St Michael's Orthodontics Team
 

4 benefits of straighter teeth

4 benefits of straighter teeth

Many people believe that having orthodontic treatment will only improve your appearance, but a straighter smile will not only improve a person’s confidence but will also improve your oral health, eating and any speech problems. Having a great smile is something the majority of the population want but don’t think is achievable. Their wrong, it’s so straight forward! There are a number of treatment options to correct your problems. A quick chat with your orthodontist is all it takes; they will go through all the different treatment options available and will then decide which is the most suitable for you.

  • A major reason people seek orthodontic treatment is for a much more attractive smile. Smiling more often with an improved smile will build a person’s confidence and will have a huge impact on how others perceive you. We do live in a very image conscious society and impressions are made very quickly. If you are worried about what impression you will make because of the way your teeth appear, orthodontic treatment is the way forward. Having an attractive smile is a great asset and it is amazing how improving this will change the way people look at you.
  • Another benefit to having orthodontic treatment is to improve your oral health. Having crooked teeth may cause difficulty when cleaning as it can be a lot harder to get your toothbrush and floss in-between teeth that overlap. Misaligned teeth which are harder to clean will lead to a buildup of plaque and bacteria. This can cause gum problems and decay which may then result in the loss of teeth.
    Halitosis (bad breath) appears when bacteria grow in your mouth. You can avoid this from developing by cleaning your teeth regularly and more efficiently. This would be much easier to achieve with straighter teeth. Straight teeth are not only a beautiful smile but a healthier one as well. A straight set of teeth signals a much healthier mouth which can alter the way others perceive you.
  • Crooked teeth may also cause eating and chewing problems. Straightening your teeth to improve day to day tasks such as eating is one of the four benefits of having orthodontic treatment. As mentioned before, Halitosis can develop in the mouth. If there is a tendency to have difficulty removing food when cleaning, then the amount of bacteria growing will increase leading to bad breath developing. Food may get trapped in between gaps in the teeth and may not be fully removed when cleaning. If bacteria and plaque increases due to food packing, gum problems may also appear causing irritation. Straight teeth will eliminate any gaps present therefore reducing the amount of food trapping, bacteria growth and gum problems.
  • Finally, misaligned teeth may contribute to speech impediments. This can lower a person’s confidence, self esteem and can affect your daily routine such as school, work and your personal life. Diastemas (gaps in your front teeth) may cause a whistle when speaking to appear and speech problems. Clearer speech naturally improves confidence and can make a person smile much more often. Smiles are a big part of our identity and can alter the impression we give out to people.

It is proven that having straighter teeth will improve a person’s confidence. A recent audit carried out by the team at St Michaels Orthodontics Ltd showed that almost 99% of patients that completed orthodontic treatment felt that a straighter smile improved their self confidence and would also highly recommend treatment to others. It also showed that ¾ of the patients asked felt that cleaning and their general oral health also improved.

It is never too late for your perfect smile!

Visit beta.stmichaelsorthodontics.co.uk or call our experts on 01924380680 for more information

Posted in GeneralLeave a comment

One in four Brits unhappy with their smile

Great article by the British Dental Health Foundation

British Dental Health Foundation

Smile and the world smiles with you as the saying goes, but for more than a quarter of Brits who are unhappy with their smiles this may not be the case.

New research by the British Dental Health Foundation and Invisalign shows that for more than a quarter (27 per cent) of us who are unhappy with our smiles, it has a detrimental effect on confidence and relationships.

Three quarters of people said their confidence would improve if they had a smile, and almost half (44 per cent) reveal that being unhappy with their smile keeps their confidence low. Perhaps surprisingly one in ten say it has affected their relationships.

Almost three in four (70 per cent) say they are so unhappy with their smile, they never smile in photos, and rather surprisingly it’s the guys more so than the girls who can’t stand to see a photo of themselves with their teeth on show.

What’s more, one in three men (34 per cent) say they retouch every selfie compared with only one in eight (13 per cent) of females.

Dr Carter said: “Improving our smile is something that can be done at any age and with the emotional and proven health benefits of having a healthy smile clear, it’s never too late to do something about yours.

“It can be the first thing you notice about a person, and it certainly creates a good first impression. That is why getting the basics right can go a long way.

“Brushing for two minutes twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste, cutting down on how often you eat and drink sugary foods and drinks and visiting your dentist regularly, as often as they recommend, will help develop good oral health. Other habits such as chewing sugar-free gum after meals and using interdental brushes can also improve your oral health.”

Jamie Morley, UK & Ireland General Manager at Invisalign, added: “Working with over 2.5 million people worldwide to transform their smiles, Invisalign is dedicated to improving oral health. There is a wealth of evidence that non-invasive treatments are becoming more popular as people seek to improve their smiles and their oral health.”

Want to improve your smile? We can
help http://beta.stmichaelsorthodontics.co.uk/

Article published on http://www.dentalhealth.org/news/details/798

Posted in Invisalign, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Patient care feedback

Patient care questionnaire results

At St Michaels Orthodontics all team members are given regular training in all areas of patient care. We try to ensure that all patients/patients guardians are given all the information relevant to them to enable them to make an informed decision. Periodically we carry out questionnaires to see if we are fulfilling this, and if necessary identify areas where more training is required.

We questioned 40 patients after attending the practice for their 1st assessment appointment. All patients strongly agreed or agreed that they were treated with dignity and respect during their visit and that they were provided with enough information about their treatment. Following on from previous questionnaires the question regarding fees was amended to include a ‘Not applicable’ option. Some patients attending for their first assessment would qualify for NHS treatment any fees for private treatment would not have been discussed in any great detail. All 40 patients would recommend the practice to others. The results of this questionnaire are very positive and no additional training is considered necessary at this time.

We invited patients to leave additional feedback about their first visit:

‘Everybody was really nice and friendly’

‘Slow and didn’t do much than talk’

‘Everything was explained well, made to feel comfortable’

‘Made my 9 year old feel at ease and explained everything in detail’

‘Everyone was very kind & friendly & nice surroundings’

‘Friendly and efficient as usual’

Results from feedback

Posted in Patient feedbackLeave a comment

Invisalign – the clear alternative to braces

As more and more people are looking to achieve a perfect smile, there has been a huge increase in the number of patients looking for a more cosmetic type of brace. Invisalign is a clear aligner system that gently moves the teeth into position and being virtually invisible is very popular with a lot of our adult patients.

Invisalign straightens teeth using a series of nearly invisible, removable aligners that are custom-made specifically for your teeth. As you replace each aligner every two weeks, your teeth will move – little by little, week by week, gradually moving towards the projected final position. Comfortable, clear and removable – Invisalign transforms your smile without disrupting your life. Something that over 2.5 million people worldwide have already discovered.

Our orthodontist, Catherine McCanny has treated over 100 cases with Invisalign and has had fantastic success with this system even for more complex irregularities of the teeth. Last year one of Catherine’s Invisalign cases won an award in the Aesthetic Dentistry awards and furthermore she was awarded the Best Aesthetic Dentist, beating off competition from high end cosmetic dental practices throughout the UK. She has had several cases accepted on the International Invisalign Gallery- exhibiting only the best results from orthodontists all over the world.

This year she has been awarded Platinum status in recognition for advancing the field of orthodontics. St Michaels also hosts regular Invisalign study circle meetings whereby dentists and orthodontics from Yorkshire share their expertise. We have been delighted to have the top European speakers from Align technology attend these meetings, updating our knowledge on the significant advances of the Invisalign system.

Many patients seek treatment for cosmetic reasons, but there are also health and physiological implications of having misaligned teeth. Many patients have reported that treatment has changed their lives, boosting their self confidence and self esteem. Studies by Invisalign have shown that people with straight teeth are perceived to be happy and successful.

The multi award winning team at St Michaels pride themselves on the service they provide for their patients. ‘We put our patients at the heart of everything we do and our ethos is that we treat people the way we would like to be treated ourselves’ says Catherine.

Our Invisalign Open Evening on Wednesday 21st May is a fantastic opportunity for you to come along and meet the team and see what we can do to improve your smile.

About Invisalign Treatment

What our patients say about Invisalign treatment:-

‘I found the treatment absolutely amazing, the treatment has been pain free and fitted in with my lifestyle. There has also been a big improvement in my dental hygiene’- Angela

‘I have much more confidence and can’t stop smiling. I would highly recommend Catherine and her friendly team-they are amazing and have definitely changed my life’- Rachael

‘Fantastic treatment and service throughout’-Tracy

‘I recommend Invisalign to anyone, it is virtually pain free and everyone at the practice has been so friendly and accommodating’- Moira

The results have been incredible and exceeded my expectations. I cannot recommend or thank Catherine and everyone at St Michaels enough, they give every client and personal and comfortable journey’ –Jeni

‘I cannot put into words what treatment has done for me. Everyone has noticed the changes in me over the last few years, I can smile! I have now had the confidence to get back into work again. Thank you for making me smile’- Tracy

Posted in Invisalign, Promotions & Special OffersLeave a comment

National Smile Month @ St Michaels Orthodontics Ltd

Well where do I start! Here at St Michaels Orthodontics Ltd in Wakefield we enjoy nothing more than getting involved in events such as National Smile Month. It’s a great way to get the message about oral health out to the public, raise money for good causes and for the team to have some fun in the meantime. This year is no different; we kick off NSM with our ‘Bake a smile’ week. We will be selling cakes and goodies on reception from Monday 19th May to Friday 23rd May. Any money raised will be donated to Operation Smile who do wonderful work across the globe providing safe, effective reconstructive surgery for children born with facial deformities such as cleft lip and cleft palate.

We are also holding an Invisalign open evening to allow anyone wanting more information to come along, meet our team of experts and have a free consultation with Catherine McCanny, our Platinum Invisalign provider. In addition we will be offering discounts on treatment and free whitening after Invisalign treatment to make that smile even more perfect!

Our Orthodontic Therapist Katie and her nurse Kate have arranged a stall in our local city centre on Saturday 31st May, where they will be promoting National Smile Month by giving out free merchandise and information on oral health and orthodontics.

On Friday 6th June the walking boots will go back on and the team will be doing an 8 mile hike in Knaresborough to raise money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

And finally …. after an event packed NSM the team will be ready for some rest, so to chill out it will be strictly PJ’s only to wear for work on Tuesday 10th June!!

Posted in Charity event, EventsLeave a comment