Then one day, finally the braces were off and they can rejoin the rest of the school as a normal looking teenager.

The kind dentist gave them a set of plastic retainers, that were either worn, lost, could no longer fit onto the teeth, or were still being worn (after 10-15 years).

Fortunately most retainers will not look like this, however no plastic retainer worn regularly will last more than 2-3 years.

Plastic materials will warp or distort under bite pressures and the moist oral cavity.

Teeth are known to move with or without orthodontic treatment (Proffitt) and also teeth are known to move post orthodontically when retention is not adequate (Proffitt).

We see many young adults that have orthodontic relapse because the retention was inadequate.

This lady had been a thumbsucker as a youngster and had had orthodontic treatment.

Sadly the retention device was inadequate and the patient had a relapse, with dental crowding and an increased overjet.

She did not want to wear fixed braces and did not want cosmetic veneers.

We offered her Invisalign treatment to move back the molars and the front teeth.

She agreed and we provided Invisalign treatment for 15 months. The patient attended every 6-8 weeks.

She had no pain, could take them out for eating and could drink with them in.

Nobody at work knew she had Invisalign.

The patient could slowly see the improvement with the aligners and was very happy at the end.

We provided 3 pairs for Vivera retainers, that are worn x2 a week and rotated every 4 months. On average our patients email us for a replacement set every 5-8 years.

invisalign # vivera # clear aligners

O post Orthodontic relapse overjet treated with Invisalign apareceu primeiro em Forma Smile | Dentist in London - Dental Clinic London - Invisalign Clinic in London - Invisalign Specialist - Dental Implants in London - Dental Care - Dental Boutique based in Central London EC2.

In most cases there is not enough space for the wisdom teeth to grow, so they erupt at awkward angles and then get stuck.

This impaction can cause gum inflammation, infection, pain and swelling.

In certain cases the patient cannot open their mouth due to the infection.

In the image above the LL8 is impacted and this leads to food trapping and dental decay of the tooth next door.

The LL7 suffers from a severe cavity and will need root canal treatment or even an extraction.

Sometimes the wisdom tooth itself get decayed and causes extreme pain.

It can be difficult to floss between a buried wisdom tooth and the tooth infront.

But a poor diet with lots of sweet foods and drinks will accelerate tooth decay especially around the molars.

Dental pain can appear when it is too late to save the tooth and the tooth next door.

On a radiograph, dental decay is seen as a dark shadow or hole in the tooth.

As many wisdom teeth are positioned deeper than the second molars, then the decay in the seconds is deep and close to the nerve. Some teeth will need root canal treatment or even extraction.

Final advice is to brush and floss the molars, get a dentist to check with radiographs for any signs of infection, decay or even cysts.

In our opinion the first sign of a wisdom tooth problem should be actioned with an extraction soon after, as we have found wisdom teeth; once a problem, always a problem.

#wisdom teeth #toothache #dental extraction

O post Why you should get your wisdom teeth x-rayed part 2 apareceu primeiro em Forma Smile | Dentist in London - Dental Clinic London - Invisalign Clinic in London - Invisalign Specialist - Dental Implants in London - Dental Care - Dental Boutique based in Central London EC2.

1. Experts in our area

With over 30 years’ experience in dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, Invisalign & Implantology you are in very experienced hands. Here at Forma we offer a personal tailor-made experience in a stress-free, relaxing environment and using the most advanced dental and cosmetic treatments currently available.

2.Variety of different dental treatments offered

Invisalign – Forma has provided Invisalign invisible braces for over 15 years, we have successfully treated over 1100 patients. With Invisalign clear aligners it’s easy to achieve the perfect smile with minimal impact to your lifestyle. With custom-made aligners that you change every 2 weeks yourself at home and check-ups every 6-8 weeks, having your teeth straightened could not be easier. We’re confident in the technology Invisalign’s clear braces provides and our patients are always satisfied with their finished smile.

Implants – With the most up to date technology and full assessment including CT & X ray scans we can provide a long-term solution for missing or failing teeth. Using a titanium screw placed directly into your jaw bone which acts as the tooth root, we can then permanently and securely fix a new porcelain tooth/teeth onto this. These teeth are always a similar size shape and colour to the rest of your teeth. We also offer All on 4: teeth in a day. We can replace your failing teeth with implants and a fixed bridge on the same day.

Smile makeovers – Is literally creating a new smile. When teeth are worn, discoloured, misshapen, we can replace these with new crowns/veneers giving you an instant perfect smile. At Forma all our dental crowns are made from porcelain for longevity, some of our smile makeovers have lasted over 30 years. We can give you your perfect smiles in just 3 appointments; consultation, preparation and final fit.

Forma Beauty – Offering a wide range of anti wrinkle treatments. Dermal fillers to create volume and vitalise the skin and cryotherapy services to rejuvenate the skin.

3. Central London location

Our London practice is situated in the heart of the city at 65 London Wall, very near to Liverpool Street Station, easily accessible via public transport.

All our treatments are personal and tailor-made, we offer a one-to-one consultation at the surgery but are available for any queries by phone or email. We want to make sure your treatment is easy and that you always feel help is never far away.

4. Thousands of happy patients

Forma has been established for over 30 years; within that time we have created thousands of new smiles. Our aim is to turn your frowns into smiles. We want to see beautiful, straight teeth behind confident, healthy smiles. Check out our website for before & after photos and patient reviews.

 5. Evening and weekend appointments

Here at Forma we understand that life sometimes just gets in the way. So, we want to make it easier for you make your appointments/checkups so therefore we offer evenings and Saturday appointments.

6. Interest free payment plan options

Once we have met you at our initial consultation, we will go through your treatment options and the different ways to pay.  We offer interest free payment plans if you would like to spread the cost of your treatment.

7. Removable retainers

Once you have completed your treatment with Invisalign, we want to make sure your new perfect smile stays in place. We offer you 3 sets of Invisalign Vivera clear retainers which will last up to 10 years, for you to wear at night.

8. Free teeth whitening.

Once you have finished your treatment, we give you complimentary Philips Zoom teeth whitening, which you will do in the comfort of your home. This adds the finishing touches to your new perfect smile.

FormaSmile

O post 8 Reasons to choose FormaSmile. apareceu primeiro em Forma Smile | Dentist in London - Dental Clinic London - Invisalign Clinic in London - Invisalign Specialist - Dental Implants in London - Dental Care - Dental Boutique based in Central London EC2.

There is a new trend of Seltzer drinks, Seltzer water and even Seltzer alcoholic drinks; they all contain Carbon Dioxide.

Unfortunately dissolved carbon dioxide creates a weak acid called carbonic acid.

Acids can dissolve minerals such as enamel and dentine and are in the long term harmful to the teeth.

Enamel is 95% mineral and Dentine is 70% mineral. Both contain crystals of Hydroxyapatite and some fluoride atoms as well.

Acids react with minerals to cause the release of ions and the minerals effectively start to dissolve.

As many sip fizzy drinks from cans, the acid attack is ferquent throughout the day and the enamel slowly starts to dissolve.

Initially the teeth may looks shiny or have translucent edges, but eventually you start developing pits and cavities as above.

Most composite repairs will begin to stain or wear away, especially if one continues drinking fizzy drinks. In the case above the gentleman was 26 years old and had for many years been replacing the anterior fillings.

He wanted a better solution and we firstly asked him to drink still water and refrain from all fizzy drinks. A diet analysis was also carried out to see if he was eating anything too sweet etc.

After careful analysis we asked him to come back to discuss options.

He did not like the repeat fillings and also thought his teeth were too long or misshapen. We discussed Emax veneers as a better long term option. Veneers are known to lats over 20 years+ if looked after.

A veneer is a cover. It can be bonded onto the front tooth with no or little preparation of the tooth. In some cases we align the teeth with Invisalign firstly to get the best out of the smile, before veneering.

Veneers involve setting up a mock up of the new shape and length and if the patient us happy, we then prepare the teeth gently.

2 weeks later new porcelain Emax veneers were bonded to the teeth. You may notice some pink porcelain at the gum levels; we use this when there has been gum recession and the patient does not want extremely long teeth.

The Emax will not stain as composites do and will rarely chip or fail. The occlusion is always investigated for any irregularities beforehand.

For individual cases we use the harder and more durable Zirconia porcelain; which gives a very white smile.

Acid erosion can lead to damaged teeth and a poor smile, but modern day dentistry if minimal, can also save the teeth and restore confidence.

In the 1920s many film and theatre actors would have silicate or plastic crowns bonded to their teeth. In modern times many celebrities have porcelain veneers instead.

With veneers the smile is whiter, more cosmetic, more aesthetic and extremely confidence boosting. Although not every actor has a great smile; some dentists do not take care when providing treatment and can make their patients look ‘Goofy’.

In the next article we will discuss acid erosion at it’s worst and how we gave confidence back to a patient.

#veneers#smile#smilemakeover#emax#zirconium#hollywood smile

O post Fizzy drinks and tooth erosion part 1 apareceu primeiro em Forma Smile | Dentist in London - Dental Clinic London - Invisalign Clinic in London - Invisalign Specialist - Dental Implants in London - Dental Care - Dental Boutique based in Central London EC2.

Spaces between teeth can occur in many ways. A patient may have genetically spaced teeth, genetically missing teeth, or teeth extracted. 

Spaces between teeth can also occur from habits such as tongue thrust, pencil chewing and thumb sucking etc.

Teeth can also drift in patients who have suffered periodontal disease/ gum disease. 

The most common space between teeth is the midline upper diastema such as in the artist Madonna. 

Some ethnic minorities will have a higher percentage of teeth spaces.

Most patience have an acceptable smile with space between their teeth, but some patients may want the spaces closed. 

Some dentists will add fillings between the teeth to close the spaces, but we do not agree with that as the fillings can add unnecessary widths to the teeth, can stain chip or even fall off. Fillings added to teeth can also cause gum disease. 

Our advice to close spaces is to use Invisalign aligners. 

The most convenient orthodontic system is Invisalign, in that it is removable clear and really easy to clean. With no pain or food trapping, then why would anyone want fixed braces?

This young male patient had already had braces as a child but over time and without his retainer his teeth stared to drift forwards. There may have been a history of tongue thrust as well. 

From the picture you can see some tartar has built up between the teeth which is quite common when there are spaces present. The patient was a trainee lawyer and did not want to wear fixed braces so we agreed on Invisalign orthodontic treatment.

The Invisalign treatment consisted of 25 pairs of aligners each pair being changed every two weeks and the patient being reviewed at the clinic every 6-8 weeks.

We added attachments to some of the teeth to aid in retention of the aligners. 

The patient was however, not very good at attending and so we probably saw him every three months. 

As you can see from the photographs the patient was nearly finished and his attachments are still on. We achieved space closure, the attachments  were removed and the patient was given three pairs of Invisalign retainers. 

Treatment time was extended due to the patient’s poor attendance. 

As you can see a dramatic difference has been achieved with removable Invisalign aligners and very few appointments with the patient. 

Invisalign allows us to plan treatment around a patient who cannot attend very regularly and in a few cases we have seen patients only once in a year treatment, but with a successful result. 

O post Tooth drift and how to treat it apareceu primeiro em Forma Smile | Dentist in London - Dental Clinic London - Invisalign Clinic in London - Invisalign Specialist - Dental Implants in London - Dental Care - Dental Boutique based in Central London EC2.

Miss KD was a shy person with a poor smile but could not really afford Invisalign. She had absolutely no confidence.  She hated it that her front teeth were sticking out so much.

She had moderate crowding with a narrow high upper V shaped arch, with compressed overcrowding. This was pushing her front teeth outwards.

She also had a crossbite as well.

She wanted to know if I could treat her with Invisalign, and I said of course. The only problem was that she was travelling for the next 18 months and would only be in the country every 3-4 months. Naturally she had all her aligners and so could progress through her treatment as quickly as she wanted.

Our aim was to use the Invisalign system in sequence to gently push out the dental arch and create space for her front teeth. This would also correct the dental crossbite.

We took did not want to take any upper teeth out and so we started Invisalign.

Even though she did not come as regular as we had hoped, we could start to see a change in her confidence. She was more talkative and open.

Her crowding seemed to be become less obvious every time we saw her.

We are at the end of the initial set of Invisalign aligners and she is getting married soon. 

O post How to fix a crossbite with Invisalign apareceu primeiro em Forma Smile | Dentist in London - Dental Clinic London - Invisalign Clinic in London - Invisalign Specialist - Dental Implants in London - Dental Care - Dental Boutique based in Central London EC2.

Implants have been around since 1965 and were originally used in science. Professor Branemark discovered that the Titanium cylinders being used in his experiments were stimulating bone growth around them.

Implants were then used in many medical and dental fields in attaching prostheses or teeth to bone.

The Titanium alloy used is very pure, bio-inert and noncorrosive. However in the mouth it is the bone that fails around implants in certain patients.

As all metals have a rough surfaces they can attract germs. In the healthy patient the implant is placed at the bone level and the healthy gum creates a protective cuff around the post of the implant. This can be seen in the picture above where the gum is pink, firm and stippled (like orange peel), except at one location.

When the cuff is loose, germs can get in and cause local inflammation, this is called mucositis as in the picture above.

The signs are very similar to gum disease in that early signs are redness and or puffiness without bleeding.

Brushing the gums around teeth and implants keeps them healthy and maintains the bone underneath.

Patients that smoke, are diabetics or immunocompromised may have a weakened defence mechanism that allows implant or gum disease to develop.

Routine check ups, visits to the hygienist and also home care/brushing with an electric tooth brush or bottle brushes can help reduce bacterial levels around implants.

If germs are allowed to build up inside the gum cuff then the local body inflammation, in trying to neutralise the germs can also damage the bone, causing bone loss. This is called peri-implantitis.

Continuous presence of the germ biom can lead to the loss of the implant and the superstructure above.

The signs of implant disease can be redness, puffiness, bleeding, white fluid or pus, pain etc. The implant does not become mobile until much later on as the bone contact is very strong, even when there is little coverage.

The implant surfaces need to be uncovered, cleaned, smoothed and or antibiotic substances applied to disinfect them. The gums can then be allowed to heal naturally, but with bone loss, recession can occur and the implant surface may be visible.

Tepe is a brand of sturdy bottle brushes. They can be brushed under bridgework or crowns and keep the gum cuff clean. They can be rinsed and dried and used twice daily for up to 2-3 weeks and then a new one is used.

Mouthwash can also be used once daily to kill off any unwanted germs as well.

Implants need monitoring and maintenance too and can slowly fail without you even realizing it. It is imperative, much like a car MOT that you get them checked regularly.

O post Implant disease apareceu primeiro em Forma Smile | Dentist in London - Dental Clinic London - Invisalign Clinic in London - Invisalign Specialist - Dental Implants in London - Dental Care - Dental Boutique based in Central London EC2.

A sense of loss

Being a registered patient means that you have no access problems when you have a dental problem; you are recognised by the receptionist and the dentist and nurse know you very well.
The dentist has maintained your oral health, patched up or maintained your lifelong teeth.
Even when a new dentist arrives, you are comfortable in the knowledge that the dental record will tell all.
Much like your prized car, your dental health was looked after with great care.

It is rare for a clinic to close down, and when it does you feel abandoned.
Please do speak with anyone if you feel alone and lost, even a family member may have wise and comforting words for you.
You can contact us by email if you need advice.

You and 2000+ other patients may need to register with another dentist. Some patients may just abandon dental care completely.
Many clinics are already fully booked and it may take you a while for you to register with another dentist.

Trying to carry on

You may have paid in full or by instalments and are in the middle of treatment. Where can you go to get the remainder fo your treatment done?
It can be difficult for a dentist to pick up treatment midway, they may have another opinion or a different dental treatment plan in mind.
Usually the dentist is compassionate and understands your situation. He/she may just want to charge for what treatment was left to do.
Sometimes you have paid for crowns or veneers to be fitted and are in temporaries. It can be difficult for you because you cannot just turn up at Accident and Emergency.
Many patients would have already paid for these once and do not want to pay again.
The problem is that temporaries are a short term solution and you must get permanents fitted soon.
Dental implants once placed can be left indefinitely until a crown is placed.
Many patients may have already paid in full however for the implant and crown.

Financial loss

If you have paid by a credit card then the bank may be able to get your money back.
If you have taken finance, contact the finance company for advice. They may advise stopping the payments for now.
The finance company will be able to trigger their insurance policy for monetary loss and help reimburse you.
Under the consumer credit act if a service is not provided then the finance company may have to investigate but ultimately reimburse you.
Trying to get a refund from a closed down clinic may be difficult because the clinic probably closed down because of financial problems.

In current treatment 

If you are in pain, have had recent surgery or need stitches out then please contact another dental surgery and let them help. Sitting on a dental problem will only make it worse.
It may be difficult to get crowns fitted without having new impressions taken. Maintain a good diet, be careful with temporaries and have a soft diet.

Invisalign patients

Invisalign patients should try to stay on the current aligner if they needed teeth spacings or attachments bonded. If they are just changing aligners then please change to the next one if the old aligner was a good fit. If the delay is long then contact Invisalign and see about transferring the treatment to another Invisalign provider.
If you feel that the aligner is getting tired then just wear it at night as a retainer until you can resume treatment. You may change to the next one if the old one is beyond tired.
You should not progress through the aligners as you may have required spaces to be made.
We will be happy to help patients in the middle of Invisalign treatment and we can liase with Invisalign on your behalf.

Dental Implants

Patients in the middle of treatment or require implants etc. but are not in any pain should maintain good oral hygiene. Implants do not need immediate attention as there is a waiting time for the bone and soft tissues to mature. You may be desperate to get the crown fitted but hopefully you are wearing a temporary denture or crown. An antiseptic mouthwash helps keep the mouth clean.
Do seek immediate help if you are worried, have a swelling or are in pain. Sometimes all you need is a reassuring word.
If the finance company allows it then you may be able to transfer to Forma as an ongoing treatment case.

Further advice

All is not lost. If you have lost a lot of money try to see if your household insurance has a legal department who can try to get your money back, either from the clinic or the finance company.
Citizens Advice I feel are limited in knowledge in these situations, but they are worth a phone call.

If we have not covered your situation and need help, please do email us directly.

O post Finest Dental: What to do when a clinic closes apareceu primeiro em Forma Smile | Dentist in London - Dental Clinic London - Invisalign Clinic in London - Invisalign Specialist - Dental Implants in London - Dental Care - Dental Boutique based in Central London EC2.

When is it required to take out a tooth during an ​Invisalign treatment?

Dental crowding is caused by too many teeth and not enough space to accommodate them.

Are we normally born with too many teeth? The answer is No! What has happened is that the size of our dental arch is getting smaller due to our soft diets. It is well known that tribesman that live in the open wilderness have a full set of teeth with little or no crowding.

Another reason is stress. As we stress over our studies, partners, work and health, we tend to clench our teeth.

The action of our chewing muscles on the teeth causes movement inwards and constriction, leading to dental crowding, especially in the people of the modern world.

With Invisalign I usually expand the dental arch to create space, but this is not always possible

Sometimes it is easier to take out the offending tooth and then straighten the teeth.

See below, a severely crowded lower arch, corrected by with Invisalign in just over 10 months. The outer tooth was first removed and the space utilised to correct the crowding with Invisalign.

O post When is it required to take out a tooth during an ​Invisalign treatment? apareceu primeiro em Forma Smile | Dentist in London - Dental Clinic London - Invisalign Clinic in London - Invisalign Specialist - Dental Implants in London - Dental Care - Dental Boutique based in Central London EC2.