Invisible Braces

My teeth aren’t straight, how can I fix them?

There are lots of ways you can straighten your teeth, some that can do the job without actually moving the natural teeth – such as veneers – and others that involve gradually shifting the teeth to form a more desirable smile – such as traditional orthodontics or invisible braces. It really depends on several factors; how much time you’re prepared to invest in a new smile, how many of your natural teeth you would like to keep, and what sort of budget you have available to you.

Lots of adults in the UK are not happy with the appearance of their teeth, whether they’re crooked, badly spaced, or just all over the place! Some people can get used to having a unique smile, but there’s no shame in wanting to fix something that’s detrimental to your self-confidence.

What are invisible braces?

Invisible braces are a simple, discreet way of straightening your teeth; they consist of a clear shield that is placed over the teeth in order to gently realign them to a more aesthetically pleasing finish. Most people who consider some type of orthodontics will have a picture of traditional braces in mind, which are known for their ‘train-track’ appearance and are very hard to ignore, although invisible braces work in the same way, they are much easier to look after and almost impossible to spot in everyday life. Their popularity is growing steadily, and thousands of patients at the Pearl Dental Clinic will be only too happy to praise the service and treatment of the surgery. In particular, adults who have been worried about orthodontic procedures in the past – perhaps due to social standing – can take advantage of this invisible fixture that can make a big difference to their teeth, without worrying about what the general public will think.

Are they any good?

Invisible braces are more in demand than ever, primarily because they are highly successful at realigning teeth, but also because they take much less time to achieve great results. Some sets of invisible braces have been known to give the same outcome as traditional metal fixtures in half the time. Rather than taking several years to carry out the treatment, invisible braces can take only a few months.

They look better, they work better, and they are much easier to look after and clean because they are removable. Metal braces are notoriously difficult to keep clean and can irritate the gums, but there are no such problems with invisible braces because of their temporary nature. You can taken them out when you’re eating or you need to clean them, they have to be worn between twenty and twenty two hours of the day for them to have maximum effect, but they’re so much easier to live with if you know you can remove them from time to time.

Essentially, invisible braces use the same principles as normal orthodontics to straighten the teeth, i.e. they gradually move the teeth by applying constant pressure to them, but they don’t use wires or bars, and they aren’t nearly as obvious or obstructive. The clear tray is almost impossible to spot and this is what makes them such a popular choice with patients today.

It’s also much more likely that you will get the result you’re after if you invest in some invisible braces, this is because the process is carried out to precision measurements that have been calculated by a computer – there’s very little guesswork involved, unlike with metal ‘train tracks’. Invisible braces will fit the teeth to the millimetre and are manufactured to push them at exactly the right angle in order to align them perfectly.

Are they suitable for everyone?

Most patients will find that they can solve their dental problems with a set of invisible braces, however there are some cases where they are not appropriate. Large gaps in between teeth, crowding, crossing, and a dysfunctional bite are all issues that can be helped with invisible braces to some degree, unfortunately if there is a large amount of movement required it’s not always in the best interest of the patient to fit them with a set.

Patients with teeth that are still growing can also make good candidates for invisible braces, as can people who have already undergone orthodontic treatment – the clear shields are good at keeping the relocated teeth in their new position, to prevent them shifting back to where they were originally.

If you decide invisible braces are for you, you will have to be prepared to wait at least eight months to a year to see the finished result. This time frame is significantly shorter than that of traditional braces, but sometimes people don’t realise that precision orthodontics takes time to perfect. You will most likely be given more than one set of braces to compensate for the changes in your teeth, these are usually provided after a few weeks have passed and the current appliance has done it’s job.

Are there any drawbacks?

Because the braces have been redesigned and improved over the past few decades, there are really not too many negative points that could put you off. The treatment is effective, reliable, and simple to understand. Providing you listen to your dentist and wear the retainer for the required amount of time, your teeth should be beautiful straight before you know it. If you have a teenage child undergoing treatment, you should keep a close eye on them and make sure they take care of their invisible braces; they’re easy to forget about if you’ve taken them out to eat – mainly because they’re invisible!

The only concern that most people have is the price, it’s likely to be a little bit more expensive than traditional metal braces, but it’s procedure that’s worth the extra money. The shorter, easier, more comfortable treatment is really what you’re paying for, not to mention the fact that you’ll be left with a beautiful, natural smile at the end of it – with all your own teeth.