One of the most common requests we get here at The Dental Suite from patients is:

“I’ve only got a problem with my bottom teeth. I just want my lower jaw treated. Is that cheaper?”

Some dentists may agree to this. BUT NOT US.

Our Principal Dentist Dr Raha Sepehrara, who has had experience of over one thousand brace cases, explains:

“It is very unlikely that I would be able to just straighten one jaw and not the other. What we do for the majority of patients, I would say probably 90% of them, is to treat both the upper and lower jaw.

Patients will need both their top and bottom jaw treating at the same time because if you think about it, you want to achieve the perfect smile where your teeth are interlinked when you bite together. This is almost impossible to achieve by just moving one jaw or one set of teeth.”

This is why the majority of the time we offer a dual jaw treatment here at The Dental Suite. It is very unlikely that we may do just one jaw. On the occasion we do only treat one set of teeth, this is usually for somebody who has had braces in the past and has only got a very minor movement and that needs correcting now.

Key reasons you should have upper and lower braces

A perfect smile isn’t just determined by the position of your teeth. The way your bite looks is ultimately based on the location of your jaws. If one jaw is larger than the other or is of a different shape then this will massively impact how well your teeth will fit together.

A single arch treatment may leave you with a worse bite than before. This can lead to your teeth chipping or putting excess pressure on the bone and gums which could result in tooth loss. The purpose of an even bite is to prevent any wear of the teeth or unnecessary trauma.

Another factor to consider is the way teeth move depending on their position. Crowded teeth will move forward when straightened and teeth with spaces between them will move backwards. If you’re suffering from an underbite and you just straighten crooked bottom teeth, it will make it worse. Teeth could appear straighter but the bite will be off. If your top teeth are crowded and you already have an overbite, addressing them alone will cause the overbite to grow larger throughout treatment.

Book your completely FREE consultation

We hope this article has helped you understand why in most cases we would always recommend upper and lower brace treatment. If braces are something that you are considering then we invite you to book in for your totally FREE consultation with one of our friendly and vastly experienced dentists.

All you have to do is give us a call on 01509 231 144 and we will get you booked in at a time and date that is convenient to you.

The benefits of having straight teeth are not limited only to the aesthetics you get from a beautiful smile. Properly aligned teeth also have enormous dental health effects, according to the American Dental Association.

With properly aligned teeth, you can clean your teeth much easier than if they were crooked, since you have fewer areas that your toothbrush bristles cannot reach. With straight teeth, flossing is also made easier because it is much easier to remove all food debris from the teeth, when they are properly spaced.

When teeth are crowded, food particles are provided with an ideal hiding place, and when food debris remains, bacteria find fertile grounds to reproduce and cause dental health problems. In fact, food particles can turn into plaque and eventually tartar, which is not only hard to remove, but can also cause periodontal disease. It usually takes up to 48 hours for plaque to start form and build up to your teeth, and it won’t be long (a couple of weeks) before it turns into tartar. Plaque removal in crowded teeth is much harder to remove, even if you brush regularly.

Since it is not easy to clean crowded and crooked teeth, they tend to develop cavities. Other than that, when your gums are in such close contact with bacteria, things are not good. The areas between your teeth and gums get infected by an inflammation called gingivitis, and in turns to periodontitis, which is a serious condition that affects the connective tissues and your gums. In some cases, periodontitis can even affect that jaw bone that surrounds the teeth. Of course, in advanced levels, periodontitis may lead to tooth loss. Finally, if periodontitis becomes a chronic condition, it is evidenced that it can lead to other serious health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

In order to avoid excessive wear, it is best if all biting/chewing is done with lined up teeth (both with each other and top to bottom). Misaligned bite can force your teeth to experience elevated stress, which affects their lifespan and their health. Not properly straightened teeth may also cause chronic jaw pain.

Undoubtedly, a major reason people get their teeth straightened is to have a lovely smile and feel good about it. In other words, teeth straightening treatments help people of all ages on a psychological or emotional level. For some people, it is difficult to smile or laugh (not to mention having their photograph taken) when their teeth are crowded or crooked. With teeth aligning, it all ends.

Impressions are everything to a lot of people. A survey conducted recently, has shown that 50% of 1,000 Americans asked, believed that having crowded or crooked teeth ruins the overall beauty of one’s face and makes a poor impression. Although people can never be judged by the straightness of their teeth, perfectly aligned teeth definitely steal impressions!

No matter what the reason, beauty or health (or even better, both!), trust your teeth straightening treatment to professionals, such as STRAIGHT TEETH SUITE, in the East Midlands with clinics in Nottingham, Leicester and Loughborough, so you do not only boost your self-confidence with perfectly aligned teeth, and amaze with your gorgeous smile, but also be sure you have taken good care of your precious health too.

 

One of the questions Straight Teeth Suite, frequently get asked by parents is,  “My child’s teeth stick out. Are they more likely to get hurt? ”  There are multiple risks to protruding teeth in children, but there are solutions.  Once the milk teeth, or baby teeth, have erupted, and the adult teeth have grown in it is quite common to see irregularities especially in the upper two front teeth, the central incisors, and they often protrude.  Prominent teeth can be the result of thumb sucking in small children, but there can be many reasons why the adult teeth stick out.

Prominent front teeth cause many problems.  The child can have problems biting down on certain foods.   The teeth might cause damage to the gums or the roof of the mouth and the lips.  Teeth that stick out are at risk of getting hurt from all types of sport and children are often teased, being taunted for their ‘sticky out’ teeth and called names such as ‘chipmunk’.

The best solution to resolve all these problems is for your child to wear an orthodontic device; to wear braces.  Once the adult teeth have grown in, usually as a young teenager, braces can be fitted, and the teeth gently and safely moved to their correct position. This will not only protect your child’s teeth from accident and injury but restore their confidence.

At your first consultation with the dentist, we will assess your child’s teeth to determine the severity of the prominent teeth. We will recommend a suitable brace that can be either a removable brace or a fixed brace depending on how far the child’s teeth stick out.  With both types of brace,  the teeth will be moved back, so they are covered by the lip, and the bite restored.

Braces are not unusual in teenagers of school age.  Your child will probably be familiar with the braces their friends wear from the almost invisible braces to those with coloured wires and brackets.  If your child is nervous or reluctant of the possibility of being fitted with braces, the dentists at Straight Teeth Suite will be happy to reassure them all the way through their treatment.

Once your child’s treatment is completed and the brace is removed, they will need to be fitted with a retainer to prevent the teeth from moving back to their old position and protrude once more.  It is also a good idea to be fitted with a mouth guard to protect the teeth while playing all types of sport.

To make a free appointment to discuss your options and help your child, contact the Straight Teeth Suite HERE

Having a beautiful smile is not dependent on how straight your teeth are, how crowded, or crooked. However, your facial beauty is somehow damaged when you have teeth with gaps or when your mouth is overcrowded. Several people lose their self-confidence when they smile and have teeth with gaps, which ruins their mood and withdraws them from smiling widely.

Do you find yourself somewhere in these lines? Straight Teeth Suite has many solutions to address your concerns and fix the gaps in your teeth.

Among the most appealing ways we use to close gaps in between teeth are straightening systems like Invisalign and Smilelign, as well as other fixed options, such as the 6 Month Braces treatment, or Lingual Braces.

Both Invisalign and Smilelign are clear aligner systems, fully removable from the teeth, which is one of the reasons most adult patients prefer these orthodontic treatment options. They comprise the ideal option for those that do not wish to go for a fixed option. With Invisalign, you are allowed to eat whatever foods you want, plus you can remove the device at any given time. You enjoy entirely discreet braces that are practically invisible, making teeth-straightening much more fun!

Furthermore, your periodontal health is better assured, as you can brush and floss your teeth more efficiently than wearing traditional braces,. Moreover, you get less irritated cheeks and gums with the plastic rather than sharp metal elements used. Smilelign, on the other hand, is another revolutionary clear braces treatment that allows you to attain a wonderful smile, with no gaps between your teeth, with a set of carefully designed invisible aligners (again removable), letting you enjoy the benefits of wearing braces with the utmost discretion!

Lingual braces and the 6 Month Braces treatments are best suited for people that do not want removable aligners. However, this does not mean that you jeopardise discretion as they are hardly noticeable, too.

Eating and drinking is done effortlessly and stress-free, as you don’t need to worry about taking them in or out when you want to drink or eat.

What all methods have in common (apart from being unnoticed) is that their effectiveness becomes quickly apparent and you don’t have to wait for long before you see the excellent results. Indicatively, minor spaces can be closed in as little as 3 months! And, upon the completion of your braces treatment, you may want to have teeth whitening treatment, so you acquire a really fantastic and amazing smile that turn heads!

What we need to note at this point is that no matter what type of treatment you chose, it is essential you wear retainers, so your teeth remain in their new position and do not relapse. It is a standardised procedure for all braces’ treatments.

If you reside in Leicester and nearby areas, Straight Teeth Suite and our awarded expert dentists will make sure you get the best orthodontic treatment, customized to your particular needs, so you finally get back your lost confidence and self-esteem and start smiling without any hesitation whatsoever!

 

Having problems with your teeth is why so many of you feel less confident. Not only that you are not comfortable smiling, but you become nervous and even scared to see a dentist. These small worries can then build up to bigger problems and your teeth may develop bad conditions.

If you are unhappy with your smile, seeing a dentist is mandatory. And, as most patients say, once they get to talk to the dentist, who explains the steps of the treatment, their fears disappear. Many of our patients walk in extremely nervous but our team of dentists are used to dealing with scared patients.

One particular nervous patient booked a FREE consultation with us. She was given all the information with the recommendations and advice upfront. Right away we helped her make the correct decision regarding the treatment for her teeth problems. This made the patient feel comfortable and happy, trust the team and want to continue with treatment.

After being consulted, this patient was given the 6 Month Smile brace treatment.

There are more straightening solutions available, but not all of them meet everybody’s needs and requirements. This is why all patients must be seen by dentists, and discuss all the issues their teeth condition involves.

How Does the 6 Month Smile Work?

This is quite a simple treatment, and, as it’s name says, it involves braces that are designed to straighten your teeth in 6 months.

They are quite different from the traditional braces, offering more comfort through their discreet appearance and the lack of metallic wires.

The 6 months braces can be used for both your top and bottom teeth, depending where your problems are. They were created to help people who have gaps between their teeth, or who want to have a straight healthy smile.

Once you have the Six Month Smile braces fixed, your teeth should begin moving very quickly. Most patients who are nervous of dentists are amazed of how fast their smile is improving and the results are obvious.

A Brand New Smile in Just 6 Months

The patient was really happy with the results, stating that after wearing 6 month braces, she became more confident, being able to smile without the fear people look at her teeth. The treatment wasn’t painful and the results were much better than she ever imagined.

Misaligned teeth can stop you from smiling, as well as they can affect your social and personal life. So, if you have problems, you want to get a gorgeous smile and see if you are a good candidate for the 6 month braces, make an appointment with one of our dentists HERE

Lingual Braces is a much preferred orthodontic treatment to straighten crooked, crowded or gapped teeth, especially among adults in Nottingham that want to achieve a wonderful smile and perfectly aligned teeth. However, since it is a relatively new and definitely innovative system to get you to the much-desired straight-teeth result, several questions arise. Here are the 7 most common of them, answered one-by-one for you, so you have a clear idea of what to expect from your Lingual braces treatment.

1. How do Lingual Braces work?

Lingual braces is an orthodontic treatment where small metal brackets (and a specially bent metal wire placed into them) are glued on the back of the teeth and apply forces on your teeth able to make them move to the desired position. It is a procedure that results to a beautiful smile and perfectly straight teeth. Lingual braces are perfect to straighten crowded, overlapped, or gappy teeth.

During this treatment, it may be required to do some tooth slenderising (IPR – enamel removal) to create some space for the teeth to move and align.

2. How do Lingual braces look?

Wearing Lingual braces is discreet, and the brackets used are very small to be seen when smiling, unless you tilt your head back or your chin down. Here, at Straight Teeth Suite, we use the most advanced materials and high-end technology, to ensure excellent results at all times. Currently, we are using Innovation L Lingual braces, which are the latest Lingual treatment in orthodontics. These are made up of a small metal base with a small door which holds the wire in place and is used instead of a module (o-ring), used in conventional braces.

3. How long do I need to wear them?

Treatment times vary and depend on the complexity of each case. At Straight Teeth Suite, we have treated simpler cases within 3-6 months, while moderate cases can take 9-12 months. As for more severe cases, it can take 18-24 months to achieve the desired results.

4. How much do they cost?

Prices start from £3000. However, this is only indicative, as the final cost depends on whether one or both jaws need treating. Furthermore, there are also cases, where a combination of treatments may be more effective. For example, we have treated patients by using Lingual braces on the top teeth and tooth-coloured Six Months braces on the lowers.

Case 1 below was treated using upper Lingual braces as the patient wanted something truly invisible, and it took about 10 months to achieve teeth straightening. As for the bottom teeth, we used Six Month braces as it was easier, quicker and cheaper to straighten the lowers with that system, and treatment was completed in about 6 months. Of course, like in any other orthodontic treatment, the patient was provided with fixed and removable night time retainers at the end.

Case 1

5. Are they painful?

Initially, there is always a degree of discomfort and I always warn my patients that the teeth will ache for the first 2-3 weeks. Please expect some tongue-soreness and possible ulcers due to the braces and wires rubbing. Moreover, you will have a temporary lisp initially that might take you 1-2 months to go away.

Most of my patients complain on those problems but as soon as they see their teeth move so quickly and nicely, they accept the initial discomfort and know it is worth it for the end result.

6. Who is suitable to wear them?

Most patients are suitable; however, we do inform our patients if some movements are easier to achieve with labial braces, meaning braces that go on the front of the teeth. At Straight Teeth Suite, it is our duty to fully inform our patients of all options and understand that some cases are possibly better treated with different systems.

The patient in case 2 shown below had braces as a child and didn’t have retainers for the top teeth so they moved back to their pre-braces position. She then felt she wanted something invisible and opted for lingual braces. Relapse cases are perfect cases to be treated with lingual braces.

Case 2

Case 3 shows a patient who didn’t like her front teeth and wanted to have the most discreet option to straighten her front teeth alone. So she had upper lingual braces and lower 6 Month braces. The lower teeth were straightened in 6 months and the uppers in about 9-10 months.

Case 3

Our opinion? If you want to straighten your front teeth only, lingual braces are a great option!

7. Are there any side effects?

Like all types of orthodontics, there may be some risks and complications. The temporary issues have been described above. Other problems maybe tooth decay or gum problems, but could be easily prevented if only you look after your teeth well and have a good diet.

Extremely Rare Issues:

The nerve of a tooth may die. If it happens, it is usually linked to previous trauma to the tooth (i.e. bike accident or sport injury) which would have already damaged the nerve of the tooth.

The shorting of the root of a tooth, which is also extremely rare. If it happens, it is usually linked to very complex treatments with severe misalignment which require long treatments. There is also a genetic component.

However, both complications mentioned have a significantly low instance to occur while wearing Lingual braces.

What has become obvious is that Lingual braces have fantastic results if only applied by professional orthodontists that know their job well. Due to the particularity of this method, you need a dental expert you can trust, so to ensure the best results.

That being said; it is not a surprise that Straight Teeth Suite is established as a leading practice in orthodontic treatments, based on the superb results achieved and the high-end technology used that makes any process easier and more comfortable than ever before.

Book your FREE consultation now to get your quote and ask us about our flexible treatment plans.

Never before was your gorgeous smile with beautifully aligned teeth closer to becoming reality!

 

Once upon a time, braces were seen as highly unfashionable and maybe even unpleasant. Now they are so common, and there are so many new options available, that they have actually become quite trendy!

Here we discuss the aesthetics of braces and the options available to your child.

What will my child look like with the braces in?

One of the most popular options with children and teenagers (and sometimes adults!) is the ceramic straight wire brace, which allows the patient to choose what colour elastics we use. Pink, yellow, red, blue – choosing the colour makes the treatment a little bit more fun.

The brace is worn full time. We only remove it once the treatment is complete, so you won’t have to worry about taking it in and out.

We may tell you that your child needs to wear elastics between their top and bottom teeth as well. If this is the case, you will need to make sure that they do, as otherwise the correction of the teeth and the bite will not progress as required. This means that the treatment may take much longer, and the result may not be as good as expected.

Will fixed braces affect my child’s gums?

Children’s gums are thicker, healthier and stronger than adults’, so we don’t tend to see any issues related to gums. There are two complications to be aware of, but even these are very rare. The first is called devitalisation, which is where the nerve of the tooth dies. If this does occur it’s usually because the child has fallen over, is hit in the face by a ball, is play fighting, or has had a sudden, harsh impact to the tooth.

The other is root resorption, which is when the root of the tooth becomes shorter. This tends to happen with more severe corrections that take a long time. If we feel that your child is at risk of this, from x-rays we have taken, or if it happens unexpectedly, we would communicate this to you and your child and develop an aftercare plan.

As mentioned, both of these complications are very rare, but it’s important that you know all the facts when choosing the right treatment for your child.

You can contact us HERE for a FREE consultation to discuss the options available for your child.

We are all individuals and all have different needs.  Your dentist at the Straight Teeth Suite is very aware that once you have your dental braces fitted you may encounter a few issues you may not have been expecting.  Different patients respond differently to braces. To preempt this and to be sure you are fully informed in advance, we have compiled a comprehensive list of what you can expect, especially in the first few days.

Braces can be quite uncomfortable when they are first fitted but don’t worry; it is only temporary.  You have something that now feels alien in your mouth, and it feels awkward to chew.  We recommend a soft diet, in particular, nourishing soups while you adjust.

It is important to keep your teeth clean and your mouth healthy and avoid any breakages to minimise your treatment time and successfully straighten your teeth.

In the first few days following the fitting of your new dental braces you might experience:

• Sore Teeth and Lips – which might feel uncomfortable for a few days or a couple of weeks.
• Pain – which might resemble a headache in severity.  We all have different pain thresholds.  Some people don’t feel any pain while others need Paracetamol or Ibuprofen to help.
• Bite Issues -If you have had bite guards placed at the back of your mouth, biting may be a bit awkward at first. This may cause a some discomfort that will go away in a few days as you adjust.
• Rubbing – Braces, for some patients, cause pressure points as they move your teeth to the ideal position and might rub on your lips. If the wire is rubbing against your gum or lips, you can use the dental wax that comes in your brace kit provided by your dentist. Break a little piece off, soften and mold it with clean fingers and press it over the rubbing bracket and wire to protect your lips. But remember, if you are going to have a hot drink or something to eat, take the wax off first and place it back after you have finished.

Brushing your teeth and gums at least twice a day for three minutes is highly recommended to keep your mouth healthy. Don’t just focus around the brackets. Make sure you brush your gums as well. You can use teepee brushes to clean in between the brackets, where regular brushing won’t allow you to reach, and get rid of any trapped food. Your dentist or hygienist will help you pick the right size brush for you. Use a good mouthwash after you have cleaned your teeth.

If you notice any redness or swelling, let us know. Keep regular appointments with the hygienist to ensure your teeth clean and healthy and that plaque around the teeth and any of the brackets is totally removed.

Protect your braces by not eating hard, crunchy, or sticky food, such as chewing gum, toffees, and hard sweets, as the force can break a bracket.  It is advisable to cut your food into small pieces rather than biting into something like an apple. When chewing and eating, take your time, especially if you have had bite guards placed at the back.

Avoid biting your nails or chewing on pens, and pencil tops or opening bottles with your teeth. These actions can obviously cause breakages. If you have a clear brace, such as the 6 Month brace, then your brackets and elastics may stain over time; they become discoloured with tea, coffee, red wine and some foods.

We hope you have a trouble-free experience with your braces.  However, don’t hesitate to contact the Straight Teeth Suite if you have a problem regarding your brace whether it is with pain or a breakage.

Invisalign and 6 Month braces are two of the most effective treatments available right now producing excellent results, in their devastating majority. However, they are not applicable to all cases, and you may need other treatments to close spaces between teeth. For example, gappy teeth with small gaps can have porcelain veneers or white fillings (cosmetic bonding), while bigger spaces, where fillings or veneers may make the teeth too wide, can be closed with teeth straightening options.
At Straight Teeth Suite, we have treated numerous patients with gappy teeth, mainly using Six Month braces and clear aligners, such as Smilelign and Invisalign. You have seen those photos, for sure! All these procedures are quick and very discreet, so you have nothing stopping you from your daily endeavours. But, what happens when spaced teeth cannot be treated with any of these treatments?

Patient’s Case with Bite Issues and Gappy Teeth

If there are bite issues such as significant overjets (space between top teeth and bottom teeth), or deep overbite (when the top teeth cover too much the lower teeth), you may have to consider a conventional brace such as Damon braces.

This lovely patient came to us complaining about the appearance of his teeth. He didn’t like the gaps, and was also unhappy about the proclination of the teeth (sticky out teeth), which caused problems with his bite; another thing he did not like (the way the top teeth met the bottom ones). All these issues had made him feel very conscious and uncomfortable to smile.
We explained that the ideal option in his case was a more comprehensive approach, treating all of his teeth and correcting his bite – his overjet and overbite. The patient understood this treatment option would give him the results he wanted. He had upper and lower Damon Q metal braces. He came every 8 weeks for his adjustment appointments and was given elastics to wear between the top and bottom jaw to help correct the bite. The patient responded excellently to our instructions and followed everything advised to him. He also ensured he regularly saw our lovely hygienist Rebecca for regular scales to maintain a good oral hygiene regime.
The treatment lasted approximately 15 months. At the brace removal appointment, he was provided with Upper and Lower fixed retainers and at the following appointment he was given night time retainers and a home whitening kit. Following the teeth straightening and the teeth whitening, his smile was completely transformed, giving him the confidence to smile for photos (and not only)!

We are always happy to see our patients smile and enjoy not only their new healthy mouth and perfectly straight and white teeth, but also their new uplifted mood and spirits that change their everyday life, adding more quality to it.

If you also have gappy teeth and don’t know which option is best for you, just contact us and we will be more than happy to book your first consultation completely for FREE and provide you with all the information you need to know, at the relaxing and charming atmosphere of our practice.

A diastema is a space or gap between two teeth often called, especially in childhood, ‘gappy’ teeth.  Gappy teeth are most often apparent between the two upper front teeth. However, gaps can occur between any two teeth. A discrepancy between the size of the jaw bones and the size of the teeth can cause gaps between teeth or crowding of teeth. If the teeth are too small for the jaw bone, spaces between the teeth will occur. If the teeth are too big for the jaw, teeth will become crowded. If you have gappy teeth, the Straight Teeth Suite have a number of solutions to help you achieve a beautiful smile.

Spaces between the teeth develop for different reasons.  Sometimes teeth are missing or undersized, as with the upper lateral incisors, the teeth next to the two upper front teeth. This can cause the central incisors to develop a space. In some patients, the tissue that extends from the upper gum and connects just above the upper front teeth, known as the labial frenum, is extended and prevents the space between the teeth from closing.  Childhood habits, such as thumb-sucking, over time, push the front teeth out of place creating gaps.  Periodontal or gum disease results in bone loss and displacement of teeth.

One option, if the gaps are very narrow, is to close the spaces with small, white fillings. If the gaps are a little wider, porcelain veneers, made by the best technicians to match your teeth, can give a fully functioning and aesthetically pleasing result.  The third option, if the shape of your teeth is acceptable, is to close the spaces through teeth straightening. A variety of treatments such as 6‐months braces, clear aligners, or conventional, fixed braces can all be used to close the gaps depending on the case in question.

In this particular case, the patient, in agreement with his dentist, chose the braces known as the 6-month smile.  As the name implies, the braces take a short amount of time to gently, and safely move the teeth into their new position, closing the gaps.