Dental Blog - Harley Street Dental Clinic

Correct your smile with discreet orthodontics in Harley Street

Braces aren’t just for children anymore. In fact, in recent years, an increasing number of adults have been visiting the dentist for teeth straightening. With the development of more discreet orthodontic devices such as clear braces, hidden braces and removable aligners, adults feel comfortable smiling while undergoing treatment.

At Harley Street Dental Clinic, we welcome patients of all ages who wish to straighten their teeth and improve their smile and quality of life. Before beginning your orthodontic treatment, we will examine your teeth thoroughly in order to establish the underlying cause of your misalignment.

More importantly, we recommend that any oral health issues such as tooth decay and gum disease be treated prior to orthodontic treatment. Discreet orthodontics in Harley Street include lingual braces, clear braces and Invisalign. Here’s what you need to know about them.

Lingual braces

As their name suggests, lingual braces are hidden on the inside of the teeth, beside the tongue. Lingual braces work like metal braces, except that each bracket is customised to the shape of your teeth. They are effective at treating complicated cases where there is considerable tooth crowding or an incorrect bite.

Clear braces

Clear braces are fixed braces that are made of clear brackets and tooth-coloured wires. This way they blend more naturally with your teeth. They are ideal for patients with busy lifestyles, especially in professions where aesthetics are really important.

Invisalign

An innovative treatment and an alternative to metal braces, Invisalign consists of a series of customised, removable, plastic aligners. These aligners are created with the help of 3D technology, enabling your dentist to monitor your treatment at every stage. You will have to wear each set of aligners for two weeks before moving to the next one in the series, until your teeth have reached their correct position. Invisalign aligners can be removed for a few hours every day for eating and brushing your teeth. Finally, they are easy to maintain and require very few adjustments.

Get in touch

If you have more questions about discreet orthodontics in Harley Street or would like to schedule a consultation, please contact our friendly team today.

Get a beautiful smile with dental implants in Harley Street

Has it been a while since you showed your smile because of a missing tooth or even multiple missing teeth? Tooth loss is more common than you may think. It can affect patients of all ages and can cause oral health issues if not addressed early on.

At Harley Street Dental Clinic in Harley Street, dental implants are our treatment of choice for tooth loss. Unlike conventional tooth replacement options, dental implants are stabilised into the jawbone and create a strong and sturdy foundation for replacement teeth that look, feel and function just like your natural teeth.

What are dental implants and how do they work?

Dental implants are actually very small titanium posts that are surgically embedded into the jawbone where teeth are missing. These metal anchors act as an artificial root to support replacement teeth, such as single crowns, multiple tooth bridges and dentures. After the surgical placement of the implant, the bone tissue bonds with the titanium creating a strong foundation for replacement teeth. Once healing is complete and the bone has bonded to the surface of the implant, your dentist can attach the replacement teeth safely onto your dental implants.

What to expect?

Surgery for dental implants is a safe procedure that is very well tolerated by many patients. As a matter of fact, many find it as easy as (if not easier than) tooth extraction. If adequate bone is present and there is no existing gum disease or other health concerns, dental implants will take a few weeks or months to heal. During this healing phase, your dentist will see you periodically to monitor your dental implants. After healing is complete, you can have your replacement teeth and enjoy the benefits of a restored mouth.

Am I a candidate for dental implants in Harley Street?

If you are considering dental implants in Harley Street, our dental team would be happy to see you for a consultation to discuss your medical history, perform an oral examination, review your x-rays and discuss your treatment options extensively. While there some cases where dental implants are not advisable, most patients are good candidates for dental implants.

Improve your smile with cosmetic dentistry treatments in Harley Street

Your smile is the first impression that others have of you, so it makes sense that you would want it to be bright, white and healthy. Contrary to popular belief, cosmetic dentistry is more than just teeth whitening. A cosmetic dentist can transform the shape, colour and alignment of your teeth with restorations that are highly aesthetic and virtually undetectable.

At Harley Street Dental Clinic, we offer many cosmetic dentistry treatments tailored to your individual needs. We can conceal cosmetic imperfections with dental veneers, teeth whitening and gum lifts, while ensuring your comfort and relaxation. Additionally, we use the most advanced techniques and materials for completely natural results.

Teeth whitening

Whitening your teeth is a great way to remove tooth discolouration and give you the bright smile you have always wanted. Yellow and discoloured teeth are the result of many factors. As we age, tooth enamel tends to wear out and changes colour. Moreover, some diet and lifestyle choices such as smoking or drinking red wine and caffeine can also contribute towards tooth staining. At Harley Street Dental Clinic, we deliver two types of teeth whitening to help you regain the brightness of your smile – power whitening and home whitening. Power whitening is performed in the dental practice in less than an hour with the help of a special light. Home whitening, on the other hand, involves the use of customised bleaching trays at home over a period of two weeks.

Dental veneers

Dental veneers are thin, porcelain shells customised to seamlessly match and enhance your smile. These durable restorations are attached to the front of your teeth. They can strengthen your smile and give you a more attractive appearance. Veneers are very versatile and can correct any number of cosmetic flaws in your smile including chipped, cracked, broken, unevenly worn, permanently stained, discoloured and misshapen teeth.

Gum lifts

Uneven gums can make even the straightest teeth look asymmetrical and awkward. At Harley Street Dental Clinic, we offer laser gum lifts, a minimally invasive procedure aimed at reducing the amount of visible gum tissue and increasing the amount of visible enamel that shows when you smile.

Why it’s important to have your teeth professionally cleaned

Even if you brush and floss your teeth on a daily basis, it is still advisable for you to undergo professional teeth cleaning. Regular brushing and flossing alone cannot get rid of the plaque and bacteria that accumulate on your teeth and gums every day. Getting your teeth cleaned by a dentist in W1 can prevent minor dental problems from becoming worse.

At Harley Street Dental Clinic, we believe that prevention is better than cure and for this reason, we encourage our patients to visit the dental practice regularly for check-ups and cleanings. Our dentist in W1 can help you keep your teeth healthy and plaque-free. Here are some reasons why you should have your teeth professionally cleaned:

Prevent gum disease

Poor oral hygiene can lead to many problems. The most serious of them is gum disease, which is the leading cause of tooth loss among adults and children alike. Symptoms of gum disease include red, swollen and bleeding gums. If left untreated, gum disease can also lead to infection, gum recession and bone loss. Your dentist in W1 will remove hardened plaque from your teeth and beneath the gum line, decreasing your chances of developing this serious dental problem.

Keep your breath fresh

Failing to get rid of bacteria and plaque can leave you with bad breath. Your dentist has the tools and expertise to get to those hard-to-reach areas to remove plaque that has accumulated over time. If you want to keep your breath fresh, regular brushing and flossing alone won’t be enough.

Prevent potentially serious problems

No matter how well you take care of your teeth and gums, some problems are impossible to spot with an untrained eye. By visiting your dentist in W1, you are allowing them to check on your overall oral health. Some dental issues such as gum disease and oral cancer can only be detected during their early stages by a dentist. If your dentist spots a problem, they can recommend a treatment plan right away. Overall, professional teeth cleaning is also a good oral health investment, so don’t be afraid to visit your dentist in W1.

Keep smiling with invisible braces in Harley Street

If you prefer a discreet approach to teeth straightening but you are not eligible for clear aligners, you may consider lingual braces. These braces are fitted behind your teeth and offer the same benefits as traditional braces.

At Harley Street Dental Clinic, we understand that not all alignment problems can be corrected with clear aligners, but that does not mean you need to have a metal smile. Lingual invisible braces in Harley Street are ideal for complex dental problems such as tooth heightening, extraction gaps and rotated teeth. Plus, they are entirely invisible adding to the cosmetic effect.

Invisible Braces in Harley Street When you receive lingual braces at Harley Street Dental Clinic, our dentists will ensure they are properly fitted to your teeth. Our specialist dentists, Dr Emma Laing and Dr Darsh Patel, have provided exceptional care to many patients over the years.

What are lingual braces?

As their name implies, lingual braces are metal braces that are positioned on the rear side of the teeth, opposite the tongue. Since they are not fixed to the front of the teeth, they are virtually invisible when you talk or smile. Lingual braces are made of titanium-nickel and they are customised for each individual tooth. Just like metal braces, they apply consistent but gentle pressure to coax the teeth into proper alignment.

What is involved?

Once your dentist has examined your teeth and confirmed that lingual braces will work for you, they will take an impression of your teeth. This impression will be forwarded to a dental lab, where it will be used as a guide to creating the brackets of your braces. The process may take several weeks. Once the brackets are ready, your dentist will glue them to the back side of your teeth using a special dental cement. Treatment time with lingual braces usually takes between 1-3 years. However, the time needed to reposition the teeth depends on how severe your misalignment and bite issues are in the first place. Lingual braces, like other types of braces, require regular cleaning in order to prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

To determine if lingual invisible braces in Harley Street are right for you, contact our practice to schedule an appointment.

How to prevent oral problems by visiting the dentist in Harley Street

If you are an adult who thinks that you can avoid gum disease or tooth decay because you brush and floss your teeth regularly, think again. Just like children, adults are equally at risk from many dental problems. Dental care for adults is really important and visiting the dentist at least twice a year is imperative.

Here, at Harley Street Dental Clinic, we have always been involved in prevention and we firmly believe that ultimately prevention is better than cure. Your dentist in Harley Street will examine your teeth and gums thoroughly and will look for signs of tooth decay or gum disease before they develop into serious problems. This will save you money and time in the long run.

Gum disease

Statistically, patients over 35 lose more teeth to gum disease than to tooth decay. Gum disease can be attributed to many factors; however, poor oral hygiene is the most common. If you oral care routine has slipped and you fail to attend your regular dental cleanings, plaque and bacteria will eventually build up on your teeth, causing your gums to loosen and become red and sensitive. Left untreated, gum disease can even result in tooth loss. The good news is that this is a preventable disease and visiting the dentist in Harley Street for regular cleaning will save you a great deal.

Tooth decay and cavities

Changes that occur with ageing leave adults prone to cavities. Poor oral hygiene combined with an increased incidence of gum disease can expose tooth roots to plaque and other bacteria, encouraging the formation of cavities. Decay begins in the main portion of the tooth and as the enamel is broken down the decay can go deeper into the tooth, eventually reaching the nerve of the tooth.

Early warning signs

Gum disease and tooth decay – the two leading causes of tooth loss – often have few early warning signs, but can be easily avoided. Thanks to the modern techniques used at our dental practice, your Harley Street dentist can often determine whether you suffer from either condition, before you have even realised you have them.

Preventive dental care for children in W1: know before you go

Good oral health is important for a child’s overall health and happiness. That’s why at Harley Street Dental Clinic we do everything we can to make sure children’s smiles are healthy and beautiful.

Our dental clinic in W1 is committed to providing quality oral care for adults and children. We focus on teaching children healthy oral habits and we offer specialised treatments that help prevent tooth decay and cavities. Routine check-up appointments and examinations allow us to keep an eye on your children’s oral health and prevent serious problems from developing. Here are a few preventive treatments for children we offer at our dental clinic in W1:

Dental check-ups and cleanings

According to most dentists, a child should have their first dental check-up within six months of the appearance of their first tooth, or by their first birthday. When you bring your child in to see us in our dental clinic in W1, we will do our best to familiarise them with their new surroundings.

Good oral habits start at a young age and, from our experience, children who visit the dentist early on are more likely to establish better oral hygiene habits. Once your child feels comfortable, we will examine their teeth and look for signs of tooth decay. A thorough tooth cleaning will keep their teeth plaque-free for longer and prevent bacteria from forming cavities. We will also discuss dietary habits and effective brushing and flossing techniques.

Fluoride applications and dental sealants

Fluoride treatments can benefit patients of all ages, but they are especially important for young children who are still in the process of losing baby teeth and getting permanent ones. Fluoride applications will not only protect the existing teeth, but they will also help the new adult teeth come in more resistant against plaque and bacteria.

Dental sealants, on the other hand, are tooth-coloured plastic coatings that are attached directly to the surfaces of the teeth. They act as an extra line of protection between your children’s teeth and decay. If sealants are right for your child, we can provide this preventive treatment right away in our dental clinic in W1.

Discover the health benefits of dental implants in Harley Street

Tooth loss is a common problem that goes well beyond what you can see. Missing and badly decayed teeth can create a lot of problems if left unreplaced, including further tooth loss. With dental implants, you will not only have a smile that is beautiful and complete, you will also have the best option for your oral health.

At Harley Street Dental Clinic in Harley Street, dental implants are our treatment of choice for missing teeth because they look and feel like natural teeth, while restoring normal oral function and appearance. Unlike conventional dentures and bridges, dental implants fuse with the jawbone and require no special care.

Why replace missing teeth?

A single missing tooth might not seem like a major problem, but appearances can be deceptive. In fact, any gap in your mouth, even from a single missing tooth, can cause serious problems over time. The rest of your teeth will naturally try to fill the space, and in the long term, this can move the rest of your teeth out of position causing issues like enamel wear, grinding, crooked teeth as well as jaw problems.

Replacing the missing teeth with dental implants in Harley Street can prevent all these long-term problems, helping you maintain your healthy smile.

The next best thing to natural teeth

Keeping your natural teeth is always ideal. When this impossible, though, dental implants offer you the next best alternative. Nothing comes as close to operating like a natural tooth as a dental implant. This is because they fuse with the jawbone and create a sturdy foundation for replacement teeth. Dental implants also prevent additional dental issues from developing. Having missing teeth can be difficult for you to keep your teeth clean, leading to gum disease and tooth decay. Dental implants restore your oral function and will make your more willing to smile, laugh, and socialize.

Last but not least, missing teeth cause the body to absorb bone from the jaw if it’s no longer being used to support a tooth root. When this happens, it can lead to bone deterioration. Dental implants prevent this process keeping your jaw strong and healthy in the long run.

Reasons you should consider visiting an orthodontist in Harley Street

For many years, orthodontics was children’s territory, but this has gradually changed. There are many reasons why as an adult you should consider visiting an orthodontist. Maybe you never had braces as a child or teenager, or did not wear your retainers as often as you were supposed to.

Either way, if you are not satisfied with your smile, visiting the orthodontist in Harley Street is the first step. Our experienced orthodontists in Harley Street, will examine your teeth and bite and help you determine whether you are in need of teeth straightening treatment. Here are a few signs that you may need to see an orthodontist as soon as possible.

Abnormal bite

Patients can receive orthodontic treatment to correct an abnormal bite. If your bite is normal, your upper teeth will slightly overlap your lower teeth. The space between the overlap of the upper and lower teeth will be very small. If the overlap is wider, then there is something irregular about your bite and you should see an orthodontist in Harley Street. If left untreated, overbites, underbites and crossbites can lead to serious problems.

Crowded and gapped teeth

Another reason to visit an orthodontist in Harley Street is because the space in between your teeth is uneven. This can result in gapped or overcrowded teeth. Issues with crowded and gapped teeth are not just cosmetic. Such teeth are a lot harder to brush and floss and you will struggle to keep up with your dental hygiene routine. This can lead to the development of tooth decay and gum disease in the long run.

Improve your oral health and self-esteem

Receiving orthodontic treatment is a great way to improve your self-image, and feel better about yourself. If you are concerned with the aesthetics of regular braces, you needn’t worry. At Harley Street Dental Clinic, we offer a wide range of discreet braces, which are designed specifically for adults and can be used to treat a variety of oral problems.

If you are seeking orthodontic treatment in Harley Street, contact our friendly team and we will book a consultation appointment for you.

Cosmetic dentistry in Harley Street – explore your options

Cosmetic dentistry is the branch of dentistry that focuses on improving the appearance and the function of your teeth, gums and bite. When most people think of cosmetic dentistry, they usually think of teeth whitening. But cosmetic dentistry can also help fix cracked or chipped teeth, or missing teeth as well as decayed teeth.

At Harley Street Dental Clinic, we use advanced dental treatments and materials to help you achieve the smile you have always wanted. Our cosmetic dentist in Harley Street will use a unique combination of science and artistry to redesign your smile. Our cosmetic treatments can be used on their own or combined for a smile makeover.

Teeth whitening

Teeth whitening is a safe, quick and affordable way to restore the whiteness of your teeth. At Harley Street Dental Clinic, you can choose between power whitening and home whitening. Both methods are entirely safe and offer great results. Power whitening uses laser technology to help whiten your teeth in less than an hour at the dental practice. Home whitening, on the other hand, uses customised bleaching trays and a bleaching agent provided by your cosmetic dentist in Harley Street.

Dental implants

Dental implants are a cosmetic and restorative treatment at the same time. These small, titanium posts are surgically attached into the jawbone, where they replace missing tooth roots. Because they are permanently attached to the jawbone, they look, feel and function just like your natural teeth. Your cosmetic dentist in Harley Street will examine your mouth thoroughly to determine whether you are a good candidate for this treatment.

Gum contouring

If you are unhappy with the shape of your teeth or you don’t like the amount of tissue that shows when you smile, then gum contouring may be the ideal cosmetic treatment for you. Unlike older methods, a laser gum lift at Harley Street Dental Clinic does not involve surgery. Instead, the laser helps the tissue heal without pain or discomfort. After the treatment, your gums will be in better proportion to the rest of your teeth. The gum line will be symmetrical and even, and you won’t have to worry about your gummy smile anymore.

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