Here at Amsel & Wilkins, our patients have really enjoyed getting the Invisalign treatment. It is a simpler way to straighten your teeth, whilst still producing beautiful results. Before you contact our dentist regarding this treatment, you will want to know what it involves and how it is beneficial, which is why we have created this guide.

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign straightens your teeth with the use of clear, plastic aligners. They can be custom-made to accurately fit your teeth and will be barely visible to others. Multiple aligners will be used throughout the treatment, and each one is slightly different, which encourages your teeth to gently move into a straighter position. It usually takes anywhere from 6 to 18 months to complete the treatment, and once you do, your natural smile will be straighter than ever!

What will happen?

When you come to us wanting Invisalign, the first thing our dentist in Banbury will do is have a consultation appointment; this allows us to get to know you and what you want to get out of the treatment. We will examine your teeth to determine the severity of your case and take scans using a 3D iTero scanner. This scanner allows our dentist in Banbury to get a clear 3D image of your teeth so that no impressions need to be taken. It can also simulate an image of what your teeth should look like once you have completed the treatment, which has been super exciting for our patients. At the end of the consultation, your scans will be sent off to influence the creation of your aligners.

Once your aligners have been created, you can begin your teeth-straightening journey. We recommend that you wear your aligners for around 22 hours a day. During this time, you can easily remove them when you need to eat, brush your teeth or clean the aligners. You will have to use the same aligner for around 2 weeks before changing to the next one; this process is repeated until you achieve the planned result. You will only need to visit our dentist in Banbury every 6 to 8 weeks during the treatment, so it’s a great option if you don’t have time for constant dental appointments.

After you have finished the Invisalign treatment and are enjoying your new, straighter smile, we highly recommend that you use a retainer; this will prevent your teeth from moving back to their original position, which they will naturally try to do.

Why choose Invisalign?

Clear aligners

One of the main things that our patients have loved about this treatment is how the aligners look. Thanks to the thin, clear plastic material used and the fact that they are custom-made, the aligners are barely visible to other people. This is helpful if you have a professional career or social lifestyle and don’t want to draw any unwanted attention to your teeth.

Simple process

Another advantage that attracts people to Invisalign is how simple the process is. There are no constant dental appointments, no impressions to be taken and no invasive surgeries. This means that the Invisalign process is one of the easiest and most comfortable ways to straighten your smile.

If you are ever stuck in a dental emergency and don’t know where to turn, then here at Amsel & Wilkins, we can help you. Having pain in your mouth can be very uncomfortable, agitating and painful, so we will do everything we can to help treat the problem as soon as you come in for an emergency appointment with our dentist.

What is a dental emergency?

There are a few different things that are classed as being a dental emergency, and if you are experiencing any of them, then we recommend that you contact us as soon as possible for an appointment with our dentist in Banbury. Below, we have listed the most common causes for an emergency appointment, as you may be experiencing one of them and need treatment.

Severe toothache

If you have a lot of pain in your teeth or jaw and over-the-counter painkillers are not helping, then this is when you need to contact us for a dental emergency. There could be an underlying cause that needs to be treated as quickly as possible to prevent further issues.

During your emergency appointment for toothache with our dentist in Banbury, we will first relieve your pain as much as possible to increase your comfort throughout. We will then examine your mouth to determine the cause and may also take some scans to get a more in-depth look. When we find what is causing your toothache, we will do the best we can to treat it there and then. If it’s a more serious issue, you may need to have further treatment, and we can create a plan with you to do this.

Abscess

Sometimes, bacteria can sit deep in your teeth and invade the pulp, which causes a pocket of pus to form; this can happen in your teeth, gums and jawbone. If left untreated, a dental abscess can spread throughout your mouth and even into the rest of your body, causing you to become ill. If you think you may have an abscess in your tooth, then don’t hesitate to contact us for an emergency appointment with our dentist in Banbury.

When you come in for an appointment for help with an abscess, one of the most common things we do to treat them is a root canal treatment. This involves us removing the abscess, cleaning the area and filling it back in. After this, the area will be rid of any bacteria, preventing another infection from arising. If you have a more severe/deeper abscess, our dentist may need to extract your tooth to clean the area and prevent infection. But don’t worry because we can provide you with options for replacing it in the future.

A knocked-out or loose tooth

Sometimes, accidents can happen, and you may knock your tooth out or make it come loose. If this happens, you should contact us for an appointment as soon as possible as your other teeth could be at risk. If there are any small pieces of tooth left that aren’t removed, then this can cause injury and/or infection and damage the surrounding teeth.

If you have lost your tooth and it is intact and in good enough condition, we may be able to reattach it. If the tooth is unusable, then we will make sure we remove any remaining pieces of tooth and debris to make sure the area doesn’t get infected. We can then go through treatment options with you to replace your tooth in the future if you wish.

A large amount of the UK population struggle with misaligned teeth, and we are here to help with this. At our practice, we are proud to offer Invisalign to our patients to help give them a straighter, more appealing smile.

What’s Invisalign?

When it comes to straightening your teeth, there are so many options out there, but Invisalign definitely stands out. Instead of a fixed appliance, Invisalign uses removable plastic aligners to gently yet effectively move your teeth into position. The aligners are custom-made to fit your teeth, to maximise effectiveness and minimise discomfort.

What will happen?

When you come to our practice wanting to get Invisalign, the first thing you will do is have a consultation appointment with our dentist in Banbury. This is our opportunity to get to know you and your needs, as well as scanning your mouth to get a clear picture of your teeth. Here at Amsel & Wilkins, we are lucky enough to use a digital iTero Scanner, which means we won’t need to take any impressions of your teeth. In just over a minute, the scanner will take 3D images of your teeth, and then generate what your final result should look like before you’ve even begun! It really excites our patients to see what their teeth could look like when the treatment is done. If you decide you want to go ahead with Invisalign, then we will send these scans off so that your custom aligners can be made.

Once your aligners have been created, our dentist in Banbury will invite you back to our practice to give them to you and have a chat with you to make sure you know what to do. We will recommend that you wear your aligners for 20-22 hours a day to get the best out of them. After a couple of weeks, you will change to a new aligner, which will further straighten your teeth. During your time wearing the aligners you will only need to visit us for a checkup every 6-8 weeks so we can see how you’re doing and provide you with more aligners when needed. This process is repeated until you have used all of the aligners in your course and your teeth have been straightened. The total treatment time for Invisalign can vary anywhere between 6-18 months, it all depends on how severe your case is.

Once you have completed the Invisalign treatment and are enjoying your new smile, our dentist in Banbury will highly recommend that you use a retainer (we can provide you with this). Your teeth will naturally want to move back to their original position, and the retainer stops this from happening.

The benefits

Simple process

One of the things that has made this treatment stand out to our patients is how easy the process is. There are no invasive surgeries, no risk of injury from the aligners, and you can do it from the comfort of your own home.

Invisible appearance

Another thing that makes this treatment so popular within our practice is how the aligners look when they’re in. If you have a social lifestyle or professional career, you may not want to draw added attention to your teeth whilst straightening them, and Invisalign is perfect for this. The thin, clear plastic material used, and the fact that the aligners are custom-made to fit your teeth means they are basically invisible.

If you’re tired of being embarrassed about your smile, we can help to change this through the use of cosmetic treatments. Our team at Amsel & Wilkins are proud to offer a range of treatments to help improve the look of your smile and bring your confidence back.

White fillings

Our first cosmetic treatment is white fillings, and these can really help to keep your smile looking natural if you ever need a filling. Sometimes, a metal material is used, but they can stand out quite a lot from the rest of your tooth, so a lot of people prefer the white ones, which is why we offer them to our patients. We will provide you with a filling after doing a root canal treatment with you, as that involves removing part of the centre of the tooth and this can put your tooth at risk if it’s not filled back in. The procedure is very simple, we will insert the filling material into the centre of your tooth, and then let it harden, which won’t take too long. It’s as simple as that!

Orthodontics

Orthodontic treatments focus on bettering the look of your smile through the use of braces and treatments like Invisalign. They can really help to effectively straighten your teeth, and the results can last a lifetime. Traditional metal braces are one of the most common orthodontic treatments that we provide, and they have been around for a while, so most people will know what they are. The treatment uses small metal brackets that our dentist in Banbury attaches to the front of your teeth, along with wires that connect them together and move your teeth.

Invisalign

The next cosmetic treatment that our dentist in Banbury provides is Invisalign, which is a great way of improving the look of your smile if you struggle with misaligned teeth. It’s done by us providing you with multiple aligners that gently move your teeth into a straighter position over a certain period of time. They are easily removable, and you can change between them yourself from the comfort of your own home which is great if you have a busy schedule. Our patients have loved this treatment due to the quick and effective results, and how simple the treatment is to do. In some cases, it can take as little as 6 months to achieve a straight smile.

Teeth whitening

It can be embarrassing having yellow teeth, and this is the perfect treatment if you want a simple yet effective way to brighten them. At our practice, our dentist in Banbury offers home teeth-whitening kits to our patients so they can do it from the comfort of their own home and still get great results. The treatment uses custom trays made just for your mouth and whitening gel which makes the magic happen. We recommend that you wear the trays at night or for a few hours per day to get the best results.

Porcelain veneers

If you are looking to completely transform your smile, then we can provide you with porcelain veneers. They are thin, tooth-shaped pieces of porcelain that are custom-made just for your mouth. We attach the veneers to the front of your teeth, which means we can cover any imperfections you may have such as chips, discolouration or mild misalignment. You can choose whether to just have 1 veneer, a few or a whole set, it’s totally up to you. It’s really exciting for our patients when they see the final results of veneers, as it can totally change the look of your smile for the better.

Yellow teeth and teeth staining can have a significant impact on the aesthetic appearance of your smile. Not only can it be unsightly to look at, but it can also affect your self-confidence and the way you feel about your smile. The main cause of yellow teeth is poor oral hygiene. A good dental hygiene routine, regular visits to our dentist in Banbury and a professional cleaning by our hygienist can help you maintain a beautiful white smile.

Sometimes, despite good oral hygiene, there may be other factors that cause your teeth to become yellow or lose their natural shine. Lifestyle choices such as smoking and substance abuse can affect the colour of your teeth. Teeth can also become stained by dietary choices such as excessive intake of sugary drinks, sweets or even beverages such as tea and coffee.

There are two types of staining that can affect your teeth: extrinsic staining and intrinsic staining. Environmental factors such as oral hygiene, lifestyle choices and diet can affect the enamel and cause extrinsic staining of your teeth. However, intrinsic stains can be caused by injury to your mouth or dental issues and affect the dentine of your teeth.

Teeth whitening in the comfort of your own home

Most extrinsic staining can be addressed by teeth whitening procedures here at our dentist in Banbury. Over-the-counter teeth whitening procedures may offer many promises of beautiful white teeth; however, they may not be suitable for you and may have a detrimental impact if used without professional supervision.

Our dentist in Banbury will carry out a full examination of your teeth and gums to make sure that you have no underlying dental issues and that teeth whitening is suitable for you. If our dentist in Banbury is certain that your teeth and gums are healthy and strong, then we may recommend you for a professional clean of your teeth before you undergo teeth whitening here at Amsel and Wilkins. We will then put together a treatment plan for you. You may wish to carry out a home whitening treatment that will help whiten your teeth gradually and effectively in the comfort of your own home.

We will create individually tailored dental trays that are precise and comfortable to wear. We will also provide you with whitening gels that are made up of hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide that act as bleaching agents to break down the stain molecules on your teeth. Home whitening kits are designed to be used over two weeks and, they consist of a day treatment and a night treatment. The day treatment takes approximately 15 minutes during the day whilst the night treatment works overnight whilst you sleep.

Speak to our dentist at Amsel and Wilkins today to find out more about teeth whitening and other cosmetic dental treatments that can help improve the appearance of a smile. By continuing with a good oral hygiene routine and visiting our dentist regularly, you can enjoy and maintain a beautiful, white smile that you can proudly show off to the world very soon.

Visiting our dentist in Banbury on a regular basis is important for making sure that your teeth and gums are strong and healthy and that you have no underlying dental issues.

If you have a good dental hygiene routine in place and have been attending dental appointments regularly, then you may wish to consider improving the aesthetic appearance of your smile. Many of us are unhappy with the look of our smiles, but with advances in dental technology, it has become much more convenient to address the aesthetic issues of our teeth to achieve a beautiful smile. Here at Amsel and Wilkins, our dentist in Banbury can put together an individually tailored plan to help give you the smile makeover of your dreams.

At Amsel and Wilkins, we have a comprehensive range of dental treatments and procedures. So, according to your dental needs and personal preferences, we will help you choose the treatments that will make up your smile makeover. By the end, you will have a beautiful smile that not only is attractive but also promotes better oral health, allowing you to show it off to the rest of the world.

Smile makeovers usually begin by addressing the misalignment issues of your teeth. This is a problem that affects the majority of adults to a certain degree unless they have undergone orthodontic treatment when they were younger. Even then, without good retention, your teeth can begin to lose their alignment and may require further treatment.

Teeth can be crooked, overlapping, overcrowded or riddled with gaps. So, if you have any of these extensive misalignment issues, then you may wish to speak to our dentist in Banbury about orthodontic braces here. There are many different types of orthodontic braces available, depending on your individual dental needs.

Some people are reluctant to have traditional orthodontic braces as they may feel self-conscious about their teeth during the treatment. However, with advances in dental technology, there are now invisible braces available, and you could speak to our dentist and find out about invisible orthodontics here at Amsel and Wilkins. As the name suggests, invisible orthodontic treatment is almost invisible. It is just as effective as traditional orthodontics; however, the advantage is that it is significantly more discreet and, therefore, a highly popular alternative for straightening teeth.

If you have mild misalignment issues, then you can speak to our dentist and find out about Invisalign at Amsel and Wilkins. Treatment with Invisalign is a more convenient method of straightening teeth and works using clear plastic aligners that can be taken out of your mouth and placed back in when necessary. This is also a quick way of addressing the misalignment issues of your teeth, so book an appointment with us, and we will help determine a treatment option suitable for you.

Speak to us today to find out more about how we can help improve your smile further and how you can achieve a beautiful smile transformation here at Amsel and Wilkins with our dentist.

It is important to have good oral health for a happy, beautiful and confident smile. A good dental hygiene routine and regular visits to our dentist in Banbury are key to maintaining good oral health for life. We recommend that you visit our dentist in Banbury at least once every six months to make sure that your teeth are clean, your gums are healthy and that any underlying dental issues can be detected early on to prevent further complications in the future.

If you maintain an excellent dental hygiene routine and have good oral health, you may wish to speak to our dentist to find out how you can improve the aesthetics of your smile. Here at Amsel and Wilkins, our dentist in Banbury will carry out a thorough examination of your mouth to make sure that cosmetic dentistry is suitable for you. Once we are confident that you have no underlying dental issues present, our dentist will put together a tailored treatment plan to create a wonderful and neatly aligned smile for you.

Many different factors can affect the appearance of your smile. Each smile is unique, and our dentist can help determine which treatments you may need to improve your smile. Here at Amsel and Wilkins, we offer a comprehensive range of dental procedures, according to your dental needs and personal preferences. You can discuss what you would like to change about your smile, and our dentist will decide how to address these issues for you.

Orthodontics at Amsel and Wilkins

Misaligned teeth are highly common in the UK, but a significant percentage of the population is lucky enough to have undergone some form of orthodontic treatment when they were younger. If you have not undergone orthodontic treatment before but would like to address the misalignment issues of your teeth, then you will be pleased to know that this is now more convenient and easier than ever before. Traditionally, orthodontic treatment is carried out using metal dental braces that can be attached to the surface of the teeth and work by applying constant pressure to pull the teeth into a certain position. This form of treatment is a very effective method of correcting wonky teeth; however, it is highly visible when in the mouth, and treatment can take a long time.

Thanks to the advances in dental technology, orthodontic treatment can be carried out discreetly, comfortably and a lot quicker than ever before. There are many different options for straightening teeth, and together with our dental team, we can help you decide which is right for you. We will take into consideration the extent of misalignment that requires correcting to create the smile that you are looking for; your suitability for certain treatments may vary depending on whether your misalignment is mild or severe.

Come speak with our dental team at Amsel and Wilkins today and book an appointment with our dentist to find out how you can improve the aesthetics of your teeth and get a beautiful smile.

When you think of attending a dental check-up the chances are you visualise having your teeth looked at for signs of decay and your gums being prodded to check for soft spots.

And while these are both important diagnostic tests, there is more than can be done and identified during your biannual check-up.

For one thing, a common issue that can be treated by dental teams that is often overlooked is a problem with jaw misalignment.

At Amsel and Wilkins, our dentist in Banbury aims to ensure that your entire mouth is healthy and, should you have a problem with your upper and lower jaw meshing together, our team will aim to resolve this issue.

But you may be wondering how a misaligned jaw is diagnosed. Well, it turns out if you have some of the following symptoms or all of them, you may want to pop in to see our dentist in Banbury to explore realignment options.

Clicking jaw

Do you ever open your mouth to yawn and have a popping sensation?

If you do, this could be an indicator that there is an issue with your jaw and that you need to see our dentist in Banbury.

Typically, a clicking jaw is often caused by temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) which, in itself, is linked to misalignment of the upper and lower jaws. If we suspect that you have TMD, we may order a set of X-rays to have a better look at the joint and will then decide on the best way to relieve the popping and the alignment issue.

Discomfort around the jaw joint

An obvious indicator of problems with your jaw alignment is discomfort around the jaw joint.

This is usually more obvious in the morning, as during the night you may have spent a great deal of time grinding your teeth together as a way to compensate for the misalignment. This can also be worsened by certain medications, such as antidepressants, so if you have suddenly developed discomfort around your jaw joints and have begun taking such medications, you should talk to your GP.

To alleviate this discomfort, our team may decide to provide a mouthguard to wear at night. If the jaw misalignment is more complex, we may opt for surgery to relieve the discomfort and protect the joint.

Back and shoulder discomfort

Yes, that misaligned jaw can cause problems in other parts of your body too.

For instance, there are many muscles in the jaw that are connected to those in your back and shoulders. And if you spend a large amount of time grinding your teeth or compensating for misalignment in other ways, these muscles will become tense and sore.

Once again, we can aim to alleviate this with mouthguards depending on the severity of the alignment of the jaw.

Difficulty chewing food

OK, so if you are ever having issues eating food, you need to seek medical help! But if this creeps on gradually, and you find it hurts your jaw to bite into or chew food, this can be an indicator of TMD and you will need to see our team for diagnosis and treatment.

When you discover that either yourself or your partner is pregnant, one of the last health professionals you will think of seeing is a dental practitioner!

And while you may have a lot of appointments to arrange with your doctor, midwife and nurse, it is important not to neglect your dental health during pregnancy. Not only can dental issues during pregnancy lead to issues with your own body, but studies have discovered that they can have negative impacts on your developing baby.

At Amsel and Wilkins, our dentist in Banbury has helped thousands of women cope with the changes that pregnancy can bring to their dental health. So, if you are looking for high-quality prenatal dental care, come to us!

But what are some of the most common conditions that pregnant women can experience with their oral health? Our dentist in Banbury answers below.

Pregnancy gingivitis

You have probably heard of gingivitis at one time or another; an inflammation of the gums caused by excessive plaque, which in turn can cause the gums to swell, bleed and be sore.

Well, during pregnancy, your body’s immune response is heightened, as it is working to protect your growing baby. And so, even a small amount of plaque left unchecked can cause pregnancy gingivitis to occur.

Luckily, it is easily resolved; our dentist in Banbury will be able to perform a scale and polish and will be able to offer you antibacterial mouthwash and toothpaste. These will all help keep the gingivitis at bay and will allow you to eat food without having sore gums.

Tooth decay

As your body is going to be busy helping your new baby to grow, you will probably experience a drop in calcium.

Inevitably, this will lead to your teeth becoming more fragile, weaker and more susceptible to injury and decay. And so, it should come as no surprise that many women experience a higher incidence of tooth decay during pregnancy than at any other time.

We will, of course, be on hand to provide fillings, crowns and root canals to you, along with fluoride sealants which will act as a protective shield between your teeth and any bacteria, lowering the chance of decay.

Acid erosion

During the first trimester of pregnancy, you will probably be suffering from morning sickness.

Mix this in with food cravings, and there is going to be a higher occurrence of acid in your mouth, which can lead to acid erosion of your teeth.

Acid erosion can play a key part in developing tooth decay and of course, it can lead to a higher incidence of cracks and chips and thus weaken the enamel.

For this, we may offer you fluoride sealants that will protect your teeth against acid, alongside acid neutralising mouthwash.

Pregnancy granulomas

And finally, we come to pregnancy granulomas; harmless growths that can occur on your gums during pregnancy due to an increase in the hormones progesterone and estrogen. These will typically resolve after your baby is born but, should you have a particularly large one that is causing issues with either eating or breathing, we will gladly be able to remove it for you in our clinic.

Everyone at some point in their life has suffered from bad breath. Even if it is after eating something with garlic in it!

And while most people can chew on some gum and forget about it, there is a select group of the population of dental patients who suffer from recurring bad breath, known as halitosis. But rather than being a diagnosis to itself, halitosis or chronic bad breath is usually a sign that something is amiss in your mouth.

At Amsel and Wilkins, our dentist in Banbury sees multiple patients each day who complain of having chronic bad breath. And as we know all there is to know about the mouth, we are always willing and able to offer our patients practical solutions, so they can feel confident when giving talks or going on dates. Great stuff!

So, what causes halitosis? Here are the top 5 culprits as identified by our dentist in Banbury.

Gum disease

One of the most serious and preventable causes of halitosis according to our dentist in Banbury is gum disease.

As the gums become inflamed due to the accumulation of bacteria, they begin to emit offensive odours, thus causing bad breath that will not abate. Should we spot this when you attend our surgery for a check-up, we will aim to treat your gum disease with a scale and polish and may suggest an antibacterial mouthwash or toothpaste.

Diet

OK, so we already mentioned how most people who are fans of garlic may suffer from bad breath more regularly than those who aren’t, but if left unchecked, it can lead to some very strong smelling breath!

Now we are not saying that you need to cut out all the strong-smelling foods from your diet, but we will advise you to eat more fruits, nuts and herbs. All of these are high in water, which can also help eliminate the dehydration aspect of halitosis too, while also providing you with a more varied diet. So, good news all around!

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease

Do you suffer from heartburn? Have you been diagnosed with acid reflux?

If the answer is yes, then you are at a higher risk of developing chronic halitosis. This is because, well, the acid that is in your mouth isn’t supposed to be there, and thus it emits an offensive odour.

If you have a diagnosis of GERD, we will aim to protect your teeth from excess acid by using a fluoride sealant. But if we suspect GERD and you haven’t been formally diagnosed, we may also advise you to talk to your general practitioner.

Lifestyle

How do diet and lifestyle differ?

Well, if you smoke tobacco or drink alcohol, you are also more likely to suffer from halitosis. And while we would never advise you to cut garlic out of your diet, our team is big on smoking cessation as it is linked to oral cancer.

So, if you suffer from halitosis and you smoke, we can help you by providing smoking cessation. If you drink excessively, we will usually advise you to seek medical help.

Infection

And finally, if you have halitosis that has sprung up suddenly, this may be due to an oral infection.

As such, we will perform x-rays and examinations to identify where it is and treat it!