Orthodontics
There are many people who would like to improve signs of crooked or crowded teeth but would prefer not to choose the traditional braces route. Patients typically consider braces unfavourable because the brackets and wires can be highly visible on the teeth and may cause discomfort during the teeth straightening process. This is why our team offers porcelain veneers and Invisalign® as effective alternatives to traditional braces.
Porcelain veneers can be an optimal treatment for correcting the appearance of crooked teeth along with addressing other cosmetic concerns, such as chips, cracks, gaps, and tooth discoloration. Veneers are very thin shells made up of durable porcelain that cover the front portion of the tooth to conceal any dental imperfections. Although porcelain veneers can be an optimal solution for many patients, some individuals with extremely crooked teeth may not be good candidates. More severe misalignment can pose a threat to a patient’s oral health and orthodontic treatments like Invisalign® may offer a better option for these cases.
For the Invisalign® process, patients must wear their customized clear aligner trays for most of the day except when eating, drinking, brushing, or flossing. Teeth straightening with Invisalign® is considered to be a more comfortable process than with traditional braces since patients do not have to worry about wires and brackets poking their cheek or tongue. Many people tend to choose Invisalign® because the aligner trays are virtually invisible and can improve many cases of crooked or crowded teeth with little to no discomfort.
While traditional braces may be recommended for particularly severe orthodontic concerns, individuals should definitely be aware that they are no longer the only effective solution to fixing these types of conditions. We invite you to contact us today if you would like to learn more about your teeth straightening options or to schedule a consultation. We look forward to hearing from you!
We understand that it is not always second-nature to remember to wear your retainer. However, too many people ignore or simply forget the specific rules regarding their retainer, and may even abandon their retainers altogether. Often, these patients believe their retainer is just a precaution, and that their teeth will stay in place without it—but these individuals may find out soon enough that their teeth have moved back to the position they were in before orthodontic treatment. This is a frustrating discovery that makes many patients feel they have wasted time and money on the entire process, but it can be avoided by following the guidelines of retainer wear and care.
So how do you prioritise wearing and taking care of your retainer? Concentrating on the final outcome is a good place to start. Retainers are often considered the most important part of the orthodontic procedure because they are meant to finalise the work that has already been done. After you have worn your retainer for the directed amount of time, you should have a straighter, more beautiful smile to look forward to, making the process well worth it.
For those who have never worn one, a retainer is a custom-made appliance designed to keep your teeth in position after your braces, Invisalign® aligners, or other orthodontic appliances come out. After certain procedures, patients may be advised to wear the retainer for a minimum of four to six months. Other times, patients may be instructed to wear them for the rest of their lives, at least at night. The amount of time varies, but one thing is for certain: wearing your retainer as directed is essential if you want to maintain the new alignment of your teeth and bite.
Taking good care of your retainer is just as important as wearing it! When caring for your retainer, remember to always:
- Brush it thoroughly with a toothbrush to keep it clean
- Gently take it out when done wearing it each time
- Hold it carefully to avoid cracks or breaks
- Keep it in its case when not in use
If you make a concerted effort to wear and preserve your retainer, it’s not as hard, or as tedious, as it may appear. Our team at The Paddington Dental Surgery is here to make the entire process as smooth as possible for you. If you have gone too long without wearing your retainer and have noticed your teeth shifting, you may be a good candidate for Invisalign. In addition, porcelain veneers can often be used for those with mild misalignment concerns. For more information, please feel free to contact us today!
Orthodontic treatments are highly customised to the individual, and as a result, the cost of different treatment methods will vary based on the unique details of each patient. When it comes to selecting the right orthodontic solution, patients often wonder which option is more affordable. Two popular braces methods that can provide optimal teeth straightening results for the right candidates include traditional metal braces and Invisalign®.
Traditional braces entail metal brackets and wires, while Invisalign involves clear plastic aligners. The cost of traditional braces and Invisalign is often comparable, but the complexity of your orthodontic needs will influence which method may be more cost effective. Patients who need more extensive bite correction or teeth straightening may require more visits to the dentist, which can increase the total cost of treatment. During your initial appointment, our dentists will discuss the pros and cons of traditional braces versus Invisalign, explaining how the cost of each may compare based on your orthodontic needs.
While our dentists at The Paddington Dental Surgery encourage patients not to choose an orthodontic professional based on cost alone, they do understand that price is an important factor that must be considered. Our goal is to make sure your orthodontic treatment fits comfortably within your budget, which is why we offer a variety of payment and financing options. After you have been evaluated by one of our orthodontic professionals, our team can provide you with a cost quote so you know what to expect.
We never want you to feel pressured to commit to a treatment before you are ready, so we recognise you may want to take some time before deciding about your orthodontic care. Our team welcomes any questions you may have throughout this period to help you make an informed decision about your oral health.
When it comes to rejuvenating one’s facial appearance, most people don’t think of going to their dentist. However, with the right dental treatment plan tailored to your specific needs, you can address common signs of aging and turn back the clock. At The Paddington Dental Surgery, our dental team offers a variety of solutions that can enhance the look of your smile. For patients wanting to achieve a younger-looking facial appearance, a dental facelift can reverse unwanted changes caused by aging. Using porcelain veneers, the dental facelift process can address concerns such as the following:
- Thinning lips
- Stained, chipped, or cracked teeth
- Overbite or underbite
- Hollow-looking cheeks
- Wrinkles
By enhancing tooth size and shape, veneers can help restore youthful facial contours that have been affected by lax facial muscles and worn-down teeth. To learn more about the dental facelift and how it can help you reverse the effects of aging with incredibly natural-looking results, please contact us to schedule an appointment.
We use a number of different terms to refer to our customised procedures, including Smile Makeover, full mouth reconstruction, and Smile Facelift. Each treatment is designed to achieve a specific set of goals, and the right one for you will vary based on your unique characteristics and desired outcome. During your initial consultation, our team can help you determine if one of these procedures is right for you.
A Smile Facelift is a treatment that can rejuvenate a patient’s appearance without the need for cosmetic injectables. In addition to enhancing the look of the smile, a Smile Facelift can also revitalize the face by addressing underlying issues within the oral structures. The primary technique used in a Smile Facelift is the placement of porcelain dental veneers. This method can improve a wide range of dental concerns, including staining, gaps, chips, discolouration, asymmetry, and more. Veneers can also be used to add length and fullness to the teeth, helping to compensate for changes in facial volume that occur with the natural process of aging.
If this procedure sounds like something that could help you obtain your goals, talk to us today to schedule a consultation.
It can be hard to tell which dental treatment is right for you—not every concern is easily diagnosable by the average person (in fact, most are not). And sometimes you arrive at the dentist to discover one treatment is not enough to achieve your desired outcome. If you have two or more conditions you would like to address, full mouth reconstruction may be right for you. While the name can make the procedure sound like a major overhaul, in many cases it simply means combining two or more techniques to optimize the health, function, and beauty of an individual’s oral structures.
Full mouth reconstruction can be as uncomplicated as repairing cavities and treating minor gum disease. The treatment plan can also be more complex, involving dental implants, oral surgery, and orthodontics. Each procedure is customised to suit the needs and goals of the patient, and we will walk you through every stage of the plan so you can feel as comfortable and confident about the process as possible. Our extensively trained dentists are experienced in a wide array of advanced techniques, and we will never push you to accept a treatment you do not need. What we can do is help you identify which approaches will restore your smile and offer improved oral health.
Our team is friendly, knowledgeable, and happy to offer pressure-free advice about your smile. Let’s talk.
If you have more than one dental concern you would like to address, full mouth reconstruction can be an excellent way to restore your smile to full health and beauty. At The Paddington Dental Surgery, we make every effort to ensure the restoration process is as comfortable as possible while providing exceptional results. To help you prepare for your treatment plan, our dentists would like you to know what to expect.
The first step of any procedure, especially a full mouth reconstruction, is the consultation. During this meeting, we will discuss your concerns, evaluate your oral structures, and assist you in deciding which treatments can optimise your results. In most cases, your program will require multiple visits, and we may be able to begin the same day as your consultation. At this initial meeting, we will go over how many visits you can expect as well as a general timeframe for completing treatment. If you have any questions at that time or between visits, we encourage you to voice them so we can help.
If you are nervous about dental treatment, we offer sedation dentistry techniques. We understand anxiety is very common, and we will work with you to put you at ease and complete the procedure as quickly and as safely as possible.
For more information, talk to our team. We are here to help you achieve the smile you’ve always wanted in a welcoming and compassionate environment.
At The Paddington Dental Surgery, we are committed to providing exceptional care and comfort to our patients. With this objective in mind, we make it a priority to utilise the most advanced dental technology available, including the iTero® Element™ Intraoral Scanner system. Now available at our practice, this state-of-the-art platform makes it possible to eliminate messy, uncomfortable moulds that traditionally can take as long as 20 minutes to complete. With the iTero® Element™, scanning your oral structures is quick, precise, and often fun!
iTero® Element™ technology captures 3-dimensional digital impressions that can be used to accurately plan treatment for a wide range of concerns. In as little as two and-a-half minutes, our skilled dentists can scan your teeth using a small handheld applicator and show you the result on the screen in front of you. iTero® Element® also makes it possible to show you a simulated image of what your procedure can accomplish. If you’re receiving Invisalign®, for instance, you can see how gradually adjusting the position of your teeth will lead to a straighter smile.
We’re proud to offer this advanced technology to our patients, and we hope that the iTero® Element™ helps make your dental experience more enjoyable. We hope you’ll reach out to us if you would like to learn more or schedule a consultation.
Picture in your mind a person wearing braces—how old are they? Whilst the traditional notion of braces typically conjures an image of a “metal-mouthed” teenager, more and more adults are choosing to straighten their teeth with the latest techniques. At The Paddington Dental Surgery, Natalie Dumer, BDS offers a wide range of orthodontic options for all ages. In addition to ceramic or metal braces, we also have Invisalign® clear teeth aligners. If you’ve been hesitant in the past, now is a great time to achieve your smile goals.
Many adults opt for Invisalign® clear aligners to help straighten their teeth and improve bite alignment. This innovative method offers a more discreet and often more comfortable experience than traditional braces. However, not everyone is an ideal candidate. If you find that Invisalign® is not right for you, ceramic braces can still be a great option. There have been many advancements made that make the process easier, faster, and more effective than ever before. Our experienced dental team can discuss your goals and evaluate your needs to develop a customized treatment plan. Many patients are able to complete the process in as little as 12-18 months.
You deserve to smile confidently, eat and speak comfortably, and love the way your teeth look. Don’t put off braces any longer, come talk to us about your options.
Ceramic braces can be a great way to straighten teeth and achieve a healthy, functional bite. Taking good care of your orthodontic equipment is very important to accomplishing your goals, and it can require a little know-how. Part of your responsibility will be identifying what you should and should not eat. Dr Natalie Dumer, our experienced dentist with a special interest in orthodontics, will provide all the instructions you need at your initial appointment. We’ve also provided the handy cheat sheet below to help you make the best decisions for your smile.
The most important thing to remember is that sticky, hard, or really chewy foods can be hard on your braces—and hard to clean off. To keep your orthodontic appliances and your teeth in good condition, try to avoid:
- Liquorice, caramels, and chewing gum
- Ice, popcorn, nuts, and hard candies
- Corn on the cob, whole apples, and big carrots
Also be sure and brush your teeth after eating, as any foods stuck between the brackets can cause decay and cavities to form.
As you can see, there are lots of foods that are fine to eat with ceramic braces, including breads, pastas, meat, dairy, fruits, desserts, veggies, and more. By being aware of which treats can pose a problem, you can help ensure a quicker and more pleasant teeth-straightening experience.
