Another option for teeth straightening at Aura Dental
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.
Tooth extractions at a dentist in St. John’s Wood
Tooth extractions are a painless procedure that are conducted under a local anesthetic, dentists never want to cause you pain so there is no need to dread this treatment and cause yourself added stress. We at Aura Dental, your dentist in St. John’s Wood, want to set your mind at ease and lower any anxiety you might have when it comes to needing one or more teeth extracted by creating an environment of ease and comfort for your experience at all your dentist visits in a relaxed and calm fashion.
Reasons for a tooth extraction
Tooth decay and advanced gum disease or even a chipped or broken tooth can often, with very careful dental work, be repaired and saved without needing to be taken out. There are cases, however, where we cannot save a tooth and this is if advanced gum disease has rotted away the soft tissue beyond repair or decayed the tooth so much that it cannot be saved with a root canal. To be able to properly consult on the state of a tooth, your dentist in St. John’s Wood will take an Xray of the area to assess the damage and make a decision on what needs to be done and whether or not the tooth can be saved.
If it happens that the tooth does indeed need to be removed, you will be injected with a local anesthetic to completely numb the area that needs to be worked on so that you won’t feel a thing. If you find that you are quite phobic or very nervous there is an option for you to be placed under sedation while we work, in order to set your nerves at ease and help us make things quicker and even more painless as the whole tooth, root and all, will be extracted and the area cleaned of all decay.
After the space where the tooth used to be has been properly cleaned it will be stitched and you will possibly be prescribed antibiotics to prevent any further infection after surgery, your dentist will also discuss possible tooth replacement options with you that best suit your needs.
Impacted wisdom teeth – depending on how these teeth are growing, can be a complicated and lengthy procedure which is why it is usually done under general anesthetic. Your wisdom teeth may begin to grow out when you reach adulthood, or even after. Ideally, they should cut through the gums with ease, but this is not always the case, sometimes they may grow beneath the other back teeth if there is not enough space in the mouth for them to come out, which can cause headaches and mouth pain.
These impacted teeth need to be removed to stop the other teeth from overcrowding or becoming crooked, there may be quite a bit of swelling after surgery and over the counter pain medication may be prescribed along with a diet of soft foods for a few days but the healing process is quick and you will be back to normal within 1-2 weeks after surgery at your dentist in St. John’s Wood.
Travelling and Invisalign
Picture it, you’ve just finished secondary school or are taking a long summer break at the end of a university year and you decide that you want to do a bit of travelling. Maybe you want to go up to Scotland for the summer and connect to your celtic heritage, or perhaps there is a beach calling your name or maybe you just want to get away from your hometown for a few months and isolate yourself in the quiet of the country. Whatever it is you feel like doing, the last thing you need is a dental emergency in the middle of it because your metal braces break, come loose or cut your mouth open. We at Aura Dental understand that when you want to get away from it all you really aren’t planning a trip to the dentist, which is why Invisalign in St. John’s Wood is a wonderful option for straightening your teeth, without having to make monthly visits to the practice.
What is Invisalign?
This is a treatment to fix crooked teeth and malocclusions that doesn’t involve constant trips to the dentist or years worth of your time and money. It sounds too good to be true, but there’s more. Other than the aforementioned benefits, Invisalign in St. John’s Wood is a completely clear aligner, which means that you can be undergoing treatment and no one will even notice there’s something covering your teeth.
Come, have a consultation with us and ask about a clear aligner, we will take a 3D scan of your mouth that involves zero discomfort and absolutely no gooey moulds that slide down the back of your throat. Once the scan is complete you will be able to see it on a screen and a computer algorithm will calculate how your teeth will shift in increments over time. Then that information is sent to a lab and a full set of weekly aligners will be custom made for you.
Why is it perfect for travelling?
A clear aligner needs to be changed every 1-2 weeks as your teeth shift position, the beauty of this treatment is that your full set of aligners will be given to you to swap out when you need to, without having to keep going back to the dentist’s office for adjustments. Thus making them perfect for travel, as you can just throw them in your suitcase and continue with your life. Whether you’re hiking the highlands or strolling through Cornwall, these aligners become a hassle-free part of your life.
They are completely removable for eating and cleaning, and the best part is they can offer a quick solution to your crooked smile, with some patients only needing treatment for 6 months.
Options
Depending on your teeth, there are three options available for Invisalign in St. John’s Wood:
Invisalign Express – Suitable for very mild movements, needing only 7 aligners over a few short weeks.
Invisalign Lite – suitable for mild cases, needing only 14 sets of aligners with results typically seen after only 4 months of treatment. Invisalign Comprehensive – Suitable for mild to severe orthodontic work, treatment times may vary depending on the patient, with results from between 6-12 months.
Why braces in St. John’s Wood are ideal for children
Ever heard the expression, “the longer you leave it, the worse it gets”? Well this is definitely the case with malocclusions and crooked teeth. Childhood is the time when the skull is still growing and the bones are still relatively soft, making it easier to fix any problems that may become a concern in the future. We at Aura Dental know and understand this and can advise any parent that brings their child in for a check-up whether or not they will need braces in St. John’s Wood to avoid any future problems, thus giving your child the best opportunity for good oral health in the future.
Problems seen in the pre-teen years
We don’t need to wait until the skull has stopped growing to see what problems may come up in terms of malocclusion or crooked teeth. Once a child has lost all their baby teeth it is easy for our dentists and orthodontic specialists to determine how the mouth will develop over time with the use of expert knowledge, X-rays and even 3D digital technologies. By the stage of about 7-9 years old, it will be clear if your child will develop any problems with their bite. Overbites, underbites, crossbites, and open bites can all be fixed with braces in St. John’s Wood, by gently pulling the jaw into place over time and guiding the teeth to grow into their proper positions.
Malocclusions (which are misalignments in the bite) are often hereditary, which means that they are caused by your child’s genetic makeup, but they are completely fixable, especially in childhood. However, sometimes they can be formed by habits in a child’s toddler years, like sucking on a pacifier after the age of 3, extended bottle feeding and thumb sucking, which can all cause the shape of the jaw and pallet to grow incorrectly.
How braces work
A bracket is secured to the front of each tooth with a special dental glue, then a wire is fed through all the brackets and tension is applied to that wire with varying degrees over time. This tension guides the teeth to grow in their proper positions and as the jawbone grows and hardens over time, it secures the correctly aligned teeth.
When it comes to jaw position, elastics of different tensions that are secured to the brackets on the top teeth are linked to the brackets of the bottom teeth and they pull the jaw ever so slightly to encourage it to grow in the correct way thus fixing any future bite issues.
Usually, patients with braces need to visit their dentist every month or so to allow them to make adjustments to the tension settings, as the teeth and jaw shifts over time.
Why they benefit children
How many times has your child come home having lost a piece of school uniform, or has asked you to buy them their 5th eraser for the year? The benefit of braces in St. John’s Wood is that they are permanent and fixed to the teeth, they cannot be taken out and lost, making your investment in their oral health secure for the full length of time that the treatment takes place.
Understanding the procedure for dental implants
While some people who may only be missing a single tooth or even a row of teeth, getting implants is probably the best solution, but there are patients who opt to replace teeth that are possibly healthy for a better more aesthetic smile. Undergoing this treatment is quite the process and involves some serious surgery, so Aura Dental, dentist in St John’s Wood, would like to explain it to you in detail so that you know the facts when making the decision to get dental implants.
If you still have teeth
Your dentist in St John’s Wood will require that the socket where the root fits into the jaw be completely empty and cleaned out before the implant can be placed. If you have a loose or decayed tooth or want to replace natural teeth, these will first need to be surgically removed and the area cleaned out and correctly treated to be made ready for the implant. The tooth extraction is performed under local anaesthetic.
The implant procedure
The now clean and open area where the implant will be placed needs to be properly numbed with a local anaesthetic, at this point, your dentist will decide if you will need a bone graft, this bone graft ensures a solid base necessary for the implant to fit into. If this turns out to be a lengthy and involved procedure; you may need to wait for a few months for the area to heal properly before proceeding with the implant surgery. However, if there’s enough bone from the get-go and you don’t need a bone graft then your dentist in St John’s Wood can place the implants immediately.
Dental implants are titanium posts or screws that your dentist places into the bone of your jaw by using a special drill and other tools, once the implant is correctly inserted, the gum is stitched up. You may get a temporary denture to cover up the gap in your mouth simply for aesthetic purposes but then you are sent home to heal before your next appointment. Depending on the quality of your bone, healing time can take 2-6 months, during this time, the bone fuses with the implant securing it in place thus making it strong enough to fit a false tooth without risking damage.
If the healing was a success then an abutment is connected to the implant. The dentist creates a crown that fits onto the abutment, this crown looks like a real tooth though it is often made of ceramic and will be made to match your other teeth or give you a brand new smile.
Benefits
Dental implants are a permanent solution to a missing tooth and the fact that they resemble a natural tooth is very appealing to many people, they even feel similar to natural teeth and eating with these dental implants is the same as eating with natural teeth, which is often a common complaint among denture wearers, so you can go about your life as usual without the worry of your teeth falling out by becoming stuck in food.
Taking care of your dental hygiene with our dentist in St. John’s Wood
While we are sure you brush, floss and rinse diligently at home, nothing beats a professional clean at your dentist in St. John’s Wood. Like taking your car for a valet cleaning, someone else just does it better than you seem to manage on your own at home. Likewise, coming into Aura Dental to take advantage of our different dental hygiene options will give you the clean and polish your mouth deserves.
The dental hygienist’s role
A dental hygienist trains for two years to be able to fulfill their role and works closely with the dentist in St. John’s Wood to bring you to optimum oral health. They provide education to patients on how best to achieve oral health as well as school groups, residential homes, and other venues where education on this matter is important. Smoking can cause a list of very serious problems and a dental hygienist will provide advice and support on ceasing smoking as well as other tobacco products.
Other than education, a dental hygienist’s role is to perform a deep cleaning on your teeth and gums that you miss at home with your regular brushing. They can help treat periodontal disease by providing scaling and polishing (cleaning) to remove tartar above and below the gums which has built up around your teeth. A hygienist can also polish any surface stains that you are struggling to get rid of on your own, they are qualified to provide numbing injections before the procedure, so that your experience is pain-free should your plaque problem turn out to be quite severe. To identify areas of plaque and tartar build-up the dental hygienist may place a temporary dye on your teeth which adheres to the areas that need attention and provide you with advice on your personal home cleaning regime, to show you spots you may be missing before they professionally clean your teeth and gums.
Treatments
As you are probably aware plaque is a sticky substance that builds on and between the teeth causing the bacteria (which loves sugar) that leads to gum disease. Plaque is removed by our dental hygienist to ensure the longevity of your gums and it is the reason why sugar is linked to tooth decay.
Scaling is a procedure used by the dental hygienist at your dentist in St. John’s Wood to remove plaque and even stains. With specialised equipment and ultrasonic devices deposits on the teeth and beneath the gums can be cleaned away, even bad tissue can be treated with this procedure, as the scaling can plane both the gums and the tooth’s root providing a new clean surface free from bacteria deposits, and necrotic tissue.
A dental hygienist can also address issues of bad breath, caused by bacteria, smoking, alcohol, sugary foods, candida infections, menstruation, and many other factors that don’t necessarily involve having forgotten to brush in the morning.
Cleaning and flossing your teeth will be the final role our hygienist plays at your appointment, leaving you with smooth and clean pearly whites free of stains and bits of food that may be stuck which cause a build-up of plaque.
The longevity of dental implants in St. John’s Wood
Your health is one of the most important investments you will ever make; you only get one body and it’s important to take care of it. When considering dental implants in St. John’s Wood one of the first questions that may come to mind is how long are they going to last? And taking into account the cost and the fact that surgery is required to put them in, we at Aura Dental understand the importance of knowing just how long you can expect your investment to last.
The implants, not the teeth
Many people may think that what they see when they smile is the important bit of the tooth, however, that’s just the outside and of course, it serves the function of biting, chewing, and assistance with speech. However the root of that tooth, the part that is secured into the jaw is the bit that holds everything together; from the structure of the jaw bone to the alignment of your bite, it’s the bit we don’t see that is important.
When a tooth falls out due to injury or decay, a hole is left in a small socket, where it used to fit. Dental implants in St. John’s Wood are titanium screws that are surgically placed in this space to fill the socket and a custom artificial tooth is then secured onto that as a separate entity that may be replaced or changed if needs be.
Types of implants
Implants, come in different shapes and sizes and your dentist will decide which is best suited to you after an inspection of the state of your jaw and gums. In general, titanium that is used in the body can last upwards of twenty years as it is very durable and seldom rejected; dental titanium may last a lifetime if all goes well with the postoperative healing process.
There are commonly 4 types of implants that a dentist may consider when it comes to your tooth replacement:
Two-stage – A surgery is conducted to place the correct implant into the jaw bone. After a few months of healing, another minor surgery is performed to attach the artificial tooth or crown as needed.
Endosteal – These are placed using the two-stage method but may support a bridge of more than one tooth per implant.
Single-stage – A longer implant is placed into the jaw that remains exposed during the healing process allowing for direct attachments of the tooth or crown without a second minor surgery to expose the implant.
Subperiosteal are implanted with the same technique as the aforementioned single-stage implants.
Who is a good candidate?
For permanent long-lasting dental implants in St. John’s Wood, any adult who has lost a tooth or multiple teeth are good candidates for an implant consultation at their dentist. Even if only one tooth needs replacing it is important to see that it gets done as the health implications for a missing tooth over time can be disastrous. Implants can last upwards of 20 years with many cases proving to have lasted a lifetime, meaning that they are a secure investment in your oral health.
Finding the right braces in St. John’s Wood
There is a whole world of options out there to consider when it comes to finding the right orthodontics and we at Aura Dental can provide sound advice on which option will not only be right for your condition, but will also fit into your lifestyle with ease. While it might be appropriate for children in primary school to have a set of metal tracks to adjust their teeth as they grow, this is possibly not the best option for a young professional trying to make it in an image-focused corporate world. A set of the right braces in St. John’s Wood could provide you with more confidence in your image and give you better overall dental health in the long run.
Why should I invest in teeth straightening?
Let’s consider for a moment that perhaps having crooked teeth doesn’t bother you too much and that you’re quite happy with your image, we are thrilled that your confidence remains undeterred by any imperfection, but are concerned at the potential health risks this may cause. When teeth overlap with crowding, as is often the case with many orthodontic patients, it can be more difficult to clean them properly, which may lead to various complications.
Cleanliness – Straighter teeth are easier to clean with brushing and provide the ability to floss in each nook and cranny with ease. However, when you miss those hard to reach places because of misalignment, a build-up of plaque and bacteria will form, in probability leading to gum disease and tooth decay which may require surgery to remove teeth.
Jaw pain – Crooked teeth may throw your jaw off balance which affects how you chew food, having an imbalance in your jaw could result in pain in the joints and muscles of your face. Fixing any alignment issues in the teeth and jaw with braces in St John’s Wood will result in good long term oral health with fewer complications.
What are my options?
Invisalign – This is a revolutionary treatment that is very popular with adults because it is virtually invisible and offers results in a shorter space of time. By using 3D digital technology, your teeth are scanned and a calculation is made as to how they will shift over time, then custom clear aligners are created to be changed every 1-2 weeks to move the teeth in small increments until you get the result you desire.
Lingual braces – Another popular option for adults who don’t want to have traditional braces on the front of their teeth for both aesthetic and professional reasons. The braces are instead fitted onto the backs of the teeth where they remain unseen as adjustments are made over time to straighten the teeth.
Inman aligner – A removable orthodontic appliance that is used to adjust crowding in the front teeth with maximum efficiency over a short amount of time. This treatment can be used purely as an orthodontic treatment or in preparation for a smile makeover with crowns and veneers.
Speaking to your dentist about the braces in St John’s Wood that are available to you will help you make the best-informed decision for your overall dental health and smile.
Matching dental implants to your teeth and face
So you’ve decided to get dental implants in St. John’s Wood to replace missing or decaying teeth and your next question may be, will they look fake or out of place? We at Aura Dental understand that the investment you make in your implants is not only for the many health benefits they may ensure, but to recreate your personal, best smile so that you may have the confidence to go about your life without worrying about false looking teeth that are mismatched in size or colour.
What makes your teeth unique?
Depending on your genetics and lifestyle your teeth, and the bite marks they create, are unique to you and you alone; like a fingerprint, no two sets of teeth are exactly the same. People who drink coffee or cola in excess may have stained teeth due to the tannins in the liquids which cause colour compounds to stick to the tooth enamel, and a smoker may present with one or more blackened teeth. However, colour isn’t the only identifiable factor that makes your smile truly your own; the way your tooth emerges from the gum, its size and shape are all a part of your unique oral makeup which can change over time, depending on how you chew or if you grind your teeth at night or not.
It’s for these reasons that dental implants in St. John’s Wood are able to match a false porcelain crown to your natural teeth perfectly; you can’t have one pure white tooth next to your natural teeth which were never pure white to begin with, it isn’t natural and will be highly noticeable and look very out of place.
Matching the crowns
The science of the implant is one thing, how the bone fuses to the titanium screw over time is a fascinating tale all on its own, but the art of creating a tooth unique to an individual is a whole other field of expertise that dental laboratories have just about perfected.
By using photography and shade guides at your implant appointments, we are able to provide the laboratories with as much information as possible to perfectly match your new crown to the rest of your teeth. The use of porcelain perfectly mimics the natural transparency of real teeth, and dental artistry professionals are able to sculpt not only the custom shape, but get the false tooth to look real by making the tip thinner than the base and recreating the different waves and ridges each tooth may have according to your personal profile.
If you find that you would like to whiten and brighten your smile, it is best to get your natural teeth bleached before your dentist sends a colour profile to the lab, because porcelain cannot be bleached and it is advised that any colour changes be done before your new teeth are made.
Taking care of your new teeth
The beauty of dental implants in St. John’s Wood is that your new porcelain teeth act just like normal teeth and are cleaned and taken care of in the same way, by brushing and flossing daily. With regular dental check-ups advised as per usual.
Is Invisalign right for me?
Many adults, possibly like you, are looking for options to straighten their teeth, because for many reasons they missed the opportunity when they were younger, and now they find that the image-driven world we live in makes them want to improve their smile. We at Aura Dental understand this and have an elegant solution that will suit your lifestyle no matter where you find yourself. Invisalign in St John’s Wood complements an active lifestyle and is also suitable for those in the competitive corporate world. Whatever situation you find yourself in, you can treat your orthodontic problem with an invisible solution.
The history of the treatment
The Invisalign system had been used and improved upon since 1997. It is the most advanced clear aligner system in the world and has helped millions of people to find their best smile and move forward with their lives. The company is constantly creating and developing new technologies to improve upon their own ingenuity and we recommend Invisalign to anyone seeking a solution to fix their crooked teeth with discretion and speed.
What is Invisalign and how does it work?
This is a clear removable brace that gently applies force to the teeth to shift them into the correct position, this revolutionary orthodontic treatment is embraced by young adults all over the world, because of its almost completely invisible nature. They are a great option for getting your teeth straightened without anyone noticing.
After scanning your teeth with 3D imaging technology, a computer will be able to predict how your teeth will move over time. From these predictions clear aligners will be made to fit over your teeth and will be changed every 1-2 weeks in the comfort of your own home, as your teeth change their positions. You will need to check in with your dentist every 6-8 weeks to ensure that the Invisalign in St John’s Wood is still on track and to keep an eye on the position of your teeth.
Custom-made aligners are completely removable for eating and brushing your teeth, they fit into your lifestyle effortlessly and after a couple of days, you will barely even notice they are there. This treatment does not last as long as traditional braces so your smile could be straight in under a year, which not only suits adults with busy lifestyles. Invisalign has other systems which can also be used by teens and children too, making it an option for a family to have matching smiles.
Testimonies
Patients, having received treatment with Invisalign in St. John’s Wood, have praised this option for fixing crooked teeth as an excellent choice for young professionals working closely with others.These patients said that no one ever noticed the fact that they were wearing an aligner, but other people only mentioned how clean and shiny their teeth looked. It was also noted that the patients themselves barely noticed that their teeth were being adjusted and forgot that the aligner was in their mouths. Eating and cleaning was very easy, as the aligner could be removed, meaning they could enjoy all sorts of foods as they would normally.
