aura Dental in St Johns Wood. Our Treatment Coordinator, Nadia can also answer your questions about treatment and financing options. Hope to see you soon!

W: www.auradentallondon.com | E: [email protected] | T: 020 7722 0040

Do you feel comfortable smiling? Or do you avoid photographs and worry about interacting with others? Even if you care for your teeth well and have good dental health, you may wish that your appearance was more attractive. Chipped, broken, missing, misaligned or discoloured teeth can be uncomfortable and contribute to you feeling unhappy with how you look. This can really affect your quality of life, as it constantly undermines the enjoyment you feel and how you express yourself. At Aura Dental in St John’s Wood, cosmetic dentistry allows you to look and feel great.

Solutions for brighter smiles

There is no need to suffer with discomfort or feelings of embarrassment or dissatisfaction any more. For many of our patients in St John’s Wood, cosmetic dentistry has proved life changing. This branch of dental care is the art of making your smile more attractive using a variety of techniques to repair damage, realign your teeth or improve their appearance. Some procedures can also improve your oral health as they make your teeth easier to clean, stronger or more stable. We are proud to offer a friendly, empathetic and highly skilled service so that you get the results you want in a way which suits you.

Cosmetic dentistry in St John’s Wood

Our team have helped many patients achieve the smile of their dreams with cosmetic dentistry in St John’s Wood. We offer a full range of options from teeth whitening and dental veneers to white fillings and braces. We can also discuss treatments such as dental implants, bridges, dentures or crowns with you. Modern techniques mean that treatment is faster, more comfortable and less obtrusive than ever before. For example, choosing clear aligners instead of traditional metal braces allows you to have straighter teeth without having to wear ugly train tracks for months. We can enhance the appearance, condition, colour and placement of your teeth for a beaming smile.

Give yourself the gift of a beautiful smile and see how cosmetic dentistry in St John’s Wood can help you. Get in touch with our experienced team today to discuss how changing your smile can change your life.

Yesterday was a special day for the Aura Team. We  had a chance to visit the St John’s Hospice, a local charity we have been supporting for quite some time.  Our receptionists Patrycja and Pubudu and dental nurse Mihaela met with the lovely hospice’s representative – Malina and seen first hand the amazing work put in by all the volunteers at the hospice and all the difference it is making to to the lives of their patients and community as a whole

The remarkable people at St John’s Hospice provide the end of life care to more than 3000 terminally ill patients and their carers a year. The continuous existence of the Hospice heavily depends on support from the local businesses and people.

The hospice currently has 19 in patient beds, Hospice at home service, Day Centre, Bereavement services and many more including its very own St John’s Hospice ambulance. To continue to provide this level of support to our community, the hospice needs to raise £1.8 million every year in voluntary donations.

At Aura, we strongly believe it is essential  for places like this to exist as they represent the very core of our community and bring us closer together. This is why, we continue to spread the word about St John’s Hospice amongst our patients and do all we can to encourage people to support this great cause.

Every time you visit Aura and check-in on Facebook followed by a review, we know you are with us on this and we will happily donate one pound of our money to the Hospice on your behalf.

Happy Easter to all of our lovely patients and staff!

 

If you are an adult over 40, you can probably remember how it used to be when you went to the dentists as a kid. The hard metal chairs lined up against the waiting room wall, the vinyl floor, the faint sound of the drill coming from behind a shut door. No wonder why fear of the dentist is so common in adults. Thank goodness that’s all changed, and going to the dentists in St John’s Wood is as pleasant and relaxing as going to the hairdressers.

Creating a relaxing environment

At Aura Dental, we redesigned our clinic on Chalbert Street to make visiting the dentists in St John’s Wood something you would look forward to rather than dread. We went for neutral colours and clean lines reminiscent of a good hotel. When you come to our reception, you can relax on comfortable grey sofas and admire our white orchids and modern artwork while you wait for your appointment. Our aim is to help you relax, de-stress and enjoy a sense of tranquillity throughout your time with us.

If you are an especially nervous patient, please don’t worry. We are well aware that fear of the dentist affects about 2.5 million people in the UK. We have a special Nervous Patients’ Programme, which offers empathic, understanding, bespoke care and can provide treatment under sedation or hypnosis where necessary.

Treatments for all

Now that you know that being with us will feel relaxing, you will also be glad to know that treatments with us cover the full range of services that you would expect from a modern dental practice.

We cover all aspects of general dentistry, from regular check-ups, hygiene and preventive care, through to work on cavities, and dealing with pain from infection.

We also offer the full range of cosmetic dentistry treatments so that you can have the smile you’ve always wanted.

We offer services for pregnant women, babies, children, teens, and adults, right through their lives as their dental needs change.

To find out more about Aura Dental and to make us your dentists in St John’s Wood, call 020 7722 0040.