Invisible braces are a type of orthodontic appliance that can be clipped over the teeth to gradually realign them and improve oral function as well as appearance; they are made out of transparent resin that allows the natural enamel shade to show through – making it seem as though no braces are being worn at all.
The thing that makes this sort of brace so popular is that they present an alternative to noticeable orthodontic treatment, which may have put other patients off in the past – particularly adults who don’t want to be fitted with ‘train tracks’ that everyone can see. Invisible braces might not be suitable for every patient because they do have limited movement, but they can open up a world of dentistry to people who may not have considered orthodontic treatment before – perhaps thinking they were too old or not wanting to begin a long period of wearing fixed braces. Invisible braces – sometimes called clear braces or aligners – are the very latest in modern dentistry and they are highly sought after because of this.
If this sounds like something you might like to take advantage of, then you need to know whether you would be a suitable candidate given your current malocclusions; book an appointment with the Pearl Dental Clinic, this London surgery can provide the very latest cosmetic and orthodontic treatments, as well as day to day care and maintenance and twenty-four hour emergency dentistry in case you have an accident. Call today and speak to a member of the team about the various options; there is always someone available to discuss the services or to arrange a consultation if that’s what you would like to do.
How much are invisible braces?
It’s hard to begin orthodontic treatment without the price coming up at some point – and it’s always advisable to look into the applicable costs before agreeing to anything. Just so you are aware, orthodontics is an expensive business in the UK if you are over the age of eighteen or you do not quality for dispensation for some other reason under the NHS; invisible braces could cost as much as two or three thousand pounds – depending on the system selected and the extent of the misalignment. That might sound like a lot of money but you need to take into account that this is the very best brace system if you don’t want your treatment to be obvious to the rest of the world; furthermore, the man hours and the expensive equipment needed to manufacture the aligners will also push the cost up for the supplier, which is in turn passed onto the consumer. You get what you pay for with dentistry and you can expect to get high-quality treatment if you are prepared to pay a little bit more.
If money is a problem for you and you can’t afford to pay for invisible braces, don’t worry, there are still options open to you. Most clinics will work with a dental loan company that will pay for the treatment upfront and then the patient pays them back at an affordable rate – sometimes as little as a pound a day. This will take several years to pay back, obviously, but it shouldn’t last longer than five years – as most dental loans are arranged under this time span. Although taking on debt can be scary, you should now that lots of people take advantage of this system to get access to the best treatment available and they are no worse off for it; it’s obvious that money can be a struggle for some patients, but don’t let that put you off improving your teeth – there are ways around it.
How long does treatment take with invisible braces?
Treatment time is not something that is easy to quantify because it will be very different for each patient, as it is based on numerous different factors, such as the initial condition of the teeth, the system selected to treat them, the surgeon carrying out the treatment, and how dedicated the patient is. Aligners are not permanently attached to the teeth like metal braces, which means the patient can take them out whenever they like; if the braces are not worn for at least twenty-two hours of the day, then they won’t be able to perform to capacity and the treatment will be slowed down as a result.
Sometimes invisible braces can take a little bit longer than traditional metal ones, simply because they don’t apply the pressure in the same way; train tracks will constantly attempt to force the teeth into a straighter line, whereas invisible braces only apply a small amount of pressure because they have limited movement, which can mean that it takes longer to move the teeth from one position to the other. However, it does tend to make the treatment more comfortable for the patient and it means the risk of root resorption is reduced because the braces are gentler on the sockets and the supporting ligaments. In most cases, patients would be willing to trade a slightly longer treatment time for discreet braces, if it meant they would be able to undergo orthodontics without anyone else knowing.
Are invisible braces better than metal ones?
That really depends on your point of view; if you have major misalignments that require more aggressive orthodontic system, then it’s unlikely that you will benefit much – or at all – from an invisible brace; they don’t have the strength to deal with severe malocclusions. There are lots of ways that invisible braces could be considered to be ‘better’ than traditional wire and bracket designs, but it is dependent on the initial condition of your teeth and which system would work best for you.
Generally speaking, aligners are thought to be more comfortable than train tracks because they have no metal components that might dig into the gums or irritate the soft tissue in the mouth, and they are also gentler on the roots because of their limited movement. Although they can sometimes take a little bit longer to achieve the desired changes, the positive aspects of invisible braces usually outweigh the negative and most patients find that they are pleasantly surprised by how efficient, effective, and comfortable they are.
Pearl Dental Clinic is open 7 days a week from 9am to 9pm. You can book an appointment by calling us on 0208 547 9997 or emailing us or booking an appointment online.