Our case of the month for September 2021 was a simply stunning one using ultra minimally invasive E max veneers. Our client disliked her front teeth composite bonding which had discoloured, worn and chipped over time. Although teeth bonding is a superb treatment, there are disadvantages compared to porcelain such as those mentioned above. Porcelain will not stain or change colour and it is far more durable than composite. However, in the past, porcelain needed considerable preparation to create space for the material which was a huge disadvantage. Today, material technology and modern techniques allow us to create beautiful veneers without having to cut teeth.

Our case highlights this, just take a look:
 

Our case of the month for August 2021 was a straight forward one but effective. In many cases, we get asked to correct one or two teeth which really bothers our patient. Most of the time, this is perfectly feasible using modern day cosmetic dental techniques such as lingual braces and cosmetic bonding. 

For our case, one tooth had slipped behind the others and was in cross bite with the lower teeth. This is where the upper tooth actually sits on the inside surface of the lower tooth when closed. This is not desirable aesthetically nor functionally. One tooth in cross bite will often wear at a greater rate and can interfere with the bite. 

To keep things really simple, we used a Social 6 lingual brace to correct the tooth and place it back to the normal position. As mentioned above, due to wear, it was much shorter than the adjacent teeth. However, with some snazzy cosmetic bonding using our own techniques and polishing methods, we had a life like tooth back again which looked as good as new.
 

Our case of the month for June 2021 was one where spaces were closed using composite bonding or teeth bonding. Often there are spaces between teeth which are either natural, developmental, after orthodontic treatment or following a trauma. One of the simplest ways to close the spaces is via bonding.
 

Our case of the month for April was one involving E Max crowns by Ivoclar, which is our opinion, give the best aesthetic results. In the past, tooth coloured dental crowns had a layer of metal underneath for strength with the ceramic bonded on the outside. Now these could look perfectly acceptable but there were issues. Having two layers means that more of the underlying tooth has to be cut down to accommodate the material. For any of you that has read any of our posts knows that we believe in minimally invasive dentistry, cutting away more tooth than necessary just does not sit right with us. Another issue with metal ceramic crowns is that the metal layer may become visible over time as the gums recede which gives that classic grey line around the tooth. Not very desirable. One of the main advantages of ceramic crowns is that there is no metal underneath and this grey line will never be an issue. 

The aesthetic qualities of E max crowns are second to none. Our case shows that the crowns can be fully customised with translucency at the edges, varying shades, light reflection and opaque areas to name a few. The skill of the dental technician plays a huge role here and we work with some excellent laboratories know for excellence. 

For our case, Ceramic Studios in Kensington made the wonderful E max crowns fully which were fully customised.
 

Our case of the month for March is a simple but great one- we love it so much! It features composite bonding which is a favourite treatment of ours. People often ask what is cosmetic or composite bonding. Well the answer is simple. For many years, dentists have been using adhesive technology to bond fillings inside of teeth. The same technology can be applied to the outside of teeth to make them look pretty! In essence, if a tooth is worn down, fractured, uneven or discoloured then composite bonding can be used to enhance the tooth without having to cut the tooth down or destroy healthy tooth enamel. After all, dental enamel is the hardest tissue in the body for a good reason. It is there to protect teeth- why on earth would we cut it all away? The old days of Extreme Makeover (remember that show) are over. 

Often cosmetic bonding can be used for very subtle treatments such as our case. In this example, we treated the front teeth using Social 6 lingual braces to straighten the teeth first and then use composite bonding to enhance the smile line to even the edges, make pointed teeth look natural and camouflage the canine teeth which were quite pointed. There was absolutely no drilling of the underlying teeth, no needles were required, an entirely pain free process. Take a look at the difference:
 

Our case of the month for last month February 2021 is a stunning case which involves a smile transformation using three techniques:

1. Lingual Braces

2. Tooth whitening using a take home whitening kit

3. Cosmetic bonding 

We like to call this a Progressive Smile transformation as there is no drilling, no injections, no pain and the process is affordable and easy to maintain. In contrast to porcelain veneers or crowns which require drilling away of healthy tooth enamel to cover the teeth with the ceramic. Granted, this may look good to begin with but what about in 10 years? Biologically, removing the enamel means that the hardest tissue in the body can no longer protect the underlying tooth which could lead to bacterial leakage and infection. Why risk this? 

Time has flown by and we forgot to post our case of the month for December so we have decided to combine them with a tremendous case study involving a complete smile makeover. 

Our client really hated her smile. The main issues were that the smile was not wide enough, the back teeth caved in so that they were not visible on photos and the bite was all over the place. As well as teeth crowding and an overall yellow shade, so a number of aesthetic problems. 

After careful planning, which is always the key to success, Dr Nissit Patel formulated a treatment plan which involved full upper and lower invisible braces which would develop the arches and improve the smile width. The bite, or we call it occlusion, was improved and treatment was completed with tooth whitening. 

Overall, the treatment time frame was 12 months and we needed adjustment visits every 6 weeks in general. One of the key aspects in a comprehensive case like this, is the use of elastics. These are worn from the upper teeth to the lower teeth , ideally 20 hours of the day. The reason for this is to improve the way the teeth sit together. If you are not committed, the end results will not be as good! 

Here is a before and after photograph. Truly stunning!
 

Our case of the month for November is cosmetic bonding or teeth bonding which is one of our favourite treatments. For those of you unaware of the process, let us explain for you.
 

It's the end of October and we have not posted our case of the month for September! We have been so busy and time flies but here it is; a fabulous case involving Philips ZOOM teeth whitening followed by bonding or cosmetic bonding.