Chewies and Invisalign; a guide from Aura Dental
When it comes to wearing aligners, you want to be prepared for as many eventualities as possible.
While uncommon, during the first few times you put your aligners onto your teeth, you may find that you have difficulty fitting them correctly. They may not slot onto one part of your teeth or, you may have issues with aligning them over the correct teeth.
Fiddling around with them excessively can cause damage so, this is where chewies come in!
At Aura Dental, our team has helped many patients use Invisalign St John’s Wood and can attest to the many benefits that these invisible aligners have to offer. After all, we have used this aligner in our clinic for over 10 years!
However, we do acknowledge that they can be tricky to adjust to and, rather than have frustrated patients give up on the treatment due to problems with slotting the aligners into place, we are in favour of anything that can help make the process easier.
So, what are chewies and how do they help with using Invisalign St John’s Wood?
What do aligner chewies do?
To understand what chewies do, we will first break down how aligners work.
With Invisalign St John’s Wood, the aligners are custom-fitted to your teeth and, throughout your treatment, you may need to wear up to 14 different aligners in succession.
But, as they are not fixed, for them to work and apply the right level of pressure to the correct teeth, they have to be set in place properly.
Chewies help with the placement of aligners; simply put the aligners and chewies in your mouth, bite down on it for a few minutes and voila! Your aligner will be in place! As chewies are made from soft plastic, you can chew on them for as long as required but, if you frequently find that your aligners don’t fit, then you may need to see our team.
Do they accelerate the treatment?
You may have read that using chewies reduces the treatment time. This is partially correct.
As we mentioned earlier, having your aligner fit correctly is crucial to realigning your teeth and, as chewies help with positioning, they are useful for keeping the treatment running on schedule or, in some cases, accelerating it. But, to be clear, we don’t have enough data on the use of chewies to state whether they do or don’t speed up the treatment time of invisible aligners.
Are there side effects?
As you may know, wearing an invisible aligner does not come without its share of soreness; because they apply pressure to your teeth when you change between them, there is likely to be some discomfort.
And, when you use chewies, this can be exacerbated; the repetitive biting motions required to use these tools can cause jaw soreness and muscle pain.
Can’t I just chew something else?
You can, but it is advisable to use something designed for use with aligners, such as Munchies or Movemints. Do not be tempted to chew on items such as pencils or pens, as these are often too hard and can cause damage to the aligners.
Are braces for your child worth it? Advantages from our dentist
Getting your child to attend a dental checkup can feel like a challenge at the best of times.
If you are told that your child could benefit from braces, you may feel that they will be sulky with you for the rest of your life if you have one fitted. But, there are many advantages to your child wearing a brace in their younger years and, we promise, they will thank you for it later!
At Aura Dental, we are proud of the orthodontic options that we can provide for our younger patients. Our dentist St John’s Wood and the rest of our team have helped thousands of children get straighter smiles, and we can attest to the many advantages that this treatment can offer in the short and long term.
So what are some of the advantages of your child undertaking braces with our dentist St John’s Wood?
Better nutrition
Your child will eat most of what you give them. But, when they are out and about or at school, the position of their teeth may create issues for them. As a result, they may be passing up on healthier food options such as fruits and vegetables in lieu of chips and softer foods.
When our dentist St John’s Wood fits a brace and your child’s teeth start to straighten, they will find it easier to bite into and chew harder foods, thus improving their overall nutrition. Great!
Clearer speech
It is amazing how big a role our teeth play in our speech. If your child has an overbite, we are willing to bet that they have issues pronouncing the ‘th’ and ‘s’ sounds. If they have an underbite, they may struggle with pronouncing the letter ‘l’.
With a brace, we can correct these issues and thus, as their teeth realign, their speech will become clearer and their confidence will improve.
Improved oral health
Misaligned teeth are harder to brush; it is a fact of life.
If your child has complex misalignments, they may regularly need fillings or fluoride sealants to protect their teeth against decay. So, being fitted with a brace will make it easier for them to brush and clean their teeth, improving their dental health in the long run.
Better long term physical health
Following on from misaligned teeth being harder to brush, should your child not have their teeth straightened, they may develop a higher incidence of plaque in their mouth.
Excessive levels of plaque have been linked to serious health issues like heart disease, cancer and even strokes. So, by straightening your child’s teeth and making it easier for them to clean out plaque deposits, you will actually be ensuring better physical health for the rest of their life.
Improved confidence
And of course, what better way to set your child up for a happier life than by improving their self-esteem with a straight, healthier smile.
Children who have their teeth straightened using a brace earlier in life often report higher levels of confidence when they reach their teenage years and beyond. Remember, for those under the age of 18 years, orthodontic work is free in the UK so, it won’t cost you a penny!
Do you need Invisalign St John’s Wood?
When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Are you happy with the appearance of your smile, or do you find yourself wishing that your parents had got you braces when you were in school to realign your teeth? If you are feeling concerned about the aesthetics of your smile, it can affect your self-esteem and nobody wants that, especially when there is a way that you can realign your teeth discreetly and without people knowing that you are. At Aura Dental, we specialise in putting great smiles on patients’ faces. As finalists of the Private Dentistry Awards 2020, our reputation for doing what we do best is unequivocal. With Invisalign St John’s Wood, we treat mild to moderate alignment issues in a convenient and comfortable way.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign St John’s Wood is a system that uses clear plastic aligners to apply pressure gently on teeth and make them move into the position that’s required. The aligners are worn like gum shields, but they are perhaps more comfortable thanks to their streamlined finish that is made bespoke to fit your mouth. You will be provided with sets of aligners to wear and change between on a fortnightly basis; this means you only need to come to see us for a check-up every 6 weeks. After your treatment has finished, you will then need to wear retainers.
Why Invisalign St John’s Wood?
Invisalign has many benefits for patients. Aside from the fact that they are virtually unnoticeable when worn, they are also removable. This means that you can take them out for up to 2 hours a day whilst you play sports or attend a special event. What’s more, you can also remove them while you eat and drink, which means that you won’t need to clean masticated food off your aligners! You will also be able to continue to eat whatever you like and you will be able to brush and floss as normal afterwards. This allows you to keep your teeth and gums in good nick!
Another benefit of Invisalign is that the aligners are very hard to break due to the plastic they are made of. This means that you shouldn’t need to take unnecessary time off work coming to see us for an emergency appointment. The treatment itself can be completed in as little as 6 months, which is great if you have a special event to attend. Another benefit of Invisalign is that when you have the iTero 3D scan of your mouth for us to get the prescription for your custom made aligners, we will also be able to generate an animation to show you what your teeth will look like upon completion of treatment, before you even get started! This technology is a great motivating factor to kickstart your Invisalign journey.
What next?
If you are keen to find out more about Invisalign and whether it is the right treatment for you, simply book in for an initial consultation. During this consultation, we can examine your mouth and discuss your concerns about your smile. We will be able to assess whether or not this is the right treatment for you or whether one of our other discreet treatments would be better. You can ask us as many questions as you like – we’re a friendly bunch! – and together we will put a treatment plan together that’s best for you. When you finish your treatment, we want you to be able to look in the mirror and feel proud of your smile.
Aura Dental: dentist in St John’s Wood
At Aura Dental, we offer a wide range of treatments from general, children’s and cosmetic dentistry to orthodontics and dental implants. We also offer emergency treatments if you should ever find yourself in need of them. We like to think that if you’re looking for a warm and friendly dental practice that really cares about each individual patient, then you will have come to the right place! But don’t just take our word for it, we are finalists in the 2020 Private Dentistry Awards, an achievement that is thanks to our knowledgeable and experienced staff and the holistic approach that we take in our relaxed environment. We hope that all our patients feel a part of the decision making process when it comes to creating their treatment plan and we will always take the time to answer as many questions as they may have. Find out more about what we can do as a dentist St John’s Wood.
Teeth whitening: Enlighten
If you’re looking for a dentist St John’s Wood who offers teeth whitening, then look no further. We use a system called ‘Enlighten’ that guarantees to get your teeth to at least a Vita shade B1. It is a renowned system that gets results. We also offer the Enlighten’s Evolution professional teeth whitening system that can brighten teeth by up to 16 shades lighter. You will have trays made to fit your mouth and while you are waiting for them to arrive, we will provide you with some fancy toothpaste to use. It contains HAP (Hydroxyapatite) and this is what the enamel of your teeth is actually made up of for 97% of it. This will reduce the sensitivity in your teeth and strengthen them. When you then receive the trays you will wear them at home with your whitening gels. By wearing them every night for a couple of weeks, you will then be ready for a final session in our practice with our dentist St John’s Wood to give your colour a final boost and get a smile that shines!
Composite bonding
If you are looking for a solution to the size or shape of your teeth, as well as the colour of your teeth, then composite bonding could be for you! It is made of the same material as that which is used for white fillings and is normally applied to the fronts of teeth which are visible to other people. There is no damage caused to your teeth in having this treatment and it can be a quick and simple solution to minor issues; it can also be used for narrowing gaps between teeth, as well as disguising minor rotations of teeth.
What should I do now?
If you are interested in finding out more about how Aura Dental can help you, why not book in for an initial consultation? We can examine your mouth and discuss any concerns you may have. We will be able to explore the options available to you and you can quiz us about anything you are unsure of. Together, we will be able to determine a treatment plan that is bespoke for you, because it’s what you deserve – treat yourself and your teeth to an experience worth smiling about.
Invisalign in St John’s Wood with Aura Dental
Having misaligned teeth can be a source of anxiety for patients. Having low self-esteem about the appearance of your smile is not what anybody wants. At Aura Dental, we have a solution to improving your smile with Invisalign St John’s Wood. It is a discreet method of realigning your smile that is flexible and convenient in its approach to bringing you a happier glow when you look in the mirror.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign St John’s Wood is a system which uses clear plastic aligners that are worn over the teeth like a gum shield. They are made to measure for your mouth and sit snugly on the gumline. Contemporary iTero technology takes a 3D scan of your mouth to get the measurements for your aligners and from this an animation can be made of how your teeth will look after the completion of your treatment, before you even begin! It’s a great motivating factor for patients as it gives you the vision of what you’re going to be able to achieve with wearing them.
What are the benefits of Invisalign St John’s Wood?
Invisalign has many advantages; one of the top ones being that when the aligners are worn, they are virtually invisible to other people. Another bonus is that you can remove them for up to 2 hours a day which permits you a flexibility of approach to realigning your teeth. You can remove them for eating and drinking, which allows you to eat whatever you want and you won’t have to clean food off your aligners afterwards either – result! With Invisalign, you can also take the aligners out while you participate in sports or go on a date, or attend that all important job interview – it’s up to you! You can also remove them for brushing and flossing your teeth, allowing you to keep up your oral hygiene routine and not have any issues with your teeth and gums as a result of having an appliance in your mouth.
If you’re concerned about having to spend all your time with us, you may be relieved to learn that your hectic lifestyle can continue! With Invisalign, we will give you sets of aligners to take home with you and change between on a fortnightly basis. You will then need to come and have a check-up every 6 weeks. This may still sound a lot, but remember that some patients’ treatment is completed in as little as 6 months. So, while we will be able to be on first name terms, you won’t feel like you’ve moved into Aura Dental – as much as we’d enjoy having your company, we know you’ve got other ideas!
What are the next steps?
After you’ve had your treatment with Invisalign, you will need to wear a retainer to ensure that your teeth stay in their new positions. If you want to find out if Invisalign is right for you, you just need to book in for a consultation to discuss your concerns and we will be able to let you know if it’s the best treatment for your alignment needs. Don’t worry if it’s not, we have other discreet treatments up our sleeves too! We look forward to meeting you and making your smile a winning one.
Looking for a dentist in St John’s Wood that has it all? Visit Aura Dental!
If you’re looking for a dentist, you may have had some recommendations from friends and family about where to go. Perhaps you’ve been doing a search online and checked out some options on a map, but letters A-Z won’t tell you much. The fact is that dental practices have varying levels of expertise and different treatments available. If you don’t want to have to move around to receive different treatments, you may be keen to find a dental practice that has all the dental treatments you could wish for under one roof! At Aura Dental, we are a highly experienced practice that offers dental care for the whole family. We are finalists from the 2020 Private Dentistry Awards and we offer general dentistry, orthodontics, cosmetic dentistry, dental implants and a range of treatments for children. We also offer emergency care should you ever need it. Find out more about some of our popular treatments.
Dental implants
If you have a single tooth missing, several teeth missing, or even a whole set of teeth that need replacing, our dentist St John’s Wood can offer dental implants as a solution. Implants consist of screws which are attached to your jawbone and act as artificial roots for your replacement teeth, which are crowns, dentures or bridges. The screws are made from titanium metal which fuses well with the body’s tissues and ensures that they are firmly fixed in place. Your replacement teeth will be attached to an abutment and once fitted will look completely natural; nobody should know that they aren’t your real teeth. Whether you’re chomping on a steak well done, or crunching on an apple, your replacement teeth won’t let you down. They are easy to look after as well, all you need to do is brush and floss regularly and your replacement teeth won’t get cavities!
Invisalign
At Aura Dental, with our dentist St John’s Wood we have a wide variety of appliances for realigning your teeth, many of which are discreet and enable you to achieve results in as little as 6 months. One such option available to eligible patients is Invisialign. Invisalign is a system that uses clear plastic aligners that are made bespoke to fit your mouth. They sit over the teeth and along the gumline, making them comfortable to wear. They apply gentle pressure to the teeth to gradually move them into the correct position. The beauty of Invisalign is that the aligners can be removed for up to 2 hours a day, including when you are eating and drinking. The plastic is highly durable, so there is virtually no need to see us for them breaking, unlike with metal braces, so you should only need to see us for a check-up every 6 weeks. In between the check-ups, you will be provided with sets of aligners to wear and change around every fortnight. We don’t want to blow our own trumpet, but the results are fantastic and you can see what they will be before you even begin thanks to the iTero technology that takes a 3D scan of your teeth and can be used to generate an animation of what your teeth will look like after treatment before you even get started!
Come and see us!
If you are keen to find out how our dentist St John’s Wood can help you get a smile that you can be proud of, why not book in and pay us a visit? Our door is always open to our patients and we’re ready to help you with whatever dental needs you require treatment for. Whether it’s a quick scale and polish or something more complex, we have the expertise and the knowledge to treat you; you’ll be in safe, experienced hands.
Invisible braces; are they any good?
We have been supplying Invisalign in St. John’s Wood, for many years and have had great experiences with seeing our patients through treatment schedules using invisible aligners, let’s talk more about them.
What are invisible aligners?
Invisible aligners are an orthodontic tool; it’s role is to progressively straighten your teeth over time. They are in thin plastic forms which you wear over your teeth; they fit very snuggly to the point of being slightly tight, but this is the sensation of the system pushing on your teeth over time. It is that consistent pressure which will coax your team to adopt a new position;exactly which position this is depends on the shape of the aligner.
This makes the shape of the aligners the most critical element for treatment. Unlike a brace which is worn for the entire patient orthodontic journey, clear aligners are only worn for 2-weeks each, as part of a series of aligners making up the length of the treatment. This could be anywhere between 4 months and 2 years depending on the starting and finishing position as well as how the patient’s teeth respond to treatment.
Are invisible aligners invisible?
Invisible aligners and one of their earliest manufacturers options that we use in the clinic are not strictly invisible but due to being completely translucent and very thin, they are hardly noticeable when being worn.
Invisalign in St.John’s Wood has been particularly popular with adult orthodontic patients; this seems to be due to a higher expectation amount. Our adult cohorts as teenagers and young adults usually use NHS funded braces, and have to wait to see the results of the orthodontic care when they finally have their braces. But this is not true with Invisalign in St.John Wood.
Another aspect that makes clear aligners more appropriate for adult patients is the removability; you must, of course, return them to your mouth and wear them for 22 hours each day for the treatment to work.
Computer-aided dentistry
The most innovative aspects of invisible aligners is the use of computer aided design and the 3D scan of the patient teeth in order to design and iron out the treatment schedule. This gives better predictive results, so we can show our patients a real-time example of how their teeth will look upon completion.
It is this computer aided design that allows aligners to be sent through to 3D printers and manufactured. It can take as little as four weeks for a set of aligners to be produced from a 3D scan and sent to our clinic, allowing you to start your treatment promptly.
Due to how critical the shape of an aligner is to an effective treatment, there are certain do’s and don’ts with your aligner; they can be quite sensitive to heat and easily warped in a washing machine or tumble dryer. This can easily occur by cleaning your aligner in hot water, so take care to not throw your aligner in with your washing or into a tumble dryer!
The value of good oral hygiene
Oral hygiene for many is often nothing more than a background afterthought. And this is the cause of dentistry in general;the best dentistry is preventative and our dentist in St.John’s Wood would prefer to keep you out of the chair!
For a lot of patients, good oral hygiene can be quite an awkward object as they believe their oral hygiene is fine and so, advice is an insult. Alternatively, they may know their oral hygiene could be better and would not like to be reminded. As medical professionals, we don’t judge our patients’ personal choices when it comes to how they wish to keep their own teeth. As long as the consequences are understood, it is important to maintain good hygiene for your health and bank balance.
A primary condition caused by oral hygiene issues is a cavity, but often, only a few of our patients know exactly how cavities are formed. Cavities are made by colonies of bacteria who attach themselves to the enamel of tooth; they digest sugar producing lactic acids much like the lactic acid that is produced in our muscles during exercise, but when it is produced at the surface of the tooth, lactic acid is particularly good at attacking the calcium compounds within the enamel. This weakens and softens the localised area and the bacterial colony exploits this getting deeper into the tooth. They do not do this in order to eat the tooth, only to provide a sheltered spot in which they can happily continue digesting the sugars from inside your mouth. It is this parasitic behaviour that results in the formation of a cavity, which will drill deeper and deeper into your tooth overtime eventually compromising structural integrity and resulting in the crumbling of the tooth.
This process accelerates over time as dentin components are weaker and more susceptible to damage by acids. The precursor to these colonies’ foothold inside your teeth is a biofilm that curved over the tooth surface. This film is called plaque and is a mix of many different bacterial species. By regularly removing plaque from your teeth and disrupting biofilm, you are preventing the next stage of the bacteria’s invasion.
Even with regular brushing of the teeth, it is tricky to remove plaque from certain spots. This includes between teeth, areas that have been damaged by cracks around bridgework, and where the dentie of the root has become exposed as gums recede.
During the early stages of a cavity,there are little to no symptoms. This is also the stage where it is easiest to treat. Catching cavities at this stage is one of the main reasons why the regular screening for cavities which occur during your six month regular checkup at our dentist in St.John’s Wood is so important.
As well as being able to see cavities at early stages by a simple examination of the enamel, our team is also able to ascertain the depth of the cavity; it is possible that quite a small hole extends deeply into the tooth.
If you are experiencing a cavity,you can get in contact with our dentist in St. John’s Wood. You can do this via the phone or email as well as the contact form on our website.
Which is better-braces or aligners?
There is no answer to the phrase which is better; a more useful question would be which is a more appropriate treatment for me in my personal case, Invisalign in St. John’s Wood or their braces? What are the pros and cons?
Braces suitable to a wider range of conditions compared to aligners, which have convenience and comfort in their everyday use to their advantage. This is a loose generalisation, so let’s look more closely at them.
Standard metal braces
The focus of the traditional orthodontic metal brace is around it’s arch wire. This is a metal rod that is around the arch of the mouth (where it gets its nickname). Attached to the arch wire is the bracket glued to the front of the teeth. When a similar arrangement is glued to the back of the teeth it is called a lingual brace. This is related to the standard metal brace but it’s much harder to fit and less noticeable.
The brace allows an orthodontist to apply pressure to the patients teeth, which is done by tensioning the arch wire. Once under tension, the archwire will continue to press on the teeth and the brace loosens. This is done during a trip to your orthodontist every 4 weeks throughout the treatment and is called brace tightening. It can be quite uncomfortable and over-the-counter pain relief is recommended for a few days after a tightening.
Invisalign style clear aligners
The aligners we use (Invisalign in St. John’s Wood) are a lightweight plastic othoditic tool looking very similar to a gum shield only transparent and less noticeable when worn in public. This is what has led to the nickname invisible braces even though they are technically not a brace.
They are only worn for about 2-weeks each and one is used in a sequence, which comes together to cover the course of the treatment. This can be anywhere between 6 months to 2 years. Each of the aligners is a slightly different shape and the force that pushes on the teeth comes from the elastic tension and the tight fitting. Aligner adjustments occur every two weeks compared to the 4 weeks with an orthodontist. They are smaller steps making some far more comfortable than a brace tightening.
Maintenance and everyday use
Traditional metal braces are fixed in place and they have to be worn when eating and drinking. This can lead to missing certain foods when making your meal choices, like sticky toffee and popcorn, as these have a habit of becoming stuck between the brackets and the archwire. After you finish eating, you have to take care to thoroughly clean your braces. If you have any food left which is stuck so close to your teeth, it will become a cavity risk.
This is not an issue with Invisalign in St. John’s Wood, which you can remove before eating. As long as you brush your teeth before replacing aligners there should be no increased cavity risk and this is much easier than maintaining a brace.
Treatment effectiveness
Both treatments have limitations; this is particularly pronounced with clear aligners who are only considered an effective treatment on the front 4 teeth and lack the necessary force to alter the position of molars in any significant way.
I have a cracked tooth; should I book an emergency dental appointment?
Cracking a tooth might sound like a rare or strange situation but it’s fairly common and easy to do, usually on hard foods. And our dentists in St.John’s Wood are happy to help.
In general, most people understand that a damaged tooth is something that needs to be treated and this is often the case if there is any form of discomfort. Deep cracks can be exposed, making them sensitive to changes in temperature. But a patient’s experience of cracking over a long period of time can become complacent, even though this type of cracking is painful but rarely beyond treating. We have to explore the reasons as to why cracking of the teeth can occur, so you can keep an eye out for it.
Night-time tooth grinding can be a common source of cracking teeth as well as having uneven chewing pressure when eating. Night-time guards are available to prevent grinding in the clinic; even the pressure long-term, however, you may require some form of orthodontic treatment. Misalignment can result in placing an excess amount of pressure on a protruding tooth in order to crack it during everyday wear and tear. Either way, cracked teeth need to be addressed as it was a sign of a form of structural weakness in the tooth. If the crack is from a cavity or has now formed a nook in the tooth, this can be exploited by bacteria to form a cavity in the near future.
Not all dental cracks are visible with the naked eye but if you have a sharp pain when biting down hard which fades as quickly as it came, this is one of the signs of a cracked tooth and a sign that the crack in the tooth is opening up under pressure exposing the nerve. This exposure closes again as soon as the pressure is reduced; if you notice this, you should attempt to book an appointment as soon as possible. Our dentist in St John’s Wood maintains a number of empty slots during our daily appointment schedule allowing us to provide same day emergency care.
A crack in a tooth which extends down below the gum line can act as a conduit for bacteria to gain access to the jawbone and beneath the tooth. This can cause dental abscesses and would have to be addressed with a root canal unless the crack is treated in time.
There are many treatment options available to us which depend heavily on how the cracks present in your case; the most minor form of surface cracking can be addressed with a polish in order to smooth out the tooth surface and a fluoride sealant to to help reinforce the enamel against further damage.
A full fracture of the tooth is a crack that penetrates from the surface enamel and goes all the way to the root but with the two pieces remaining in place, this crack can progressively spread over time if not treated. Our dentist in St Johns Wood will endeavour to hold the tooth together using filling material; if the crack continues to spread down the tooth, a crown may be required to hold the tooth together.
A split tooth is the most dramatic form of crack, dividing the two into two pieces with molars who have two individual roots. There may be the option to recover the tooth via crowning it but for the front teeth or canines it will usually result in the tooth having to be extracted.
