Our case of the month for August 2022 was a fabulous one! A real smile transformation done correctly. Forget 'Turkey Teeth'! A smile transformation should involve minimal or no biological damage to the teeth and gums to enhance the aesthetic and functional issues. The term 'Turkey Teeth' comes from social media posts where a smile makeover is done over a weekend by hacking away natural healthy tooth structure and placing multiple crowns and veneers. These are often linked together with no means of cleaning between them. This is a recipe for disaster with not only a high risk of nerve death and root canals but also gum disease and infection. The cost of rectifying this treatment will far outweigh the 'savings' from going abroad and also lead to life long maintenance.

Anyway, back to our case and happier news. We first started with careful planning to straighten the teeth using Invisalign full. One of the main issues was that the dental arches were very narrow which is why you cannot see the back teeth on smiling. This is called the buccal corridor. With expansion, we have the opportunity to create space and correct crowding without IPR ( in between teeth filing and slimming) which we always strive to achieve. Invisalign is simply the best at arch expansion in our opinion. After only 8 months, we had lovely straight teeth ready for the next stage.
 

Our case of the month for March 2022 is a true smile transformation in every sense of the word. In this case, we successfully corrected a complete reverse overjet or underbite using Invisalign Full. We then enhanced the overall aesthetics using a home whitening kit (Philips ZOOM) and bonding.
 

Our case of the month for November 2021 was a classic tooth bonding case involving severe tooth wear. Tooth wear is an increasing problem with grinding at night becoming an ever increasing problem coupled with acid in the diet. The combination of these two factors can lead to the softening and dissolving enamel leading to thin edges, chipping, fractures and exposure of the underlying dentine which can be very sensitive. 

The beauty of cosmetic bonding is that we can treat the wear, protect the teeth and improve the aesthetics in one visit. We do not need to cut the teeth down at all, there is no need for any needle, the procedure is pain free and easy to maintain.
 

Our case of the month for May 2021 was a simple one involving ICON to treat a white spot and then cosmetic bonding to repair a small chip. Initially. we used Invisalign Express to treat some mild mis alignment. Putting teeth in the correct position will mean that that any future treatment will always look better especially bonding. 

The treatment in our case is completely non invasive. There is no need for any drilling, no needles of any sort and no pain! Furthermore, the cost is affordable compared to traditional veneers or crowns. A no brainer! 

ICON white spot treatment works by changing the light refractions of the white spot using resin infiltration. This way the white spot is camouflaged and blends in the surrounding tooth. The process is super simple and takes only a few minutes. 

Cosmetic bonding can further enhance the appearance of the tooth by using highly aesthetic composite resin to layer over an defects such as chips, uneven edges, gaps, sharp edges and even discolouration. 

Here are the before and after photographs:
 

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 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.
 

Time is flying by! Kids are back in school, days are getting shorter but at least the sun is still shining. We have been so busy, that we have not posted our case of the month for August. However, the wait has been well worth it with a superb smile transformation using Invisalign clear aligners, tooth whitening and composite bonding or teeth bonding. 

Initially, our patient came to us with quite short, yellow and crowded teeth. The brief was to be as minimal as possible and try to maintain the teeth as much as possible which was music to our ears. For those of you that know anything about us will know that we are minimally invasive at heart and hate to destroy natural tooth for cosmetic reasons. 

One of our favourite treatments is that of ABC:

A is for alignment or straightening teeth

B is for bleaching of tooth whitening

C is for cosmetic or tooth bonding 

Our case highlights this treatment philosophy beautifully. The before photo highlights the issues at hand:
 

Our case of the month for February 2020 involves using one of our favourite teeth straightening options- the Social 6 lingual brace and composite bonding to correct asymmetry. The treatment was completed by Dr Nissit Patel who comments: ' Over many years of being a dentist, I have realised how important it is to have teeth in the correct position before attempting any form of cosmetic dentistry. There are many benefits of this. Ultimately, if the front teeth are properly aligned then the following cosmetic dental treatments can be simple and have great results. For example, simple tooth whitening and composite bonding can have a profound effect without having to even touch the teeth in question. After all, enamel is precious and we should not be removing it for the sake for a quick fix. Modern day dentistry should not involve elective removal of tooth enamel - full stop. If teeth are crooked, without some form of orthodontic treatment, the only option is to drill the tooth down to create space for the restorative material to alter the appearance. This could be ceramic or composite resin. If any of you watched the series Extreme Makeover, you will recall how the patient was left with little stumps prior to the ceramic crowns and veneers. Yes, the transformation was profound but at what cost? Once the enamel is removed, which is the hardest tissue in the body, the protective layer has vanished leaving the tooth weak and prone to attack. We can be certain that a tooth that has been cut down will need additional treatment in the future whether this is replacement crowns, root canal treatment, post core crowns or even removal. Why take the risk? I advocate a minimal approach to cosmetic dentistry where the risks are extremely low. In our case below, the steps are simple:
 

1. Straighten using a Social 6 lingual brace
2. Tooth whitening with a take home kit
3. Teeth bonding with composite to enhance the symmetry
4. Retainers

In this case, there was absolutely no drilling of the enamel at all. Therefore the biology remains exactly the same and all that remains is a maintenance program to maintain the alignment using retainers and the polish of the composite. Yes, this is a commitment also but everything in life requires maintenance from cars, houses, fences (Storm Dennis recently took ours apart!) and teeth. Please take a look at the before and after photos. I was delighted and so was our patient.'