10-15 years of age is the prime time for most orthodontic treatments since there’s an opportunity to modify facial growth at this stage, plus children benefit greatly from the confidence boost of having straight teeth & a great smile as they develop further as individuals.
We also provide short phases of interceptive treatment for younger children with specific bite issues or impeded tooth eruption. This prevents harm & enhances comprehensive treatment a few years later.
For example, the photographs below show the result of interceptive treatment in a 7 years old boy who had 2 months of upper aligner treatment. This corrected the traumatic bite which had caused the lower right incisor tooth to be pushed forwards and loosened.
Two great examples of harnessing facial growth that we really value (& enjoy providing) are shown here. These are also treatments which have been radically improved by the introduction of 3D printing technologies in orthodontics.
Indeed, we’re proud to be UK pioneers for the latest clinical innovations, for the benefit of our patients and also our orthodontic colleagues (who attend our courses eg the 3D Orthodontics Course).
When children have prominent-looking upper front teeth & difficulty closing their lips, it’s often largely due to the relatively small size of their lower jaw (mandible).
Traditional treatment options include extraction of two upper teeth & retraction of the upper incisors, BUT this misses the opportunity to enhance the facial profile and bite correction by directing treatment at the lower jaw deficiency during pubertal growth.
The ‘Twin Block’ brace is our preferred option for this. We’ve even developed computer-designed transparent plastic versions to help overcome many of the limitations of the standard version (shown on the left). We therefore have high expectations of great clinical outcomes & rarely need to use tooth extractions or jaw surgery to correct the bite.
We were instrumental in introducing computer design and 3D printing of metal braces in the UK in 2023 & have never looked back!
The best example of this is a maxillary (upper jaw) expander known as RME. These new RME appliances fit ‘like a glove’ in the mouth, while their advanced design & fabrication greatly optimise patient outcomes. This new process also avoids the need for two extra preparation appointments (as traditionally required) plus the associated discomfort & time off school for these.
Photographs showing the start & end of a 3 weeks expansion phase. The RME has expanded the upper jaw (& nasal airway) to correct asymmetric bite & dental crowding problems caused by this girl’s narrow jaw. The midline space indicates the amount of true jaw growth & it then closed nicely as the teeth aligned.
Orthodontics is a very valuable investment, which we price individually in a fair & transparent manner. In particular:
Clinical innovation is what makes us tick! That's why we're the first UK practice to introduce a range of 3D technical innovations & clinical improvements over the last few years, to truly benefit our child & adult patients.
Drs Taloumtzi & Cousley work closely together to ensure that every patient receives the best possible orthodontic care, using the most advanced techniques available.