Yes. Under-5s are examined free when a parent has their own examination, and older children have a children's examination for £45. Booking family appointments back to back is often easiest, and early visits help children become comfortable with the dental chair long before they ever need treatment.
Yes. Many patients come to us after being offered a large treatment plan elsewhere. Bring any previous plan and X-rays if you have them. After a full examination we explain what we agree with, what we would approach differently and what can safely wait. Sometimes the honest answer is that less treatment is needed.
No. We take X-rays only when your history and risk justify them, not on a fixed schedule. New patients often need some X-rays to establish a baseline, particularly if previous images are not available. We always explain why X-rays are recommended and quote for them in writing before they are taken.
It depends on your individual risk. Some patients benefit from a check-up every six months; others with healthy teeth and gums can safely go longer. We set your recall interval after your examination based on your history, gum health and decay risk, rather than applying the same calendar to everyone.
A structured check of the lips, cheeks, tongue, palate and throat, with the neck and jaw felt by hand; a gum assessment; a check of every tooth and existing filling or crown; and a review of your bite and jaw. We explain what we find in plain language and give you a written plan if anything needs attention.
A dental examination is £65 and lasts 30 minutes, including a full risk assessment, gum check and oral cancer screening. A children's examination is £45, and under-5s are seen free with a parent's examination. X-rays are only taken when clinically justified and are always quoted before they are taken.
Our dental examination costs £65 and lasts 30 minutes, with a full risk assessment and oral cancer screening. A children's examination is £45, and under-5s are seen free with a parent's examination. X-rays are only taken when justified and are quoted first. Hygiene is a separate appointment at £85, or £135 for Diamond hygiene.
We are at 222 Essex Road, N1 3AP, two minutes from Essex Road station and one stop from Highbury & Islington. Buses 38, 56, 73, 341 and 476 stop nearby. Angel is a 15–20 minute walk, and Dalston is about 10 minutes by Lime or Forest e-bike.
General and cosmetic dentistry is led by Dr Vishal Patel, BDS, MSc Aesthetic & Restorative Dentistry, GDC 103127. Implant assessments and surgery are carried out by Dr Rishil Patel, MClinDent Implantology, GDC 154292. Our hygiene team provides 30-minute hygiene appointments. We aim for continuity, so you see familiar faces from one visit to the next.
Not always. Some toothache settles with a filling or dressing; other teeth need root canal treatment to save them. If so, we book it as a separate appointment with a written estimate. Root canal treatment at our clinic is £550–£950, and 0% APR finance over 12 months via Tabeo, subject to status, is available.
In most cases, yes. We find the source of the infection, relieve pressure where appropriate and start treatment on the tooth itself. Antibiotics are used only where they are clinically indicated. If swelling is spreading towards your eye or neck, or you have difficulty swallowing or breathing, go to A&E without delay.
No. There is no official ranking of dentists, and we think patients are better served by evidence than by claims. We publish our rating, our clinicians' qualifications and our prices so that you can compare practices fairly. The best dentist for you depends on what you need, whether that is time, a specific treatment or continuity.
The practice is rated 4.7 stars from more than 300 Google reviews, gathered since we opened on Essex Road in 2009. We do not filter or curate the profile. Patients most often mention unhurried appointments, clear explanations and being told honestly when treatment is not needed. You can read the reviews on Google or on our reviews page.
Pick the tooth up by the crown, not the root. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk without scrubbing. If you can, put it back in the socket and bite gently on a clean cloth. If not, keep it in milk and call us immediately. The chance of saving the tooth is best within the first hour.
No. We are open Monday to Friday, 8am–7pm (Tuesday from 9am), and we are not a 24-hour service. For evenings, weekends and bank holidays, call NHS 111, which can refer you to an out-of-hours dental service. Messages sent to us out of hours are answered at the start of the next working day.
A dental problem assessment at our Essex Road clinic is £75. It includes the examination, a small x-ray where needed and a prescription if one is clinically required. Treatment on the day, such as a filling or a temporary repair, is quoted in writing before we begin, so there are no surprises when you leave.
Often, yes. Aligning the teeth first frequently means less tooth needs to be added or altered afterwards, and whitening or composite bonding can then refine shape and shade. We plan the order at consultation so that each step supports the next, rather than treating them in isolation.
Yes. Teeth tend to drift back after any orthodontic treatment, and short-term treatments are no exception. After either option we fit retainers and explain how long to wear them. Long-term retention is what keeps the result stable, so it is planned before treatment begins rather than added at the end.
Yes. The classic system uses tooth-coloured brackets and wires bonded to the front teeth, so it is a fixed brace, simply limited in scope and designed to be discreet. Because it cannot be removed, it requires careful cleaning around the brackets and some caution with very hard or sticky foods.
Not necessarily. At DWL, Invisalign Express is £2,200, Moderate £3,400 and Unlimited £4,500 to £4,900. Six Month Smiles is quoted in writing after assessment. For a genuine front-teeth case the difference is often modest, so we suggest choosing on what the treatment does rather than on price alone.
No. It is designed for cosmetic alignment of the front teeth. If your bite was healthy before treatment, it should remain so. If it needed correcting, Six Month Smiles will not have done that, which is exactly why we assess the bite carefully before recommending either system.
Because it treats less. Six Month Smiles concentrates on the front teeth and does not set out to change the bite, so there is less movement to achieve. Comprehensive Invisalign takes longer because it may be correcting how the whole bite meets. For a minor front-teeth case, Invisalign can also be relatively short.
It depends on what your bite needs. If the concern is purely the alignment of the front teeth and your bite is healthy, Six Month Smiles can be appropriate. If the bite needs correcting, or teeth further back need to move, Invisalign is usually the better choice. We decide after examining your teeth, not by recommending one system by default.
At our Essex Road clinic Profhilo is £350 per session or £625 for the two-session course. Filler is priced by area: lip filler from £200 for 0.5ml, tear trough from £250, jawline £300 for 1ml, and other areas from £350. The £65 skin and aesthetic consultation is redeemable in full against treatment.
Dr Vishal Patel, BDS, MSc Aesthetic and Restorative Dentistry, GDC 103127, assesses, plans and administers all aesthetic injectable treatment at the clinic. He has around ten years in facial aesthetics, with cadaver-based facial anatomy training and IBSA training in Profhilo. Every plan starts with a consultation, and there is no obligation to proceed.