Patient Testimonials

Since my teen years (a long, long time ago) I had been a bit self-conscious about my teeth –  irregular and a bit crowded.  I also had a missing molar in the lower jaw, with neighbouring teeth ‘invading’ that space and I wanted to open it out again to make way for a bridge or implant. But I had never seriously considered orthodontic treatment.As an adult with many public speaking engagements, I just couldn’t imagine wearing a conventional brace.

Invisalign, when it came along, appeared to me a bit improbable: how could these pieces of clear plastic possibly achieve anything like the same result as a fixed brace?  The Internet (really, never google anything!) was full of horror stories about Invisalign, – about it not working, or making the wearing of lipstick impossible (!), or taking forever and then still needing fixed braces, and so on.

After my teen daughter had (conventional) treatment at Thames Orthodontics, however, with excellent results, I reconsidered and bravely went for Invisalign at the same practice. Some 17 months later, I am delighted with my ‘new’ teeth – the crowding is gone, the gap has re-opened, the bite is as it should be, and the effect is completely natural: they are ‘my’ teeth, but a lot nicer!

Also, the Invisalign process was a lot less onerous than I had expected.  A new set of aligners is used every week, which avoids the grubby, discoloured look that the users of older Invisalign systems had complained about, when aligners were worn for longer.  Using a new set caused a little pressure for a few hours, but overall the process was totally painless.  I was really glad that the aligners were easily removable and that I could eat anything and clean my teeth properly after each meal.

However, it’s worth saying that a good deal of discipline is needed for this to work properly; the aligners really have to be worn day and night and should only be taken out for a couple of hours or so a day to accommodate breakfast, lunch and dinner.  One can’t eat, or drink anything other than cold water when the aligners are worn, so dietary habits really change. Endless cups of tea and snacking are out, and the main three meals of the day gain new importance.  I’ve lost some weight, but have also acquired some good new habits – drinking lots of water during the day, and a much greater  focus on food that delivers the full nutrition I need to see me through to the next meal.

Eating out is more complicated with Invisalign; you don’t have time to linger over a meal, and I’ve done much of less of that over the past year.  You have to acquire a new brazenness about cleaning your teeth in public washrooms, at work, and while out and about.  It is also fair to say that Invisalign as a system is not completely invisible: most noticeable are the ceramic attachments needed by most people, on different teeth, to keep the aligners in place and ensure they apply the right pressure. I was quite self-conscious about these at first, but got used to them after a while: the whole look was still vastly less obtrusive than a mouth full of metal.  My speech appeared to me a little affected at first, but it was largely obvious only to myself, and listening to recorded lectures of the time, I can barely make it out; the lisping also completely disappeared after about two weeks.

I think the advantage of doing Invisalign at an adult age is that people are more disciplined and motivated – and also that time flies.  As in everything, the system is only as good as the orthodontist who provides it. From my daughter’s experience, I knew that I’d be in excellent hands with Dr Ward at Thames Orthodontics and the present result is due to his professional expertise,  meticulous care and attention to detail.  Trust and a sense of efficiency was also instilled by the very supportive practice management team of Hennie, Louise and their colleagues.  All in all an experience I’d highly recommend. – FG

 

It was really amazing visiting the clinic today. Everyone was great and welcoming. The clinic is very hygienic and clean. Dr. Stephanie is such a lovey Dr. and very professional. I was super satisfied. – AP

 

I am really pleased with the end result of my teeth, my friends and family thought they were great. The service at Thames Orthodontics was excellent. Thank you! – SM

 

The difference to my teeth is amazing and has made a huge difference to my smile and how often I show it! It will change lots and I’m very happy. Thanks for all your hard work. – KW

 

I had always disliked my crooked teeth and was self-conscious about my smile. Someone I met told me about braces that went behind your teeth and were undetected. That seemed perfect for me, at age 58, and I went for a consultation. The treatment I was given at Thames Orthodontics was always friendly and professional. One year and four months later I am absolutely thrilled with the result, I can smile with confidence. – AL

 

I had my braces on for about two years, at first I thought it was too long but before I know it the time had gone by so fast and I was having them taken off. I am so pleased with my results; I love smiling and have had so many compliments! I would advise everyone to have braces if needed, it is so worth the wait and every penny spent! Especially as your teeth are for life! – HT

 

The lingual braces were far more comfortable than I expected and didn’t rub at all or change the way I spoke. I think it would have affected my confidence to wear braces on the front of my teeth at 21 and to be honest it really wasn’t an option for me. I went through two and a half years of university with them and people never knew I had braces unless I told them. Keeping them clean was easy and for the most part, I could just forget I was wearing them. As a medical student, it was sometimes difficult for me to know where I would be based ahead of time but Thames Orthodontics were always flexible with my appointments and would ring me the day before as a reminder. My teeth look so different to how they looked before and I’m really pleased with the results! I would definitely recommend them to anybody. – Emma Binns

 

Thank you so much for my lingual treatment, I’m delighted with the results. I can’t fault the service I received from Thames Orthodontics. The early morning appointments were particularly useful for me so I could go in before work. I was always greeted by smiling faces whenever I went to the practice and I also really liked the way Stephanie explained to me each step of the treatment. Thank you to everyone at Thames! – CP

 

I had been unhappy with the look for my teeth for many years but the thought of having to wear a traditional brace for possibly two years or more put me off having them straightened – until I read an article about Thames Orthodontics and lingual braces! – DP

  Stephanie explained how lingual braces work and it seemed too good to be true, I could have my teeth straightened without anyone realising! They are a great team, very professional, putting you at ease immediately and giving you help and encouragement when the going gets tough and emergency appointments are always available should the need arise. For me the first few weeks were a bit troublesome, but I overcame the initial difficulties and now 15 months later my great smile and increased confidence have made it all worthwhile. – AT  

Thank you for your help and assistance in giving me the perfect smile!!!! I had the Incognito treatment which was simply amazing. Nobody ever noticed them and it became the norm after 2 weeks of wearing them. The practice itself are always incredibly friendly, helpful, organised and professional, I could not recommend them enough. Thanks for everything. – EB

 

It took less than a week to get used to the feel of the brace. My speech wasn’t affected at all. The only problem I had was with eating. Initially, my teeth were very sensitive and biting food felt uncomfortable. But after the first week, I could eat more or less anything, although corn on the cob and apple always got caught in the wire – but sweets and chocolate were fine! Nobody knew I had the brace and now my teeth look great. I’d definitely recommend it. – GG

 

Before I got my braces, I felt very insecure about my teeth. They were crooked and stuck out a lot. I was always reluctant to smile because I did not want anyone to see them. However, now they are perfect! I am so happy and I am so much more confident when I smile. Plus, it did not even hurt as much as I thought it would. Wearing braces was a small price to pay to gain the teeth I have now. Thank you very much. – AD

 

When I first decided I needed my teeth straightened, I really didn’t want braces that would be on show. Stephanie told me all about ‘Incognito’ braces which were perfect as they couldn’t be seen. Now they are off the change is amazing, better than I ever thought it could be. The small amount of pain was 100% worth it. Having friendly staff made the whole experience so much easier and calmer! Thank you so much! – HM

 

I would like to express my gratitude to the service provided by you and the staff at Thames Orthodontics. Being in my twenties and deciding to wear braces was a big decision but I can honestly say it is the best money I have ever spent. The treatment was superb and the reception staff always so helpful on the phone whenever I had a query or booking appointments. It’s made quite a big change to my life and it is so nice to be able to smile confidentially in photographs! Thanks for everything. – CT

 

If you’d like to achieve a confident smile and become one of our happy patients, book your free consultation by calling 020 8191 7732 or get in touch through our online contact form.

Free Consultations

Free Consultations

Take the first step and book a free consultation with a specialist orthodontist.

Hidden Braces

Hidden Braces

Lingual braces are cleverly fitted onto the inside of your teeth

Clear Braces

Clear Braces

Clear braces blend in discreetly with your own teeth

Invisalign

Clear Aligners, like Invisalign®

Aligners are clear, removable and virtually invisible

×