Archive for the “Orthodontist” Category

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

Effortless Beauty

Right, with Christmas gone and daylight lasting fractionally longer each day, winter is on the out. Yes, there’s still snow on the ground and it’s too cold to go out in less than three layers or even go out at all, but remember how Christmas came around faster this year? Well, summer will too. It won’t be long before magazines will be running those articles about getting your body in shape for the summer weather and beach time. You’ve got six months, probably less, and they’ll be urging you to start exercising now, to start dieting (a standard New Year’s Resolution anyway) and to consider a wide range of skin products designed to “improve” your general glow from your face to your feet.

   
Before                                             After

But there are still six months till summer, no matter how quickly they may pass by: the weather is still too cold to go on a diet or go for a run in the park and actually enjoy it, and as for those skin products, anything that even remotely implies a tan in January will draw ridicule, and deservedly so.

But where can you start? Well, there’s always cosmetic dentistry. A stunning, bronzed beach body might impress from afar, but the effect can be offset—nay, completely undone!—by a shabby smile. And, as your face is the only part of you on display at this cold time of year, a knock of confidence in that direction can ruin your enthusiasm to get down to your preparations for summer health. Ask your orthodontist about any cosmetic dentistry options applicable to yourself, from teeth whitening to the correction of crooked teeth, and try building up the summer image immediately. Remember, a beautiful smile doesn’t have to wait until summer to be shown off…

Posted in: Cosmetic Dentistry, Orthodontist, Teeth Whitening
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| January 29, 2010 at 3:12 pm | No comment

Counting the Cost

As we grow older, minor issues with the alignment of our teeth or bite can manifest themselves as serious problems, some causing discomfort, others leading to serious infection or damage to surrounding teeth and tissues. However, if you were to speak to most adults with slightly misaligned teeth, the vast majority would not put getting them fixed very highly on their list of priorities for the week, month or even year, even once made aware of the risks to their oral health that they are taking.

Part of the reason for this is the perceived cost of serious orthodontic work, as although a sick man will put no price on regaining his health, an otherwise healthy person with a busy lifestyle and multiple financial commitments will find it hard to justify the outlay on fixing a problem they consider to have not happened yet. The good news is that the vast majority of cosmetic dentists offer some kind of payment plans for large treatments, often at 0% interest. This of course takes a large lump sum that many people may struggle to find in one go and turns it in to little more than another phone bill each month – well worth your future dental health.

Another turn-off for a lot of people is the effect they fear having a mouth full of wires will have on their personal relationships, both at work and in their social lives. What they don’t realise is just how far cosmetic dentistry has come in recent years, and how inconspicuous modern orthodontic treatments can be. One such treatment is known as Invisalign, which involves the wearing of clear aligners that you remove for eating and teeth cleaning. Invisalign aligners are different to the “train-track” braces of old, not only because they can barely be seen when worn, but also because they require no permanent fixings within the mouth, making them significantly more comfortable to wear. We will cover these kinds of braces in more detail in another blog, but if you have been put off orthodontics in the past then it would be well worth your time to revisit the subject with an orthodontist and see what new treatments may be available to you.

Posted in: Orthodontics, Orthodontist
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| December 17, 2009 at 9:31 am | 5 comments