3 years ago I was sitting in your chair having a routine check up. I happened to mention that I had a headache and was suffering yet again from tennis elbow. The next thing I know is you have me standing facing a wall looking at my posture. You then tell me that my jaw is out of line which is causing my problems. After several x-rays and moulds later I am fitted with a brace on my upper jaw. Several months later you fit a brace on my lower jaw. 18 months later (much to the horror of my children) I return home with pink train tracks fitted top and bottom.

I am now completely brace free. My headaches have gone (except when it suits me) and I have not suffered from tennis elbow since the day you first fitted my brace. My only complaint is it has not improved my tennis

I still cannot believe how well I now feel. You have made such a difference to the quality of my life. Thank you.
L aura, patient of Dr Marina Carew

I have had a history of allergies from an early age which gradually increased as time went on. During the course of my teenage years I had quite a few fillings all of which were amalgams. Apart from hayfever I began to suffer from headaches all the time which were not relieved with any painkillers, even those prescribed by my GP. I tried various complementary therapies but didn’t find complete relief. I was eventually referred to an allergy clinic which finally identified numerous food intolerances. During that time Marina Carew was developing and enhancing her holistic dentistry techniques and encouraged me to consider having all of my amalgams replaced, having confirmed my intolerance to mercury. I embarked upon this fairly lengthy (mainly due to the number of fillings I had and the fact that I wanted a good gap in between each of the sessions) course of action and alongside my abstention from the food identified as harmful, I have not looked back.

I went from being lethargic and in constant pain to someone with plenty of energy feeling bright and able to cope with the rigours of daily family life with 2 children and a full time job. It is quite difficult to describe the feeling of not having any mercury in my mouth but there certainly is something different, apart from the way I am now without any headaches. My husband says I am like a new person. I also find that if I eat something I shouldn’t my symptoms disappear much quicker than before.
Jane Hawkins – patient of Dr Marina Carew

Before I had my brace I had terrible earaches and my ears were clicking, the doctor said I had to have grommets but mum and me didn’t want that. Thanks to you I have not got to have grommets any more because you said my jaw was too far back and it was blocking a tube going to my ear. So you gave me a brace to bring my jaw forward and it did, so now I don’t have ears that click and earaches. Thank you for all you have done.
Ben – patient of Dr Marina Carew

When I was young I had a problem about breathing. The only way I could breath was by pushing my head forwards. But when I was seeing Marina with my brace it has helped me push my head forward to pushing it backwards. And now I breath ok. This has helped me do sports better, my hearing is better, has put my head into shape. So if any of you have any problems with that then see Marina about it.
Sam Culleton – patient of Dr Marina Carew

When I came to you over a year and a half ago I was suffering from severe TMJ caused I feel by previous brace work done over ten years before. I woke every day to face pain, continual headaches, and a stiff neck that no matter what other treatments I sought never went away. This continual pain and discomfort made me irritable and always stressful.

Since your treatment I no longer get the headaches, my sinuses are far clearer, I don’t have stiff necks all the time, my face does not ache, and at last I feel well again! I would recommend anyone needing to seek treatment for TMJ symptoms to trust Marina and her dentistry, it works..
Mrs J Wilkie – patient of Dr Marina Carew

I would like to thank you for the work you have carried out on my teeth and jaw. The results have made such a change to my life.

I had begun to accept that the problems I had would always stay with me as I had them for such a long time. I suffered ear ache that was so severe that when I woke in the mornings I could not lift my head off the pillow. The Doctor would give me antibiotics which would seem to help, but a few days later the ache would return. Since wearing my brace I haven’t had this ear ache.

Occasionally when I was eating my jaw would hurt so badly that I would have to stop eating and hold my jaw tightly to make the pain go away. I had also begun to believe that I would have to live with this, but thanks to you I no longer suffer jaw pains.

I had no idea that the cause of this was teeth I had removed and orthodontic work I had done when I was a child. I should have realised this because my teeth when I had the old appliance removed were perfectly straight, but as the years have gone by they have slowly crushed together until my front teeth had overlapped. You have now spaced my teeth, which makes me feel a lot more confident to smile and my mouth feels cleaner. I also find it easier to floss my teeth. The most amazing thing I have noticed since I have been wearing my brace is the change it has made to my profile. I look at old photographs of my profile and feel embarrassed. On my wedding day a few months ago I asked the photographer not to take photos of me side on. Some were taken anyway, but to my surprise there is a huge difference, one that I can live with.

Thank you so much for your time and patience as I know I have not been the easiest and most co-operative patient.
Emma – patient of Dr Marina Carew

I have pleasure in writing down my thoughts of Philip, who is seven years old and has been attending your practice since he was five. It was evident at that time that he had an underbite, which was chipping his top teeth and becoming more pronounced as he grew. You recommended that he wear a corrective brace and he was fitted with one.

Philip was at that time a very unhappy little boy – frustrated and angry probably by his inability to communicate fluently, but could also have been from headaches and breathing problems brought on by his jaw abnormality. I must say that although the original brace he was fitted may eventually correct his dental problems, it did make his speech worse. In December 2002 I felt it was necessary to take him out of school to be home-educated.

In May 2003 Philip was fitted with a different brace, which I understand is called an ALF brace. This brace seemed so simple and unobtrusive I wondered if it would really work. However, the effect of this brace was almost instantaneous – Philip’s speech improved, his confidence returned and he became so much happier that he was able to go back to school. As I am not an expert I am unable to say whether his jaw has improved faster with this new brace, but there is certainly an obvious improvement with his bite, appearance and general manner.
Ms Glenda Hoy (Mother of Philip) – patient of Dr Marina Carew

Since the age of 8, when I smashed both my front teeth out, the dentist had become torture for me. At the age of 10 I stopped going to the dentist altogether. At 13 we found Lavender Barn and I plucked up the courage to once again try the dentist. After several visits with Marina I had confidence and trust in her to give me back my smile. On the 28 June 2003 I was petrified as Marina drilled off my two front teeth and began to rebuild them. Soon after she started I relaxed and two hours later I cam out with my promised new smile. My fear has gone for good”. Miss Kati Hedges – patient of Dr Marina Carew

I have been Marina's NHS patient for over 20 years, and in all that time I have found her to constantly be a friendly and very kind dentist. She is highly efficient and extremely compassionate to her patients. I feel tat Marina loves her career, and from my own observations and experience she loves her patients too. Though she has now gone into private practice I am fortunate that she has continued to treat this NHS patient, -- how lucky I am.

Sincerely
Mrs Molly A. Howles

Dear Marina, You are so caring, so kind and thoughtful. STill the Precious Gem that I remember so well. I actually look forward to "going to the dentist." Don't ever change.
Love Richard

As a patient of long standing (10 - 15 years) I write to express my gratitude and thanks for the treatment I have received from you all over the years.

You, Marina, are a very skilled and professional lady with a nice friendly and reassuring attitude towards all. Likewise the staff are very friendly and welcoming and efficiently arrange our appointments. The reception area is comfortable and airy. The whole premises spotlessly clean. It is a place where we can really relax whilst waiting our turn.

I would rate your practice, Marina, as one of the best in the county (if not the country!) and I am privileged and lucky to be on the list of patients - long may it continue.

Yours most gratefully
Jack Livings

Hello my beautiful tooth fairy! I can't thank you enough for my beautiful teeth. I'm so excited I kept waking up in the night thinking about my lovely teeth. It's the best thing I've ever done. Tank you You're a star!
Love Jaqui (Received following her smile make over).

Since having a smile makeover smiling is now something I can do with confidence. I no longer have to try and hide my teeth as they look great.
Raquel Baillie

For a ling time I was ashamed of my "grey" smile and avoided smiling because of my uneven front teeth and dark marks which made my teeth look dingy. Since having my "bright smile" makeover, O just beam!! My smile is now wide and I feel so much more confident when speaking to people. Thank you Marina and everyone at the Lavender Barn for giving me this wonderful makeover.
Loraine Cohen

I am writing to let people know what a good service Marina Carew offers.

From the very first visit I was made to feel welcome. The receptionists are very friendly and polite.

Since having treatment from Marina my confidence has grown and grown. Before going to Marina I was very unhappy with my profile but now I'm like a different person. I'm so much happier I don't even mind having my photo taken now, unlike before I would hide every time somebody got a camera out!

It has also helped with headaches which I suffered with before, its fantastic! If anybody was thinking about having treatment done, then I would recommend Marina Carew.

Thank you Marina.
Kelly Golding

I would like to nominate my dentist Marina Carew for a special award.

Who else would be lucky enough to look forward to visiting their dentist - she is such a special person whose care goes beyond the call of duty. Where else would you sit in a waiting room and find patients had travelled from great distances to visit Marina.

Having needed fillings to be done which were done very considerately and caringly I mentioned I was concerned about receding gums to my two front bottom teeth - something I had been concerned about for many years and merely been told I had a hard bite by previous dentists. Marina was the first person to inform me the reason was something I had not heard about namely the temporomandibular joint and told me to go home and look up a website explaining it. That day was the day my life was to change. Having looked up the site it was as though it had been written about me and my symptoms. At 60 years of age I could not wait to have a brace fitted.

I asked Marina why she had not herself mentioned it and her concern was as I had gone for one problem she did not want to put undue pressure on me and think she was 'out to take money' - such is her concern. I wish she had put pressure on me as the day I had my brace fitted was the day my personal 'miracle' happened. I am lucky/unlucky enough to have, a short while before, been examined by my G.P. as my neck was in such a state. I was informed it was very bad due to arthritis and it was confirmed that movement was very limited.

Having needed to visit Osteopaths very regularly for the past 40 years due to my neck and back problems I really needed no confirmation of this. Having had a brace as a teenager which pushed in one 'sticking out' tooth for which there was no room and succeeding in caving the remainder of my teeth inwards — which I now realize was the cause of suffering such bad neck and back problems for the majority of my life — a year off work, many days off work, a lot of pain — I did not expect such a dramatic change to my life with my 'modem' brace'.

Instantly my brace was fitted I had for the first time since a teenager full movement in my neck — very understandingly Marina accepted my screams in the surgery of absolute wonderment and joined in my pleasure at such a dramatic change. To have someone who genuinely shared in my absolute wonderment was extra special.

Her continuing care as she works with me to ensure my brace 'cures', as far as is possible at my age, my neck and back problems is wonderful. To have more mobility in my neck and back than I have had for over 40 years is incredible. Her attitude in the surgery is far above the call of duty — the fact that she treats all her patients as very special and to me and my family she is very special.

Marina is my very special dentist and friend - in fact she is my special miracle. Miracles do happen.

Maureen Pethurst

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