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Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) explained.

To determine if you are eligible for braces on the NHS, your Orthodontist will use the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) rating system – typically this is used for children aged 17 years and under.  If you receive Grades 1 or 2 then unfortunately you will not be eligible for NHS funded treatment, but if you score a Grade 4 or 5 then you will automatically be eligible.  The assessment usually takes around 20 minutes so you won’t have to wait weeks on end for an answer.  Here’s a breakdown of each grade:

Grade 1

Patients who score a Grade 1 will not have a sufficient health need for orthodontic braces as their teeth are considered ‘‘almost perfect.’’

Grade 2

Patients who score a Grade 2 are also not eligible for braces on the NHS as there isn’t a justified health need. 

Grade 3

If you receive a Grade 3, you could still be eligible for NHS funding, but your case is borderline and so your Orthodontist will need to consider the appearance of your teeth too, giving them an aesthetic score of 1 – 10.  If you receive a Grade 3 and an aesthetic score of 6 or above then you will qualify for NHS brace treatment.  Irregularities of teeth which are less than 4mm out of line (e.g. open bites of less than 4mm) or deep bites with no functional problems will not qualify for NHS treatment.

Grade 4

Severe degrees of irregularity will qualify for orthodontic treatment on the NHS. 

Grade 5

If you score a Grade 5 then you will have a health need for orthodontic treatment on the NHS. 

Examples of Grade 4/5

  • When teeth cannot sit within the mouth normally because of obstruction by crowding or additional teeth.
  • A number of missing teeth.
  • Upper front teeth that protrude more than 9mm.
  • Lower front teeth that protrude in front of the upper more than 3.5mm and where there are functional difficulties too.
  • Cranio-facial anomalies such as cleft lip and palate.

The second part of the IOTN is the Aesthetic Component.  The NHS recognises that some patients need and benefit from orthodontic treatment on the basis of poor aesthetics. The Aesthetic Component of the IOTN is a scale of 10 colour photographs (see below) showing different levels of dental attractiveness. The grading is made by the Orthodontist matching the patient to these photographs.

Braces available on the NHS

Patients who receive orthodontic care through the NHS will receive metal braces and will therefore not have the luxury of choosing their preferred brace type for themselves.  Metal braces are both efficient, they are made up of small metal brackets attached to each tooth which is controlled by a thin metal wire (it’s this wire that moves your teeth to the desired position and it will need tightening/adjusting approximately every 6 – 8 weeks throughout your treatment).

If you would like advice on whether your child qualifies or alternative treatment options we offer free no-obligation advice.

Contact us today at tco.stmichaelsortho@portmandental.co.uk or call 01924 380680

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Invisalign First

What is it?

Invisalign first is a new treatment designed to improve children’s smiles

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Who is it for?

Invisalign First is available to children 7 years and over who’s adult teeth haven’t erupted. It can treat several concerns such as crowding, spacing, arch development and tooth positioning. At this early stage, your orthodontist can see issues that may require early intervention to avoid future problems.

How does it work?

The custom made aligners gently push the child’s teeth over time to expand and contour the jawline by expanding the width of the dental arch. This early intervention creates space for the adult teeth to erupt into a more desirable position.

What are the benefits?

  • Supports teeth and jaw formation
  • Early intervention can reduce the need for further orthodontic treatment at a later stage
  • Invisalign requires fewer appointments compared to traditional braces
  • There are no restrictions with diet or hobbies
  • Aligners are comfortable, made from high quality material
  • No discomfort from wires and brackets
  • Removable to allow for cleaning
What next?

To discuss any concerns or see if your child is suitable for Invisalign First you can contact our team on 01924 380680, email TCO.Stmichaelsortho@portmandental.co.uk or submit their photographs directly to our specialist orthodontist, Catherine McCanny via our secure platform using the following link https://eu.smilemate.com/practice/9cdb10a2-4c02-46d0-b5cc-486bbcf5e931

We look forward to hearing from you! The team @ St Michaels Orthodontics Ltd

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World Radiography Day

Radiographers worldwide can celebrate the discovery of x-radiation by Wilhelm Roentgen in 1895. World radiography day is celebrated on the 8Th of November every year, its 24 hours in the year that is dedicated to celebrating the work done by all radiographers round the world. It is a chance to increase public awareness of diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy.

The international day of radiography 2012 marked the 117th anniversary of Wilhelm’s discovery of x-rays. Many events took place all over the world to celebrate this day. In the UK, the Royal College of Radiologists organised a free public lecture by Dr. Phil O’Connor. Dr O’Conner served as head of musculoskeletal imaging at the London Olympics in 2012.

The European Society of Radiography has published two booklets dedicated to this important day. ‘The story of radiology’ which is all about the history of radiology and ‘Making cancer visible’.

The international society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists would like to encourage all radiographers over the world to celebrate this great discovery. So get celebrating!

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Denplan and British Dental Health Foundation launch Blue Lip Selfie campaign in aid of Mouth Cancer

Blue Lip Selfie Campaign

In addition to its annual support of Mouth Cancer Action Month, campaign sponsor Denplan has stepped up a gear this year by creating the Blue Lip Selfie campaign with the British Dental Health Foundation.

By encouraging the public and profession to adopt blue lips as a visible sign of support for mouth cancer, it is hoped this positive, interactive approach will significantly boost awareness of the disease.

“We’ve been inspired by other hugely effective charitable campaigns such as the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and No Make-up Selfie and their success in raising awareness and funds for serious diseases,” said Steve Gates, Denplan’s Managing Director. “We felt that, with the significant increase in cases of mouth cancer over the last decade, it’s never been more important to get people talking about mouth cancer and encourage everyone to regularly visit their dentist. That’s why we feel passionately about creating the Blue Lip Selfie campaign with the British Dental Health Foundation.

“We chose blue lips as a visible sign of support to reflect the Mouth Cancer Action Month blue ribbon, and also because it’s striking, fun and unmissable! It’s a fresh approach to an established annual campaign and we’ve seen a huge buzz in the industry about it already.”

Organised by the British Dental Health Foundation, Mouth Cancer Action Month promotes the message ‘if in doubt, get checked out’ in a bid to save thousands of lives through early detection and is supported by hundreds of dental practices nationwide. This year the campaign is encouraging the public to be ‘Mouthaware’.

“The campaign provides an ideal platform for dental practice teams to engage with both existing patients and local residents,” said Steve. “Practices can use blue lips as a visible sign of their support for the campaign and share photos

Mouth Cancer Action Month

To make it easy for everyone to participate, Denplan has created a special Facebook app at www.bluelipselfie.co.uk that will launch at the end of October. Users can upload and customise selfies with fun blue cartoon lips using the app and share them on the gallery. To boost the viral potential of the campaign, Denplan is also encouraging people to share their blue lip selfies on social media using #bluelipselfie.

“To highlight the main reason behind the Blue Lip Selfie campaign, there is also an informative video on the app featuring real people who have survived mouth cancer- all because their dentist spotted signs of the disease early,” said Steve. “By sharing these moving, yet positive, stories in the words of those who have experienced mouth cancer first-hand, we hope to pass on the message that mouth cancer is very treatable when caught early, as well as raising awareness of the disease, risks and symptoms. We’re very grateful to all the contributors who shared their stories.”

The British Dental Health Foundation has set up a special Blue Lip Selfie JustGiving page for any donations or sponsorship money raised which will be specifically used for mouth cancer support groups.

Dr Nigel Carter Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation commented “We are as always extremely grateful for Denplan’s ongoing support of Mouth Cancer Action Month. They have for many years been a key support for the campaign. This year they have hugely increased their support by creating the blue lip selfie app and we are hopeful that this idea will go viral greatly increasing the reach and impact of the campaign and generating significant funds to support mouth cancer sufferers.”

Article can be found at http://www.dentalhealth.org/news/details/820

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Some Healthy Treats may be Harmful!

Healthy treats may not be what they claim to be.

Healthy Treats

Written by Dentistry Today

Many treats that profess to be healthy options to consider instead of sweets or chocolate may, in fact, contain excessive amount of sugar or high acidity levels. Some studies even show that raisins or cereal bars and drinks like smoothies or fruit juices can be as damaging to teeth as soda.

There are cases all the time of children who end up with some type of tooth decay even though the child’s parents took measures to prevent such a thing from happening.

The problems often stem from enamel damage caused by the food or drinks that prove to be unexpectedly high in sugar or acidity.

This information shows that water may generally be the best beverage for children to drink, even instead of something like apple juice. The problems will likely be exacerbated if the child doesn’t visit the dentist on a regular basis.

The key for parents is to inspect drinks and beverages for hidden sugars or acidity levels by doing the proper research, such as reading the labels for these foods and beverages.

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

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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 https://www.stmichaelsorthodontics.co.uk/

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

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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

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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

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