A Guide to Teeth Straightening

Individuals who are burdened with crooked teeth may find themselves shying away from social situations or public speaking, which ultimately could affect their relationships with friends and family, as well as have a negative impact on their career.

While this may only occur in more extreme cases, it is likely that anyone who has been self-conscious about a particular part of their body will have experienced a similarly low quality of life and avoided putting it on display at all costs.

However, the emergence of cosmetic dentistry in recent years – as well as its increasing accessibility among regular people – has seen thousands of people make the choice to do something about their issues, resulting in a confident and bright smile.

High profile figures such as Simon Cowell, Cheryl Cole, Tulisa Contostavlos and even Ronnie Wood have taken action to improve their natural smiles, which has considerably raised the profile of this type of procedure. 

Should I consider teeth straightening procedures?

While many people are born with uneven teeth, many can see this occur over time as the structure of the mouth begins to change with age, or the loss of a pearly white has resulted in gum erosion.

Realigning teeth can be achieved through a variety of procedures, with some better suited to certain individuals than others. The emergence of innovative technology in the dental industry has alleviated the requirement for patients to endure months of wearing traditional metal braces, as aesthetically pleasing become more readily available.

Fixed Orthodontic Braces

Although there are less traditional methods of realigning teeth, the use of this type of installation is typically associated with young children. During this process, metal wires are attached to the front surfaces of the teeth with brackets.

Using these implements, the braces are gradually tightened over time to apply gentle pressure to the pearly whites and encourage them to move into the desired position – while the length of the process depends on the severity of the problem.

Patients looking to receive this type of treatment should book an appointment with their dental professional or orthodontist as soon as possible, to give them more time to enjoy a straighter, more attractive smile.

Due to developments in this area, a wide variety of brackets and braces systems are now available, including smaller tooth-coloured ceramic brackets and friction-free aligners.

Lingual Braces

Similarly to the aforementioned system, lingual braces are attached to the teeth. However, these innovative installations are fixed at the back of the pearly whites, providing a more aesthetically pleasing solution.

Although they can be quite uncomfortable initially, patients will certainly get used to the sensation of wearing these fittings, while enjoying a process that provides a perfect solution to straightening the teeth without anybody being able to notice.

Furthermore, unlike traditional metal fixtures, lingual braces are often used among dentists to correct severe orthodontic cases.

Six-month smile

This new course of action uses tooth-coloured wires and brackets to alter the position of only the teeth that are visible when a patient smiles, rather than focusing on the bite itself and moving all of the pearly whites.

Using this system – which utilises special nickel wires to readjust the teeth into the correct location – self-conscious individuals can enjoy results in as little as six months, compared with the 18 months and two year procedures that were common in previous years.

Invisalign

Aiming to achieve perfect results without the need to feel worried about the appearance of braces, Invisalign alleviates the requirement for the use of visible wires – which can often become a source of embarrassment.

The braces, which appear similar to transparent gum shields, slowly move the teeth into the desired position and are changed every two weeks to ensure they are constantly putting pressure on the pearly whites in order to speed up the process.

One of the main advantages of this course of action is the fact that patients are given the option of removing the fixtures to eat and clean their teeth, which will no doubt avoid embarrassing situations and ensure oral health is maintained.

Inman Aligner

This course of action is a cross between the aforementioned invisible braces and a metal fixture system, but does not have the benefit of being as aesthetically pleasing as Invisalign due to its metal components.

It relies on a removable aligner that adjusts the teeth by exerting force over a long period of time.

Many patients select this process because it is more cost-effective than a number of other methods, while only requiring the production of one appliance and creating the desired look in a shorter timeframe.

Overall treatment takes approximately six to 16 weeks using Inman aligners, but the speed of the results is dependent on how long the device is worn for every day. Dental professionals recommend the appliance is worn for around 20 hours every day if possible.

Damon Braces

This friction-free procedure does not use any elastic ties and causes much less irritation and discomfort than more traditional methods of orthodontics. For this reason, patients find them an effective solution, while enjoying straighter pearly whites in a quicker time than conventional braces.

Furthermore, the elastic ties utilised with traditional methods are known for attracting and collecting plaque, which can ultimately lead to tooth decay. Therefore, Damon braces allow wearers to maintain their oral health, which is often hindered by those with traditional techniques.

What are Dental Veneers?

This course of action has become increasingly popular in recent years since a number of celebrities selected it as a means of improving their pearly whites.

Veneers are wafer-thin laminates of tooth-coloured material that can be made of porcelain, ceramic or a composite bonding substance. During this procedure, they are cemented to the front surface of each tooth in order to better their appearance.

Generally, they are used to treat a wide variety of issues, including: stained, damaged gapped or crooked teeth.

Although the procedure is quite extensive, most dental professionals would agree that this is the best course of action to take for those with severely misaligned pearly whites.

Our Practice is open seven days a week from 8am till 11pm. You can book a consultation with one of our experienced dentists by calling 0208 547 9997 or emailing us for further information or to arrange a consultation.