- Categorised as:
- Teeth Straightening
Which Orthodontist Should You See In London?
There are many reputable orthodontists in London practices as well as thousands of general dentists. With so much choice, how does a potential patient go about finding the right orthodontist in London for them?
Let’s look at the key considerations for choosing an orthodontic practice in London. Follow these guidelines and your teeth will receive the best care possible.
Experience And Knowledge Of Orthodontic Specialists
Would you want a general dentist who is relatively inexperienced in orthodontic treatment to carry out dental work that will have a lifetime impact and potentially cost thousands of pounds, or a specialist in orthodontics?
To put it another way, when you go to an expensive restaurant do you want the head chef to be cooking your meal or someone just out of catering college?
Experience translates into having seen hundreds of patients, having encountered the same challenges many times before and knowing the best course of action in every situation.
Whereas an orthodontist will have studied for an additional three years after becoming a general dentist (or in one of our own orthodontist’s case, three years on top of these three years to gain a PhD) the general dentist will only need to have undertaken a short course to provide additional treatments.
Answer Your Questions
Experience also means being able to talk patients through the available options, what the process will entail and being able to answer any concerns and queries.
Many general dentists are now able to provide Invisalign treatment (a near transparent alternative to braces), so does this mean going to see a general dentist is just as good as seeing an orthodontist for teeth straightening?
Absolutely not. An experienced orthodontist will not only be able to carry out a thorough assessment of the work required on your teeth but they will also know what the best treatment for you is, not just what an acceptable treatment may be. This is the result of those three extra years studying. Along with experience, it creates expertise: a deep level of knowledge and familiarity with orthodontic principles and practices.
Teeth Alignment: An Example
To use an example, if a patient requires some teeth to be realigned, the easiest option might be to remove teeth to create the space for the realignment.
This might not be the best treatment though. Removal of teeth could lead to problems in future, including a tightening of the face and signs of premature ageing; a rushed decision in youth could have consequences in older age.
Given the potential long-term difference between visiting a specialist London orthodontist or not, we cannot understand why a patient would forego the chance to consult with an expert.
What is The Dental Surgery’s level of experience?
With almost 90,000 consultations booked and approaching 30 years’ operating as a leading London practice, we have successfully treated hundreds of orthodontic patients of all ages.
Reputation: The Practice And The Orthodontist
Experience counts. The quality of equipment is a huge consideration. The ethos of the practice is a key factor, as is the quality of the individual orthodontist. But the reputation shows what other patients thought of the practice as a whole and their experience during treatments; honest reviews highlight whether the practice actually delivers on the promises made on their website or in their marketing material.
At The Dental Surgery, our reputation is unmatched. At the time of writing, we have an average rating above 4.9 out of 5 from our many independent Google reviews. If you read the reviews you will notice how patients mention not just the quality of the dental work, but also the atmosphere and ethos of the practice – how patients are put at ease and how it is actually a pleasure to see the dentist!
Patient Benefits
At a practice such as The Dental Surgery, patients also benefit from having all specialisms under the same roof, whether that is hygienists, general dentists or orthodontists. A patient with braces can visit the hygienist for a level of cleaning that is hard to achieve at home.
Staff also consult with each other to ensure the best outcome for a patient, for instance, an orthodontist can consult with other experts if further treatments such as veneers or white-spot removal are required to achieve the very best smile.
Speaking of the individuals who work at The Dental Surgery, our orthodontists have had work published in leading dental journals and spoken at international conferences. You can read the biographies of our talented team on our website. Many other London orthodontic practices have excellent reputations too. Whoever you are considering, ensure they have a high level of independent reviews then take the time to read through what previous patients have written.
Transparency: Pricing And Orthodontic Treatments
Transparency can mean two things when it comes to orthodontics. It can be a literal transparent solution to teeth realignment, such as the Invisalign treatments of which our orthodontists are approved practitioners.
Invisalign is a wonderful option for patients who would traditionally have required braces but want a less visible alternative. Transparency also relates to pricing. At The Dental Surgery, we believe in being as open as possible with our prices, which is why we keep details of the costs of treatments, appointments and more on our website.
Compare Cost
This transparency enables you to compare the costs of initial orthodontic consultations in London (and what these include) across different practices, helping you make an informed decision. Do be aware of potential hidden fees such as X-rays or who the consultation is with (is it an orthodontic specialist or a nurse or orthodontic therapist?), to be sure you are getting a true comparison.
Unfortunately, it is only possible to provide a guide figure for how much orthodontic treatments such as braces or Invisalign might cost; each patient will have different requirements depending on their oral health, placement of teeth and bite, and even their lifestyle, and so the overall cost will vary.
However, an initial consultation will enable the experienced orthodontist to recommend a course of action, or different options, with exact details of how much these treatments will cost and any payment plans to help with these costs. At the Dental Surgery, we offer a payment plan whereby half the fee for orthodontic work can be paid at the start of treatment, with the remainder paid over 10 months at 0% interest.
Setting And Atmosphere Of The Orthodontic Practice
If you are paying thousands of pounds for orthodontic treatments in London, does the atmosphere and ethos of the practice matter? We would argue it matters greatly – the patient might be making many, repeated visits. These should be enjoyable, the patient should be put at ease and the setting should be calming and friendly.
The atmosphere is also created by those working there. At The Dental Surgery, people talk of it being a fun place to work – yes the work is serious, but it is also important to create a place where everyone, be that the patients or those working here, want to be.
Nervous patients
Our team are also experts in helping nervous patients, those with a natural fear of the dentist or orthodontic work, be as comfortable as possible during treatment.
The following is taken from the most recent independent reviews on Google and is typical of all our reviews…
“The staff here are awesome, everyone is very friendly. The surgery is clean and modern, really nice, they made me feel very comfortable.”
“I actually enjoyed my visit to the dentist – So weird!! I would recommend to anyone, especially anyone not overly comfortable going to the dentist!”
This experience is a result of having orthodontists with specific interests in working with nervous patients, including children, changing what could be a negative experience into one they enjoy as they see the long-term benefits of the change.
Do you have a specific question?
Get in touch with us today.
