020 3294 9867
Specialist orthodontist · West Ealing W13
Straight Talk Orthodontics is a private specialist practice on Gordon Road. Dr Nidhi Gupta is on the UK Specialist Register for Orthodontics and treats children and adults with fixed, clear and hidden braces – and she will tell you plainly what your case needs before you commit to anything.
The straight talk
Answers from the practice, in plain terms. Anything specific to your teeth is settled at the consultation, not on a website.
01
Between six and eighteen months in most cases. Where it falls in that range depends on how complex the movement is – which is something Dr Gupta can tell you once she has examined your teeth.
02
No. There is no upper age limit for adults. Teeth can be moved at any age, and a good number of the people treated here are adults who did not have the chance as children.
03
Comprehensive treatment usually starts from around eleven. But it is worth being seen from about seven, so that the right moment to start can be planned rather than missed.
04
There should be no pain. There is often some discomfort when a brace is first fitted and after each adjustment, and you will be shown how to manage it.
05
Fixed braces are adjusted every four to eight weeks. Clear aligners are changed every two weeks, with a review appointment every six to eight weeks.
06
Sometimes, to make room for straightening. There are also other ways to create space, and current techniques mean it can often be avoided. You will be told which applies to you at the consultation.
07
Retention. Retainers hold the teeth in their new position while the gum and bone settle, and they can be fixed or removable. Teeth keep drifting with age, so retainers are worn long term to hold the result.
08
A specialist orthodontist is formally trained and certified in orthodontics alone, and can offer the full range of treatment options rather than a subset. Dr Gupta is on the UK Specialist Register.
Treatments
Clear aligners – including the Invisalign system – straighten teeth without fixed brackets on the front of them. They come out for eating, brushing and the occasional occasion, which fixed braces do not allow. Suitability is assessed case by case.
Lingual braces sit on the back of the teeth, out of sight entirely. The practice uses the Incognito system, where each bracket and wire is made to the contours of your own teeth.
Fixed braces in tooth-coloured ceramic rather than metal. Less visible than traditional appliances, and less bulky than the ones people remember from school.
Treatment planned around a child's growth, with the aim of starting at the right time rather than the earliest one. Comfort and safety come first at every appointment.
Your orthodontist
Dr Gupta qualified as a dentist from King's College London in 1998. She spent four years in general practice, then moved into a hospital setting working in paediatric and oral surgical dentistry, before three further years of specialist orthodontic training at Guy's, King's and St Thomas'.
She sees every patient at this practice personally – the examination, the diagnosis and the plan are hers, not delegated.
Your first appointment
01
Dr Gupta asks what brought you in, and listens to the concerns and the requests you arrive with. Nothing is assumed on your behalf.
02
A thorough examination, carried out by her personally, supported by x-rays and an impression of your teeth.
03
A detailed, personalised diagnosis, then a treatment plan built around your teeth and your life, with each option explained and what it involves spelled out.
04
You are under no obligation to proceed with any treatment that is proposed. You can take the plan away and think about it.
Visit
86 Gordon Road
West Ealing
London W13 8PT
Most patients travel in from Ealing, Acton, Hanwell and Northfields, though there is no catchment – anyone can be seen here.
Appointments are booked by phone. Call the practice and they will confirm the next available times and what to bring.