Illume — 'Your brighter path to dental care'

Recent NHS guidelines on funding orthodontic treatment for children mean that unless a child fits strict criteria the costs will not be covered by the NHS.

Many orthodontic cases in children are covered by the NHS, but some less extreme cases, such as slightly irregular teeth, are refused as they are deemed to be required for purely aesthetic reasons.

Whilst Illume agrees that there has to be criteria in place to safeguard NHS spending, it is all too common for a child to fall just outside of this NHS criteria.  We believe that appearance plays a vitally important role in self-confidence and this is particularly applicable to children. If your child is self-conscious about their teeth for any reason, it could have a negative impact on their confidence and general happiness. If this is something that is concerning you, or your child, Illume can help.

Our dentists provide a comprehensive range of services tailored to meet individual requirements. Sarah Moore is a member of the British Orthodontic Society (BOS) and experienced in working with both adults and younger people to make sure they’re 100% happy with the suggested treatment plan.

Orthodontic treatment is a long-term commitment; it usually takes around one-two years to achieve the desired results and teeth are retained once they have reached the final position to ensure drifting doesn’t occur. It is now widely accepted that teeth move slightly throughout our lives and are likely to drift if not held in position. Illume recommends using a discreet retainer (either fixed or removable) to ensure teeth stay where they’re meant to.

Illume’s membership scheme is also available for children. Costing just £8.20 per month, child membership offers a range of benefits including healthy mouth reviews and hygienist visits and a discount on all orthodontic treatments.

Contact us now if you’d like to discuss the options available for your child – we’d be happy to help!

The internationally recognised Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) is used to assess which cases can be covered by the NHS – patients are graded from one to five where one/two indicate little or no need for treatment, and five equals a significant need for treatment.

Children are assessed on a number of criteria including some of the following:

• Do the upper or lower front teeth stick out and if so, by how much (measured in mm)?
• Are the teeth overlapped or rotated?
• Does the child have missing teeth?

More specific details on the IOTN can be found on the British Orthodontic Society (BOS) website.

As a member of the British Orthodontic Society (BOS) and one of only two members of the British Dental Bleaching Society (BDBS) in Gloucestershire, Illume Dentist Sarah Moore, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the practice. As well as offering our clients a comprehensive range of orthodontic and cosmetic dentistry services, Sarah also has a weekly orthodontic clinic at Gloucester Royal Hospital.

We asked Sarah to share some of her experiences on our blog to provide our clients with a bit of background information on Sarah and the services she offers here at Illume.

Illume: When did you first decide you wanted to train to become a dentist?

SM: I decided I wanted to become a dentist after being treated by Kathryn Harley, who at the time was a consultant in children’s dentistry at the world renowned Eastman Dental Hospital in London. I was referred to her by my dentist when I was about 8 years old and she wasn't like any other dentist I'd met before. When my adult teeth came through they were a dirty looking colour so I didn't smile much. It's a condition called fluorosis; no matter how much I cleaned my teeth they always had brown patches on them. Kathy was able to fix that so that I could smile again (& not get teased at school) so I wanted to be like her when I grew up!

Having firsthand experience of a condition that makes you feel awkward about smiling also really helps in my professional capacity – I can empathise with patients as I’ve been there myself!

Kathryn was my dentist there for about 10 years and is now Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons.

Illume: Where did you study and what qualifications do you have?

SM: I completed my Bachelor of Dental Surgery at the University of Birmingham’s School of Dentistry in 2001. Along with my ‘day-time’ job in private practice, I have been working at Gloucester Royal hospital since 2004, under the guidance of consultant orthodontists.

Illume: What professional bodies are you registered with?

SM:  All dentists operating in the UK are required to be registered with the General Dental Council (GDC). My membership of the British Dental Bleaching Society gives me access to the latest information and guidelines on teeth whitening. There has been a significant increase in do-it-yourself kits available online, as well as beauty clinics offering teeth whitening services. However, like the General Dental Council, Illume dentists agree that teeth whitening should and can only be provided by registered dentists.
I am also proud to be a member of the British Orthodontic Society as you have to be nominated by an existing member to be accepted.

Illume: What triggered your interest in orthodontics?

SM: I first became interested in orthodontics whilst at university – my tutors were interesting and engaging, and consequently I really enjoyed the sessions and wanted to learn more.

Illume: Is there one piece of advice that you give to your orthodontic clients?

SM: Retention, retention, retention!!! Teeth are constantly moving, only very slightly of course, but enough to make ongoing retention a necessary requirement if patients want to maintain the position achieved by orthodontic treatment.

Illume: What advice do you give to your dental clients?

SM: Do not be afraid to ask questions. Do your research; make sure you’re happy with the treatment proposed, with the dentist providing it and with the aftercare offered.

Illume: What do you like best about your job?

SM: The best part of my job is accompanying clients along their journey. We get to see them regularly and learn a lot about them; it’s a bit like a new friendship and it’s almost a shame to see them go at the end of treatment! The increase in self-confidence that can result from orthodontic treatment is wonderful to see.

Illume: What, in your opinion, is the most exciting recent development in orthodontics?

SM: The most exciting thing in ortho at the moment is the rate of development in lingual orthodontics. (braces that fit behind your teeth). How incredible is it to have your teeth straightened and for none of it to show?! No more ‘Ugly Betty’ braces for Illume’s clients!

Find out more about the orthodontic treatments offered by Illume here, or contact Sarah directly to discuss which option would be most suitable for you. Sarah can be contacted by emailing [email protected] or you can request a call back on 01242 522230.

National Smile Month, the British Dental Health Foundation’s annual oral health campaign, is currently taking place until 20^th June 2013. National Smile Month aims to raise awareness of the importance of looking after oral health by going back to basics, with three key messages: 

• Brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste
• Cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks
• Visit the dentist regularly - as often as they recommend

Illume often talks about the range of services it offers to ensure all of its clients can benefit from an attractive smile, but the recommendations listed above sit at the heart of all oral health care.

Illume owner, Dr Tim Rumney, says, “As advocates of ‘attractive smiles’ we like to think that everyone knows how important it is to brush teeth twice a day for at least two minutes, reduce sugar intake and visit the dentist regularly, but this isn’t always the case. Increasingly busy lifestyles and the wide-spread availability of sugary convenience foods can sometimes mean oral health isn’t always at the top of people’s agendas.”

Despite numerous advertising campaigns by household names about the wonders of the latest toothpastes, brushes and mouthwashes, Illume’s dentists still regularly see examples of people that need extended treatments having unintentionally neglected to look after their teeth on a daily basis.  

Tim continues, “Taking the simple steps above can greatly reduce the need for dental treatments later in life. Spending a few minutes each day really looking after your teeth is a great investment in your future oral health. Campaigns like National Smile Month act as a timely reminder that sometimes the things we all know we should be doing can get forgotten.”

If, whilst reading this, you’ve realised that it’s been a while since you last had a dental check up, why not make an appointment now to make sure you can keep smiling with confidence?