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Walpole's Weird World (4)

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:32:34 +0000

It’s time for Walpole's Weird World (4), written by Dominic Holland; comedian, author and dad. One of his sons is Tom Holland, the movie star, who got his, well, his movie star smile here at Walpole – The Orthodontic Specialists.

There are obvious pointers to the onset of age, most notably the paunch and grey hair. Most usually,men meet both of these with a shrug whilst women I find are more combative and reach for the miracle knickers and incredibly expensive hair salons.

But there are other age flagswhich are more subtle - like for instance, developing an injury without any discernible cause. I say this because I am currently suffering from tennis elbow. It is painful anyway but even more so in my case because I don't play tennis. I assume that the cure for tennis elbow is to lay off tennis for the while - which means that I am unlikely to ever recover.

Becoming cantankerous is another sign and in particular, shouting at the television news. I am not an uncharitable person. I do my bit. I speak at events and my account is depleted each month by various good causes. And yet, whenever I hear of a mountain rescue somewhere, instead of being relieved for the rescued and their families, I find myself becoming vexed. And how much did that rescue cost exactly and paid for by who? I shout at the radio. Scrambling a chopper because some posh idiot (they are normally posh and it is easier to be angry with posh people I find) - has decided to go walking in shorts and flip flops and has happened to get lost.

I have no sense of direction whatsoever. I am in Soho frequently for meetings which are largely depressing and in the myriad streets, I am frequently lost. Late for a meeting about a project that is of vital importance in my quest to keep my kids fed and dry. So, an emergency then and yet it has never occurred to me to bother the RAF.

…the walkers needed to be airlifted to safety…

And with their mug of soup they should be given a bloody invoice from all the tax payers who decided that a stroll over the Cairngorms was not a good idea today.

This very thing happened to me last week. Early morning, trying to force feed my children breakfast and take in the news at the same time - a story broke about Greenland and a rescue effort. Only I wasn't angry this time. Probably because there had been a fatality, but worse, I knew the name. PhilGoodeve-Docker is an unusual name and surely there could only be one.

And so it was. Phil was a comedy promoter and a lovely guy. A posh guy in fact, the double barrelled name being a clue.

And his untimely death shook me to my core and made me feel very thankful and grateful for my lot. Dare I say it, it even made me feel youthful again, tennis elbow or not.

Phil was only thirty. A nice man and a terrible loss for his friends and family.

Phillip Goodeve-Docker. RIP

We like putting smiles on faces, and so does Dominic. We strongly suggest you find out more about Dominic here

Walpole's Weird World 3

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:51:23 +0000

It’s time for Walpole's Weird World (3), written by Dominic Holland; comedian, author and dad. One of his sons is Tom Holland, the movie star, who got his, well, his movie star smile here at Walpole – The Orthodontic Specialists.

Normally I am unable to recall one season from its predecessor and how it fared.

Even before a year is out, everything tends to blur and I often marvel and worry in equal measure at other people's ability to recall. Do you remember last summer; with all that rain? Actually, no I don’t. But I think that I stand a good chance of recalling this winter with its long and stinging tail that whipped us all in to submission. It is a rare and unusual year on the day that the clocks go forward and we still can't venture outside. But now we can though and we can assess the damage.

Last year, we sunk about £400 in to our garden and it is disappointing to see the carnage that now remains. Stunted brown shoots scorched and burnt to death by the unrelenting frost. We might as well have invested in RBS although buying their shares would not have been as much fun as perusing through a nursery.

I don’t feel inclined to replace these plants though. Many years ago, our lawn gave way to astro-turf because God had 'blessed' us with four boys. The landscaper at the time was aghast. He tried to convince us that there was now extremely hardy variety of grass to which I laughed and so did my kids. The only lawn that can realistically withstand four boys is plastic.

Normally when we buy things that don't work or disappoint, we take them back to the shop. I am amused at the prospect of bringing back a plant that has not blossomed. Guarantee or not, this is not something that I would ever do. I have too much pride and sense of fair play, not-to-mention that I am also without question outside the standard twelve months.

I imagine that my local nursery have already had a terrible year. That their sales have been depressed and so the last thing they need is people bringing back plants that didn’t make it through the winter.

I might buy some plant food and feed my stalks to see what happens. But no matter if they all stay dead. They can act as a reminder for me of 'that bloody winter'. This is my forty sixth year and I figure that it is the first winter I will always remember, a bit like the summer of 76, or was it 75?

We like putting smiles on faces, and so does Dominic.We strongly suggest you find out more about Dominic here

Find out more about Tom Holland the movie star

Walpole's Weird World (2)

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:22:54 +0000

Walpole's Weird World (2) is written by Dominic Holland; comedian, author and dad. One of his sons is Tom Holland, the movie star, who got his, well, his movie star smile here at Walpole – The Orthodontic Specialists.

Is there a more cathartic experience than going to the dump?

Before I explain why, I just need to be sure that you have read this correctly and that I said 'the' and not 'a' because these two prepositions change the noun completely and yet, interestingly, they are both occasions that can lay claim to creating similar feelings of satisfaction.

In this instance, I refer to the municipal dump, the place where we can see some tangible value in our ever spiralling council tax. The place with the magic wall over which we can literally tip our troubles away. Actually, nowadays, the magic wall has been replaced with rather stringent sections in to which our rubbish can be discarded. Pity the fool who tries to pass off glass as wood waste or the scoundrel who thinks his plastic bag can be included in garden waste, always very popular at this time of year.

Going to the dump is something that I personally have to work up to. There is no point in going with too little. The whole point of the dump or 'recycling centre' is to make us feel good about ourselves by saving the planet, so it needs to account for the petrol/carbon ratio associated with getting us to and fro. Therefore, rubbish needs to accumulate for the dump run to be worth it. And timing is crucial to avoid the torturous queues. Locating the Council issued passes always used to always traumatise me until I discovered a pocket in my sun visor which has practically transformed my life.

A little like changing our bed linen, a dump run is not something done on a whim. It needs to be planned for and worked up towards. But it is something that always provides a handsome return. Look at the faces of people emerging from the dump - from broad smiles to stoical quiet relief that they have done it. Yess! These are people now on their way back to a home with more space and less clutter.

And immediately the same cycle can restart. The cycle of life, where we accumulate more stuff than we ever need. Space never remains as space for long. Space gets filled and this a bad thing and a good thing. A bad thing because it slows us down and a good thing because we will finally snap and make for another dump run and so life goes on…

We like putting smiles on faces, and so does Dominic.We strongly suggest you find out more about Dominic here

Walpole's weird world 1

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:58:37 +0000

The words 'stuff' and 'stuffed' are closely associated with the world's most popular food; pizza. Let's begin with the stuffed crust, something which I have never tried myself; altogether too risky. Man can safely only consume so much processed cheese and fearing that the stuffed crust might indeed be delicious, personally, I have too much to live for and so I have avoided them.

There is a huge variety of pizzas, each as valid as the next. The pepperoni might reign supreme in popularity but there is no definitive recipe for a pizza. A pizza can be whatever we want it to be. It can be any stuff that we have in the fridge or whatever stuff takes our fancy to adorn the top of the leavened bread, either thin or deep pan.

Pizza is also a food that we commonly stuff ourselves with, a gorging helped by the fact that pizza can be shovelled in by hand. After a pizza we often say that we are stuffed. My children regularly stuff themselves with pizza. It is perhaps the only meal where there is absolutely nothing left at the end.

Another stuffing associated with pizzas are the pizza delivery leaflets that are stuffed through our letter boxes almost every day. And it seems that nothing can prevent this deluge either. All notices, no matter how prominently displayed are always ignored. 'No Junk Mail' - 'Addressed Mail Only' - 'Nothing Unsolicited'. Still the leaflets keep coming which is always irksome, as though the delivery person is telling us to get stuffed although it is more likely these days that they are unable to read English. And these leaflets quickly accumulate and fill up our recycling boxes which our council duly collects from us but at considerable expense to all hard pressed tax payers. A never ending cycle then that we can do nothing about. Taxes and pizza leaflets are both mandatory and we are stuffLog outed, both literally and metaphorically.

Walpole's Weird World is written by Dominic Holland; comedian, author and dad. We strongly suggest you find out more about him here

Weston Green Residents welcome Walpole

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:07:22 +0000

The residents association for Weston Green have noticed the arrival of a quality orthodontic practice (that’s us, by the way) in their community. For the families of Weston Green Orthodontics will be a high priority, and Walpole is beginning to welcome adults and children from both Weston Green and Thames Ditton. We are seeing a number of patients aged eight to nine because parents want to ensure that they receive appropriate treatment at the right time. The Weston Green association story can be found here:

http://residents-association.com/announcements.php#Walpole

Tom Holland officially opens Expanded Walpole Othodontics

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 15:47:58 +0000

Hollywood star and former patient of one of the UK’s leading orthodontists, Tom Holland, officially welcomed Walpole to its new Thames Ditton home on 27 February at a reception for more than 40 dental professionals.

Looking like home

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:49:00 +0000

Over a m onth into our new space and it is beginning to feel like home. It is too close to Christmas to have an opening party so we will leave that to the New Year. We have started to show some of our referring dentist round and they have been impressed. We have also been getting great feedback from the patients who have transferred with us from Surbiton.

Another AcceleDent lecture completed

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 15:52:29 +0000

Another AcceleDent lecture completed. This time Dr Orton-Gibbs was lecturing to her Italian colleagues. The audience was grateful to listen to evidence-based data on how AcceleDent can decrease treatment times.

First patient seen at our new Thames Ditton location

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:53:14 +0000

Wow. The last few months have flown by and now here we are in our newly refurbished premises. We are now offering two rather than four clinics as well as a lovely lounge, offering a corner for our younger patients to enjoy playing with our Wii and a different space for the teens to get on the web with a laptop and iPad. So far so good.

What is Orthodontics?

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:48:26 +0000

Orthodontic dentistry is the procedure of manipulating and realigning the teeth into the desired and optimum position to eliminate the problems of overcrowding, gaps or crooked. The various problems can also include overlapping upper or lower teeth and protruding upper teeth. This improves the cosmetic and aesthetic appearance of the teeth, makes eating and biting comfortable and enables you to smile naturally and confidently.

The various orthodontic treatments and procedures involves the use of wires inserted into orthodontic brackets, these are known as dental 'braces' or orthodontic 'retainers'. Depending on the complexity of the problem and treatment required they can be fixed or removable. Often at the end of treatment a dental 'retainer' is used to maintain the teeth in their new position until things settle down. The modern Invisible treatments are often preferred for cosmetic reasons.

Treatments typically span form a couple of months for more minor readjustments to a couple of years for complex and more serious problems. It is not an overnight process but well worth it!

You would need a consultation and defined treatment plan, normally including X-Rays. This enables you to make a well informed decision about the right treatment for you.

Orthodontic treatment - A testimony!

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:47:56 +0000

“I underwent orthodontic treatment when I was 12. I remember the procedure taking about two years in total for quite complex readjustments. I initially wore a removable brace to gently apply pressure to my front teeth which were very crooked and quite unsightly, I even had two of my front teeth positioned high up into my gums, leaving what appeared to be gaps.

I then wore a fixed brace for just over a year, during which time I visited the orthodontist every 2 weeks to a month. Back then there were only metal braces available with coloured bands so it was quite obvious when I smiled I wore braces on my top teeth.

Following the fixed brace being removed I wore a retainer for a short time to keep my teeth in their new position.

As an adult I have a perfect set of teeth and treatment was most definitely worth it for me. The only down side was having to wear metal braces. It is great therefore to hear of new technologies for people now to wear invisible braces. I would highly recommend having orthodontic treatment if you need it, it made a world of difference to me.”

Orthodontics – Definitions

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:46:42 +0000

What is a removable brace or removable appliance?

A removable brace is used for simple orthodontic procedures applying gentle pressure. As the name suggests it can be removed for cleaning.

What is a fixed brace or fixed appliance?

For more complicated orthodontic procedures a fixed brace is used to apply consistent pressure to your teeth. This can not be removed for cleaning and works using brackets and small bands and a wire and is fitted and removed by your orthodontist.

What is a functional appliance?

These are used to manipulate the jaw muscles and structure.

What are Invisible Braces?

These, as the name suggests, are an invisible alternative to conventional metal braces and wires. They are a widely used an successful innovative way of realigning the teeth using clear plastic aligners which are individually constructed for each patient.

What are retainers?

A retainer is often recommended following orthodontic treatment to maintain the position of the teeth whilst everything settles down.

Orthodontic treatments for adults too!

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:45:14 +0000

At our orthodontic surgery in Surrey we regularly meet adults who have spent years uncomfortable and worrying about their dental cosmetic appearance. Often people do not realise that affordable and invisible treatments are readily available. We can offer advice and a treatment plan to help with decisions and taking the first step towards a perfect smile.

Orthodontic treatment is available for adults and children alike and can begin when you have all your adult permanent teeth. Orthodontic treatment is available for adults for the first time or relapse cases. Thousands of adults every year begin treatments to realign their teeth.

Whilst orthodontic treatments are generally best carried out in children or younger years, it is ever increasingly popular for adults to begin treatment with excellent results and a cosmetic appearance they are happy with. The teeth can be more easily manipulated in children and teenagers. Often adults may not have had orthodontic dentistry available to them as children or had a relapse so it is an ever increasing popular choice for overcrowding, gaps and crooked teeth.

A full examination can be carried out and X-rays taken and plaster models made of your teeth to define and plan a treatment strategy suitable for you with payment plans available.

Celebrities opting for orthodontics!

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:44:49 +0000

A million people a year are now beginning orthodontic treatments in the UK – even more so since the introduction of innovative invisible brace treatments and also the increasing number of celebrities undergoing treatments.

Holly Willoughby, Justin Bieber, Cheryl Cole, Ashley Judd, Tom Cruise, Nicholas Cage and Chris Rock have had orthodontic treatments to improve their cosmetic appearance. Also Prince Harry is known to have had treatment to reposition his teeth.

Even back as far as the early 90's Gwen Stefani No Doubt's lead singer was regularly seen smiling away for photographers wearing her orthodontic braces to perfect her smile by repositioning her teeth. The results being a beautiful smile - it showed thousands of people just what can be achieved and certainly sparked off a trend with more and more people now opting for dental braces.

With fantastic results and improved confidence it can help to know your favoured celebrities are also undergoing treatments achieving fantastic results. With the self confidence and smile you dreamed of orthodontics really could change the way you feel about your cosmetic appearance.

Invisible Brace Treatments – No more metal and wires!

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:41:07 +0000

Wave goodbye to train track metal braces and wires – Modern revolutionary advances in orthodontics have the answer with new invisible dental braces.

You now have the solution to overcrowding, crooked and protruding teeth and gaps with treatments that are invisible, to create you the beautiful and natural smile you dreamed of. The invisible treatments will manipulate the teeth into their optimum position without the social embarrassment of metal wires and the social stigma of wearing these.

At our Walpole orthodontics surgery in Surrey we offer a range of invisible treatments to suit minor to major readjustments giving you added self-confidence during treatment too.

We assure you that you will achieve brilliant results with our range of invisible treatments which can be planned with a structured payment plan to suit you. All this can be discussed during the Free Consultation at our surgery in Surbiton.

Millions of people begin orthodontic treatments in the UK every year often wishing they had done it sooner. Whatever your orthodontic requirements come and talk to us! You will be glad you did...

How long will my treatment take?

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 14:16:41 +0000

Orthodontic dental treatments are not an overnight solution but here at Walpole we can help fast-track the process using numerous technologies and know how. Modern innovative brace treatments can involve the use of clear and invisible brace treatments which are more socially acceptable to most people making this time pass more quickly avoiding the dread of metal wires and braces.

For more minor issues STB Social 6 can be used to correct the front teeth usually within 6 to 16 weeks achieving excellent results. Simpli5 is an express aligner treatment that usually takes 5-6 months. Usually treatment is started 4-6 weeks after initial impressions of your teeth are taken. Clear Step is a treatment that can be used for adults and children alike and is versatile for each individual case. Invisalign as the name suggests are clear removable aligners which often achieve results in 12 months. The aligners are generally changed every two weeks during that time. The Inman aligner is often used proceeding cosmetic dentistry.

Usually most treatment plans do not extend beyond two years and many are completed in much less than that time period. A more accurate assessment can be made dependant upon your individual case at a consultation at Walpole orthodontists in Surrey. Just get in touch with us via email or phone and a member of our friendly team will be happy to book you in for a visit.

Smiling at the future!

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 14:15:50 +0000

As with any life changing decision the plunge to go ahead and do something you have many times thought about is always the hardest step - Orthodontics is no different!

Many people are aware for years they have misaligned teeth, overcrowding or gaps, often they feel self-conscious and even physically unattractive. People often wait years and can not believe the difference it makes to their life and only wonder why they did not undergo treatment sooner. People often barely recognise themselves from before and after photographs.

It is easy to worry about something, feel uncomfortable, yet sit back and carry on. If this is you then come and have a chat with Barbara, our treatment coordinator at Walpole orthodontists in Surrey, and we will offer our best advice and treatment options available for you. We can also tell you about our variety of payment plans to make your treatment affordable and spread payments if needed. Orthodontic dental treatment need not be something you only think about, take the first active step and see what is available for you to achieve the perfect smile you dreamed of for the future.

Why choose our orthodontists?

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 14:15:01 +0000

Dr Sharon Orton-Gibbs is well regarded among the community of referring dentists, entrusted with treatments of their own family members. Pivotal to her reputation is her success in her work in facial aesthetics and achieving a perfect and natural smile.

As one of the first specialist orthodontists to use Invisalign, a treatment method of aligning teeth invisibly without metal wires and braces using clear removable aligners, she has gained her success with her work with adults and children alike.

Her extensive training and experience has involved her being a lead clinician for 6 years, working within the NHS for 12 years and gaining 8 clinical excellence awards. She has worked as an international lecturer and London post-graduate teacher and made publications in British, European and American journals, she is a member of the British, European and American Orthodontic Society and the British Lingual Orthodontic Society. Sharon is a mum herself and is known for her understanding and friendliness with younger patients.

Dr David Slattery joined the practise to work alongside Dr Sharon Orton-Gibbs in 1995. Also a long standing NHS consultant, he has made publications in British and European orthodontic journals, he was a regional advisor for the Royal College of Surgeons in England for 6 years and a Specialist orthodontics advisor for the Royal college of Surgeons. He is also a member of the British and American Orthodontics Society and also the World Federation of Orthodontists. Known not only for his experience and professionalism, David has four children of his own and is known for his expert and friendly dental care.

Invisible Solutions - Which to choose?

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 14:11:06 +0000

Modern dental braces or teeth braces need not involve the metal 'train track' look we all remember. Recent revolutionary orthodontic treatments mean you can now have invisible braces and clear brace treatments. They achieve the same exceptional results.

At Walpole orthodontists in Surrey, our wide range of braces and treatments provide solutions for both adults and children depending on the treatment needed and complexity of the realignment. We offer a free consultation to advise patients about the right treatment for you. We can in some cases place braces behind teeth to reduce the feeling of self-consciousness.

We offer a range of treatments such as:

Simpli5 – An express aligner system designed to correct minor imperfections. It is often applied to the most visible 4-6 teeth when you smile and this treatment spans 5-6 months.

Clear Step - A versatile invisible brace system for both adults and children.

Invisalign - An innovative new orthodontic method of aligning teeth invisibly without braces using clear removable aligners without the use of metal and wires. These aligners can be removed to eat and for cleaning and often achieve results within 12 months.

Inman Aligner - An individually made orthodontic appliance that applies comfortable, consistent orthodontic pressure to efficiently align and straighten your front teeth.

How will Orthodontic braces and treatments benefit me?

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 14:08:47 +0000

The main benefit of orthodontic treatment is to realign the teeth, giving you a natural smile and a much improved cosmetic appearance. This improvement will correct the bite and make eating much easier. Orthodontic treatments will solve numerous problems such as overcrowding, gaps, crooked teeth, protruding upper teeth and overlapping upper or lower teeth. Improved cosmetic appearance promotes smiling with confidence and facilitates comfortable eating.

Here at Walpole in Surrey our orthodontists completely understand the importance of a natural healthy smile which many of our patients seek as great results subsequently increase confidence and self-esteem for individuals.

A smile is paramount for us to communicate emotions such as happiness, amusement or pleasure and a beautiful smile helps us feel more physically attractive which in turn can improve interpersonal relationships.

Orthodontic brace treatments can significantly improve self-esteem and confidence in your physical appearance. Orthodontics and the innovative new invisible brace treatments need not be a dream - we offer an affordable solution to people who have always wanted to realign their teeth and do not wish to wear conventional metal dental braces.