Many people will remember train-track braces from when they were younger, as they are the standard NHS orthodontic fix for jumbled or protruding teeth. However, many people don’t realise that teeth don’t stop always moving. Quite often, if teeth were straightened when you were young, they may move again with age, hormonal changes or when wisdom teeth come through. Other people may not have opted for teeth straightening when they were younger, yet decide to go down that route when they are older.

The idea of train-track braces as an adult may not be the most appealing idea and so here at CK Dental in Bristol we offer a newer, more visually appealing, modern alternative.

What can be done if I want straighter teeth but don’t want a visible brace?

Invisalign does what the name suggests – it straightens your teeth while being hardly noticeable. Instead of a wire which is cemented to the front of your teeth and tweaked to adjust their alignment, treatment with Invisalign braces is done with a series of plastic ‘trays’ or ‘aligners’, that fit over your teeth and are adjusted every few weeks.

How does Invisalign work?

Imprints are taken of your teeth and gums, and then aligners are custom-made to fit your mouth perfectly. The aligners slot in and out of your mouth easily, which means you can take them out when you want to eat or drink, brush your teeth and so on. Ideally you’ll keep them in for the majority of the time and this will ensure the process works as quickly as possible. They are very discrete too, at first glance you would not know that they are being worn, as they are transparent and do not protrude.

Does Invisalign hurt?

Although your teeth will ache when a new aligner is fitted, as there is no wire or attachments, these won’t cause discomfort inside the mouth in the same way that a train-track brace might do.

How long has Invisalign been available? I don’t want to be a guinea pig

Rest assured that even though Invisalign is relatively new to the UK market, it has been established since 1997 and has helped millions of people around the world achieve a smile that they are happier with.

How long will I need to wear my Invisalign braces for?

The process typically ranges from 9-18 months, depending on how much your teeth require adjusting and how complex the treatment is. Your dentist will be able to give you a good indicator of this at the initial consultation.

So, if you’ve decided that for 2018 you’re going to invest in a beautiful smile then now is the time to find out more about Invisalign.

Thanks to awareness-building advertising campaigns over the years, many of us now feel sufficiently informed to know about the warning signs of cancer in different parts of the body.

From checking for lumps and bumps, to persistent headaches and changes with moles and freckles, cancers such as breast, prostate, testicular, brain and skin are well known, and there is a reasonably good awareness of how to perform ‘bodily MOTs’ – checking for changes that could signal a problem.

But we are as clued in when it comes to mouth cancer?

Mouth cancer is one of the lesser known cancers, although according to Cancer Research UK, the incidence of mouth cancer in the UK is on the increase. “Oral cancer incidence rates are projected to rise by 33% in the UK between 2014 and 2035, to 20 cases per 100,000 people by 2035.”

What this means in real terms is that the number of people each year in the UK who are diagnosed with oral cancer is now in excess of 7,500.

Although it is becoming more prevalent, it is believed that the vast majority of mouth cancers are linked with lifestyle choices. What this means is that with greater opportunities to educate people about the causes of mouth cancer, there are things that people can be doing on a day to day basis that can help reduce their risk.

How to mitigate your risk of developing mouth cancer

Here at CK Dental we always advocate oral hygiene and good oral health, and this is the first important starting point. A regular brushing routine and a good awareness of the state of your teeth, tongue, cheeks and gums is essential in being able to spot if anything looks or feels different.

There is a proven link between excessive alcohol consumption and mouth cancer, so ensuring you are keeping alcohol intake with the recommended weekly units is a good starting point to ensure that you’re not putting your mouth at risk. There is also an increased risk for smokers, as tobacco usage has also been linked with higher incidences of mouth cancer – in fact three quarters of those diagnosed with mouth cancer are reportedly smokers.

Signs to look out for

Mouth cancer can start out as a mouth ulcer that does not cause discomfort or irritation, but that fails to heal.  It is also important to keep tabs on any red or white patches that form within the mouth and that do not seem to be healing or clearing up. The same is true for any unexpected lumps, bumps or rough areas within the mouth.

As with many cancers, the sooner it is detected, the greater the chance that it can be treated effectively, so if you have any areas of concern within (or around) your mouth, book an appointment to come and see a dentist for an expert assessment as soon as you can.

At CK Dental, our routine exams always include an examination of the teeth, gums and tissues of the mouth for any signs of a serious health condition that needs further examination.

To arrange an appointment at our Bristol dental clinic, call us on 0117 906 4868.

[From The Guardian] Twice as many children under the age of 10 receive hospital treatment for tooth decay as those treated for broken arms, figures for England show.

There were 34,205 cases of patients under 10 needing hospital treatment for dental caries in the year to March, the youngest less than a year old, according to the faculty of dental surgery (FDS) at the Royal College of Surgeons.

Over the same period there were 17,043 broken arms, as well as 19,584 cases of asthma, 10,397 cases of epilepsy and 3,805 cases of appendicitis needing hospital treatment in the age group, according to analysis of NHS Digital data.

Read the full article in the Guardian… 

All parents out there will understand, relate to or remember the transition from milk to solid foods. The weaning process. This can be an exciting time or this can be stressful, and everyone crosses their fingers that their baby will not turn out to be a fussy eater.

For some parents whose little darlings are picky with what they eat, they may fall into the trap of giving them food/snacks that they like, just because they are pleased that they are eating something. It’s worth remembering though that bad habits can start young, and if you want your child’s teeth to remain healthy for as long as possible, here are some snacks that you may wish to avoid.

Some snacks to be mindful of

• Dried raisins – these are a handy, convenient snack that appear healthy (they’re fruit right, so must be good for infants?). Although they do contain vitamins and are great for helping babies develop their fine motor skills, the ‘pincer’ motion, they are very sticky and can become attached to milk teeth. The natural sugars within the raisins then can damage the teeth unless they are brushed thoroughly.
• Fruit juices – although they are definitely a healthier alternative to sugary, carbonated drinks, fresh fruit juice contains natural acid which can wear away the delicate enamel of new teeth.
• Flavoured milk – although most babies will continue having milk before bed for several years, try to keep this natural and unsweetened. Adding flavours to milk undoubtedly means adding sugar, and unless you’re planning on brushing their teeth again before they go to sleep, this means that overnight their teeth are at risk of decay. Even if these are marketed as suitable for babies, that does not mean that they are necessarily good for their teeth.

The best kind of snacks you can give your children are raw vegetables such as carrot sticks and cucumber, or fresh fruit such as orange segments and bananas. Snacks such as rice cakes and toast are also good for plugging the gaps between meals.

Getting into good habits early

Just remember, even if your little one doesn’t have a full set of milk teeth yet, you should be brushing their teeth twice a day for up to two minutes per clean. This will be hard for the very youngest babies, so don’t worry if it’s only a short brush before they aren’t willing to cooperate any longer. Regular brushing helps babies and toddlers associate this as part of their regular daily routine.

And also make regular trips to your dentist part of your routine. In shocking figures released earlier this year, the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons pointed to a 24% rise in the number of tooth extractions on children under four over the last decade.

Professor Nigel Hunt, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) at the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS), said: “When you see the numbers tallied up like this it becomes abundantly clear that the sweet habits of our children are having a devastating effect on the state of their teeth. That children as young as one or two need to have teeth extracted is shocking.  It’s almost certain that the majority of these extractions will be down to tooth decay caused by too much sugar in diets.”

Patients understandably want to avoid having a tooth extracted and dentists, too, will do everything possible to save a biological tooth, but sometimes a tooth extraction is the best option and, in many cases, is unavoidable. Removing a significantly damaged or decaying tooth will be required to save the surrounding teeth and ensure optimal dental health.

1. Severe damage or decay: Whether it’s the result of injury or trauma to the tooth or because of severe decay and infection in the gums, a tooth may need to be removed to prevent further damage. At CK Dental we always adopt a conservative approach and it may be possible to restore the natural tooth, utilising a crown or a filling. If these options are not suitable, then removal of the damaged tooth will take place and a dental implant used to replace the missing molar.
2. Smile alignment: Some patients will have a very crowded jawline and the teeth fail to align properly. Orthodontics is the dental practice of correcting tooth alignment, typically with braces, but sometimes teeth need to be removed to allow the remaining teeth to become properly aligned. Often, more than one tooth will need to be removed – one from both sides of the mouth – to maintain symmetry and balance of the bite. In this instance, dental extraction will take place first and then we can begin the process of aligning the teeth.
3. Abnormal development: Sometimes teeth fail to erupt through the gums or become impacted and this is most often seen with the wisdom teeth.

For most patients, tooth extraction can be performed in a dental clinic without any need for anything more than local anaesthetic injections to numb the area. However, for severely impacted teeth or for patients that are suffering from extreme dental anxiety, then a general anaesthetic can be the best option and many dental surgeries are not able to offer this option. At CK Dental in central Bristol, we can carry out dental procedures under general anaesthetic, safely and effectively, in a hospital environment.

Current NHS waiting list times for teeth extractions are growing and, in some areas, patients can be waiting for 22 weeks and up to a year, often suffering discomfort and pain in the meantime. At CK Dental, we can usually see a patient in clinic within a week and, from there, arrange an appointment for a tooth extraction under general anaesthetic within two to four weeks.