Winners!

All these young people are winners!

Dominic, Matthew and Abigail are delighted with their new smiles.  If you are interested in changing your smile, why not give us a call on 0121 705 2566!

The Orthodontic Excellence team create more than beautiful smiles!

Look what we can do!

Orthodontic Excellence team turn their hand to creating pottery



The team summer event proved very popular with everyone – even though some were rather nervous beforehand – would they be able to make something fit for viewing.  As you can see here, they needn’t have worried!  And after all the creativity, they had worked up a very good appetite for the lovely tea provided by local teashop, Manor House Tearooms.

Everyone was surprised at how well their works of art turned out.  They are now busy planning the next team outing.......

A new smile with orthodontic excellence

Our winner for July!



Orthodontic Excellence gives Joanne beautiful straight teeth

Joanne finished her treatment this year and was delighted with her new smile.  She entered our Smile of the Month competition and was excited to find out that she was our July winner.  She says:

"I was so shocked to find out I had won.  Before my orthodontic treatment I wasn't confident at smiling at all but since my treatment finished all I've been doing is smiling - I've even been called a cheshire cat!"

For a chance of winning come and have a free consultation at Orthodontic Excellence.  Just give us a call on 0121 705 2566.

Invisalign Advisory Board

I have been providing Invisalign as one of my invisible orthodontics options at Orthodontic Excellence in Solihull for more than 10 years now.

The invitation to sit on the new Invisalign Advisory Board came as a pleasant surprise. Our first meeting on 29 June was fascinating. I learned of the Align company’s wish to engage with Registered Orthodontic Specialists, something which has been lacking in the past.  The UK is the only country in the world where more Invisalign is provided by general dental practitioners than specialists. The new senior management have recognized that problems have arisen from this pattern of provision of Invisalign. That they want to listen to experienced specialists to change this emphasis is a refreshing development.

The Eyes Have It

The Eyes Have It

People with poor smile aesthetics often avoid giving a relaxed and full smile.  They tend to give a limited smile or keep their lips together.  This can only be done by avoiding the activation of the muscles of the mid face which lift the corners of the mouth.  The same muscles also produce “smiling eyes” with their characteristic crows feet.

Orthodontic treatment does not just produce a great smile, it produces smiling eyes with the warmth that we can all instantly recognise.



Smiling before orthodontics





Smiling after Orthodontics

The New Way

When I began my career, pathways to higher training were narrow, rigid and almost entirely institution-based. There has been a revolution in access to training and this is illustrated by Dominic Hassell’s training programme at his excellent facility, Smile Concepts in Solihull.


For the last three years, I have given three half-day presentations on the orthodontic/restorative interface to delegates who attend on day release from all over the country. This year, one session was attended by the students of Warwick University’s MSc in Restorative Dentistry, something that would have been unheard of years ago.



Dominic and I



Communication and understanding is the key

Anil & I

I was honoured to be invited to give a presentation to the James Hull Study Group in Birmingham last night.  My title:

 “Beyond straight teeth-what orthodontics can do for the restorative dentist”

gave me the opportunity to show how jointly managed care between the orthodontist and the restorative dentist can solve complex functional and aesthetic problems.  I showed a large number of cases, many of which had been referred to me by Dr Anil Shrestha, the Clinical Lead at the James Hull Specialist Centre in Birmingham.  Anil also works in London  where some of his referrals  come from. Two things stand out. Firstly, that by his understanding of the potential for orthodontic treatment to enhance the outcomes for selected restorative problems, he has increased my opportunity to contribute to ideal outcomes for complex cases. Secondly, that although we work at different sites, our good lines of communication allows us to coordinate and manage these cases very efficiently. Such working relationships are to be treasured!

Incognito study club

Nick Henchy of 3M recently asked me to give a lecture to the Incognito Study Club in Crawley. It took many evenings to prepare, plus a long drive through traffic but it was worth every bit of the effort. It is fascinating to have a reason to look closely at one’s own work via the more objective view of a camera.

 

Incognito lingual appliances require very specific techniques and I presented a “warts and all” view of my experiences. The audience, all with lingual expertise, was had lots to contribute and I was reminded of something I have so often felt – as one teaches, one learns.

 

Austria 2012

I returned to Austria this month for the 11th Alpine Orthodontic Conference.  Rendevouing with my colleagues who are now dear friends too.  The numbers were lower than in years gone by but this gave an opportunity to better enjoy the company of the dynamic and interesting people I have come to know through these conferences. A skeptic might dismiss it as a jolly but it is a wonderful opportunity to share our knowledge of and deep interest in orthodontics: not just in our lectures but on ski lifts and over meals. I gave a lecture on the positioning of the lower incisors in class II camouflage cases and as usual found that the formal preparation of a lecture greatly increased my own knowledge. The photo shows me giving my presentation in our dual-purpose hotel room/ lecture theatre!