Patient Testimonial, December 2015
A great Smilelign testimonial from a patient of Dr Shah of City Dental Practice.
1) The problem you faced before you came to us?
Though I have always had good dental health, in the last few years, I had started to notice that my upper teeth where becoming increasingly mis-aligned; they had started to twist a little and one of my front teeth was starting to push backwards. Though the change wasn’t enormous, it affected my front upper teeth and I was becoming increasingly conscious of it. I also knew that the situation was steadily worsening.
2) Your experiences of working with us, for example the quality of care, service, quality of product and customer care?
From the initial discussions about having treatment, the quality of care at the practice has been second to none. My treatment options were discussed fully and clearly and I felt very much in control of my choices. On the advice of Mr Shah, we did not jump immediately into treatment, which I found heartening, it was a considered conversation.
I found the Smilelign, removable aligners were a really great choice for me. My job requires me to speak at meetings and presenting to groups on a very frequent basis and it was great to have the options to remove the brace if necessary. I guess the only negative would be that you have to motivate yourself to wear them frequently, or your treatment will stall.
The braces themselves were inconspicuous and only affected my speech for a very short period (say 2-3 days) after I moved up a stage. Even then, the impact wasn’t particularly significant. The system worked well throughout and the pain was fairly minimal, I only really felt that in the week I moved up each stage and that was manageable.
The aligner system was easy to install and remove, and very easy to clean and store. I had to get used to not eating or drinking in the aligners, which was tough at first, but I soon got used to the system and how best to manage it throughout the day; the system is flexible enough that you can make it work for you and your lifestyle.
When my treatment stalled, Mr Shah intervened to review the brace I wore and filed down part of one tooth, to help kick-start progress. Again, this intervention was considered, targeted and had a really positive impact.
All the staff at the surgery were welcoming, approachable and clearly interested in the progress of my treatment. I wasn’t nervous at any point during the process and I knew I could ask any ‘silly questions’ at any time and I’d receive a clear and honest answer.
The whitening process also worked well, though it did increase my tooth sensitivity for a few days. I still think though that it was a safe and useful way to whiten my teeth. The result was a ‘natural clean’ rather than ‘Hollywood bright’ which was exactly the look I was looking for.
3) The major benefits since having the treatment?
The treatment has been extremely successful and I’m exceptionally pleased with the results. Anecdotally, before I started treatment, family and friends were insistent that I didn’t need anything done. However, since I’ve finished treatment, I have had a number of unsolicited comments from them to say ‘wow, your teeth look amazing, they’re perfect’! So the improvements are clear and I’m extremely pleased. More importantly, the removable aligners have meant that I have been able to achieve this result without damaging my teeth in any way.
4) Was it a good investment of time and money?
Yes, it was definitely a good investment of time and money. The price wasn’t cheap but it was provided very good value for money and I was pleased to pay more in order to have the convenience of removable braces. The process involved frequent appointments at the dentist (every 4-6 weeks), which might be a significant impact on some people’s work/home commitments. However, the converse of this is that I felt very well supported throughout the entire process.
5) What advice would you give to people who are considering this type of treatment?
I would highly recommend this system for people with relatively minor to moderate mis-alignment as it really has been effective and convenient. I would recommend starting the treatment sooner rather than later and certainly there is nothing to be concerned about; the system fits well into your life after a short period of initial adjustment. I perhaps would add that this system might not be quite as suitable for people needing major re-alignment, as the process might end up very lengthy.
However, it’s perfect for adults seeking re-alignment without having to ‘go back to school braces’.
Mr Shah and the team were knowledgeable, practical and supportive and I extended huge thanks to them all.
Best wishes,
Sarah