Archive for the “braces” Category

Klass-ey Invisible Braces

Television presenter Myleene Klass has recently landed a plum job presenting ITV’s This Morning on Fridays and it seems she celebrated by vowing to straighten her imperfect teeth. The celebrity inadvertently revealed her orthodontic device during a recent segment on the show that involved food tasting. Until that point it was not public knowledge that Myleene was undergoing orthodontic treatment, but she has since confirmed that she had the brace fitted some time ago to bring her teeth into line. (more…)

Posted in: braces
| August 3, 2010 at 1:06 pm | No comment

Orthodontists Bearing Their Teeth At TV Show

Dentists have recently condemned the hit American TV Show ‘Ugly Betty’ for its negative portrayal of dental braces. In the show the lead character wears a pair of ‘train track’ wire braces. Orthodontics experts are worried that this could discourage people who need braces, as they may associate the unsightly train track style with orthodontic work. However, it is very rare for adults to be fitted with this style of braces and on the odd occasion when they are they are usually only ever required to wear them for a maximum of two years. The fact that braces are associated with ‘ugliness’, as portrayed in the program, has orthodontists worried about people avoiding having the treatment, when they may desperately need it.

However, if you’re one of these people who need corrective work done to their teeth, but are turned off by the idea of wearing braces then you should consult your orthodontist. They’ll be able to offer you a range of alternative treatments, and if it turns out that you are required to wear braces then it’s pretty unlikely you’ll have to wear the train track style wire braces. Modern braces are much more discrete and if some cosmetic dentistry experts are even able to offer their clients alternative corrective treatments that are just as effective as braces, but barely noticeable.

At the end of the day, you shouldn’t be worried about wearing braces as although popular TV shows may portray them as being typically unsightly, the fact is that most people probably won’t even notice you’re wearing them.

Posted in: Cosmetic Dentistry, Orthodontics, Orthodontists, braces
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| March 25, 2010 at 4:03 pm | No comment

Adult Orthodontics

BracesMany people will have had to wear braces during their childhood to correct teeth growing in at unusual angles. However, there is a small percentage of people who didn’t wear braces when they were younger, even though they really should have. In some cases this has caused a great deal of problems for these people in later life as their teeth may have grown in such a way that they have caused the individuals pain.

Not wearing braces during childhood, despite an apparent need can leave people with many different problems, some of which can be quite serious. However, in the majority of cases these problems will be purely aesthetic, and in the majority cases they can be corrected with cosmetic dentistry. The number of adults undergoing orthodontic treatments has increased sharply in recent years as more people who should have been wearing braces as children become aware of the fact that they can have the resultant dental problems corrected.

It’s quite common for people who didn’t undergo orthodontic treatment as a child to have very overcrowded teeth, as braces were not in place to control the direction of tooth growth. Most people will have this corrected for purely cosmetic reasons, however it some instances teeth that have gown in irregularly can cause some serious and quite painful problems!

Of courses, it would have been much better for these people if they could have prevented the problem in the first place, but thankfully adult orthodontics allows them an opportunity to sort out these problems in later life. If you think you could benefit from adult orthodontic treatment then get in touch with a cosmetic dentist today.

Posted in: Cosmetic Dentistry, Orthodontics, braces
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| March 3, 2010 at 10:50 am | No comment

Straight Teeth In Half The Time

InvisalignWith the popularity of “extreme makeover” reality TV shows, cosmetic dentistry has featured fairly heavily in prime-time schedules of late, normally demonstrating some of the more extreme treatments that involve surgery to completely rebuild someone’s jaw from scratch. Such an invasive procedure could well put you off having any kind of smile correction, but the truth is that there are a number of far less severe methods of realigning your smile that will never require a general anaesthetic.

One such method is using Invisalign aligners to close small gaps and correct misaligned teeth. The Invisalign system works by using a series of slightly different shaped aligners to gradually move your teeth in to the desired position. The great advantage of the Invisalign system over traditional braces is that they can be removed for eating and teeth cleaning, and they are almost invisible to the casual observer. No more train tracks, no more metal wires. Although there can be some discomfort experienced from wearing the aligners, it is far less than having a dental surgeon go in with a knife.

For people with only slightly misaligned teeth there is also the Invisalign Express system. This treatment is completed in around half the time of the normal Invisalign system, and because it uses fewer aligners it is also significantly cheaper. Of course, whether you are suitable for the shorter option will be something you can discuss with your cosmetic dentist during your initial consultation.

Posted in: Cosmetic Dentistry, Invisalign, braces, cosmetic dentist
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| March 1, 2010 at 4:29 pm | No comment

The Right Angle For Your Teeth

OrthadonticsEven if you have never worn them yourself, everybody knows exactly what is meant by a “brace” or “braces” when it comes to cosmetic dentistry. Some countries have a higher usage rate than others, but chances are that if you went to school any time in the last 40 years that you will have had a friend who had to wear a brace. Back in those days most braces were obvious and ugly, often requiring a head strap or even face mask to be worn to apply the required pressures to the teeth and jaw.

Nowadays these obvious and demoralising rigs are rarely seen, and there are even some orthodontic systems available, such as Invisalign, that are subtle enough to go unnoticed by all but the keenest eyed observer. Realignment of teeth or bite will almost always have to be done by brute force alone, but the existence of such unobtrusive options as Invisalign compared to what was available 40 years ago is testament to how far this field of medicine has come.

People have been trying pseudo-medical methods to straighten teeth probably for as long as they have been combing their hair, but the modern field of orthodontics didn’t really come in to being until towards the end of the 19th Century, with the first school of orthodontics being founded by Englishman Edward H Angle in 1901. In fact the classification system laid out in Angle’s “Treatment of Malocclusion of the Teeth” was used worldwide and still forms the basis of the field today.

Modern orthodontists have a much better understanding of hygiene and infection control than they did in Angle’s day, but it his testament to his intellect and methodology that so much of his original teachings remain.

Posted in: Cosmetic Dentistry, Invisalign, Orthodontics, Orthodontist, braces
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| February 19, 2010 at 11:55 am | No comment

Ensuring Valentine’s Success

InvisalignNo Valentine’s cards this year? Never mind, you’re probably too busy to be out meeting people anyway, and your work doesn’t exactly put you in contact with many desirable members of the opposite sex. Or maybe the aura of suave confidence you exude is just too overpowering, leaving your many admirers too intimidated to declare their interest. Yea, it’s definitely something like that.

Let’s be honest though, you’re probably being overlooked for a reason. It’s true that when it comes to adult relationships that personality is the biggest turn-on and the mind the largest erogenous zone, but first impressions are also incredibly important, and how is anyone ever going to find out about your razor wit and velour charm if they’ve pigeonholed you as a loser before you’ve even opened your mouth? This isn’t an advocacy of the shallow nature of some human beings; it’s simply a pragmatic analysis of the cruel facts, ones which hold even truer in the cattle market bars and clubs that most people in the Western world rely on to meet members of the opposite sex.

So what can you do? Well, for most people it’s just a simple case of a nice shirt or dress and a new pair of shoes, maybe a new hairstyle, while others may find a few trips down the gym improves their shape, posture, complexion and confidence. For others, it may be your teeth you need to look at.

How we express ourselves facially is hugely important to the way humans communicate with each other, and therefore plays a large role in any attraction. If you have crooked or misaligned teeth then maybe people don’t like looking at your mouth when you smile, or perhaps you don’t like people looking at them, meaning you don’t smile or talk as much as you would like. Issues such as these require a little more help than just a gym membership, but there are all kinds of braces available these days that will help you express yourself the way you want and help improve that all important first impression. The ultra-modern Invisalign system is so inconspicuous that most people won’t even notice you’re wearing one, so braces won’t turn you in to the geeky playground outcast during your treatment.

Sometimes first impressions are just down to confidence rather than anything you look at, but some new clothes, dropping some weight and a nice new smile aren’t going to hurt that either, are they?

Posted in: Invisalign, braces
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| February 16, 2010 at 9:52 am | No comment

Hollywood Smile or Slough Scowl?

Last night saw the stars of stage and screen, plus a few from elsewhere, turn out en en mass for the 67th annual Golden Globes. Although the ceremony can’t hold a candle to the Oscars in terms of rampant celebrity fervour, the Globes are often an early indication of who the winners and losers will be at the Academy’s own bash and so are monitored closely by industry watchers.

Smile Makeovers  Porcelain Veneers
Before                            After?

This year’s ceremony offered a slight break with convention by being presented by a single MC for the whole night. What raised even more eyebrows was the choice of presenter with, love him or loathe him, Ricky Gervais being given free rein to lampoon and berate whoever he saw fit during the course of the evening. Ricky Gervais is somewhat of a novelty in Hollywood in that he still has his original smile when so many other actors and actresses (ie 99.99999% of them) buy in to the so called Hollywood Smile (the clue is in the name I guess).

Perhaps he is unsure of how braces may affect his confidence and public persona, how they will look on camera, or maybe just what his friends will think. This is something that many people worry about when considering dental procedures, but with modern developments like the Invisalign system there is no need to get hung up on having a mouth full of metal wires. The beauty of the Invisalign system is that they are completely clear and therefore nearly invisible. Perhaps if someone told Ricky about this he might be looking a bit more Hollywood in time for next year’s awards.

Posted in: Invisalign, braces
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| January 18, 2010 at 4:42 pm | No comment

The Wonder Of Invisible Braces

As mentioned in a previous blog, an excellent example of how the world of cosmetic dentistry has developed over the years is the Invisalign system. This kind of orthodontic treatment straightens crooked teeth and closes gaps in your smile with the use of a clear plastic aligner, rather than strapping up your mouth with metal wires and elastic bands. This is not only a lot more comfortable for the wearer, who can remove the aligners while eating and to clean their teeth, but they are also far more discreet. In fact most people won’t even notice that you’re wearing them at all!

The first step on the path to a straighter smile from Invisalign is a trip to a cosmetic dentist for a consultation. Most Invisalign certified dentists will not charge you for your initial consultation and this will give them a chance to discuss with you exactly what you’re looking for from your treatment and what procedure they would recommend. In the event that you aren’t suitable for the Invisalign treatment your dentist will still be able to suggest alternative courses of action, some of which we will talk about in later blogs. Either way, this consultation will allow you to make the most informed decision possible and won’t cost you anything, so what do you have to lose?

Should you decide to proceed with the treatment your dentist will take a mould of your teeth and several photos of your bite. These will then be sent to the Invisalign laboratory, where they will create a 3D model of your teeth and use their patented software to simulate the movement of your teeth from their present state to your desired one. The lab will then produce several sets of retainers, each designed to be worn for 2 weeks at a time, moving your teeth little by little to their desired position. Your dentist will explain to you everything you need to know about how to wear your new Invisalign braces, how to clean them and how long the treatment is expected to take.

As these kinds of braces can be removed by the patient, successful treatment does require a certain level of dedication and commitment. If you never wear them then they aren’t going to work, and there is nothing your dentist can do about that! However even if there is some initial discomfort it will be worth it for the winning smile you are left with.

Posted in: Invisalign, braces
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| December 17, 2009 at 9:38 am | 2 comments