Orthodontic Treatment For Straighter, Healthier Teeth
Modern dental braces – for a more attractive smile and healthier mouth too!
Cosmetic dentistry has really taken off in popularity in the last decade or two. This may well be due to it being highlighted and promoted by celebrities and social media ‘influencers’, but it has certainly improved the lives of many patients who have come to our Bedford dental practice feeling very unhappy about the way that their teeth looked. Although some people may still feel a little nervous about undergoing a dental procedure, the promise of a beautiful smile has helped people receive even more complex treatments like implants and veneers.
There is one treatment which still poses a challenge for some patients though and that is for those who have a crooked or uneven smile. Even a teeth whitening procedure won’t do a lot to improve the patient’s smile in this situation and may well serve to highlight the fact that the teeth are crooked. In order to achieve the smile that you want, the teeth will first need to be straightened using orthodontics (braces).
Dental braces
Telling a patient that they need to wear orthodontics often evokes memories of people at school who were bullied and teased because of the visible dental braces that they had to wear. Given that braces often have to be worn for a year or more, it is understandable that some people are deterred from having this treatment. The good news for patients of The Dental Centre Bedford though is that braces have changed a lot over the years and we think you will be delighted at the improvement in design and the benefits that they provide for your teeth and your convenience!
Minor teeth straightening issues
There are two ‘new style’ orthodontic systems that we use to help our patients have a more even smile. The first of these tends to be used for what we would call minor adjustments to the ‘social six’ teeth. These are the six teeth at the front of the mouth, top and bottom, that are most visible when we smile. Even a small adjustment here can make significant improvements to the way that you look when you smile. Whether your teeth have overlapped slightly or are perhaps a little crooked, this is usually a fast acting treatment that can achieve its aim in around six to eight weeks. Your dentist will be able to advise you on this in more detail during your consultation.
To treat these teeth, we generally use dental braces that are, in some ways, similar to the braces that most people know. These cosmetic teeth braces do use wires and brackets in the traditional way, but the fact that the treatment time is relatively short and the wires and brackets are now made from finer and teeth coloured materials means that this is a small sacrifice to be made if you want to improve your smile.
Significant repositioning of the teeth
Not all adjustments that need to be made are minor. Where this is the case, the treatment is likely to take significantly longer and could be as long as a year or more. While the previously mentioned cosmetic braces are fine for a shorter time, wearing them for longer periods could prove to be more of a challenge and can even affect the health of your teeth and gums as food and bacteria can become trapped in the wiring and brackets. Orthodontics are still required to straighten your teeth though, and fortunately very discreet alternatives are now available including the likes of the Invisalign system.
What is Invisalign?
The Invisalign orthodontic system provides a new way to straighten your teeth. Like all ‘braces’, it works by applying gentle pressure on the teeth in question, coaxing them gradually and gently towards the desired position. Unlike traditional braces though, no wires or brackets are used.
Instead of the old approach, Invisalign and similar systems use a series of transparent trays that are made from a medical grade plastic. These are very discreet and barely visible when you wear them, making this a popular approach for obvious reasons. The trays are made following scans that are taken of your teeth and each tray is worn for a short period of time before being replaced by the next tray. Each of these trays progressively moves your teeth a little more until your smile is nice and even.
While the main benefit for a lot of people is their ‘invisibility’, they also offer the fantastic benefit of being removable by the patient. While this should be done sparingly, as removing them too often or for too long would slow down the treatment time, they are meant to be removed when you are eating and when you clean your teeth. Invisalign users then, can eat what they like without any awkward moments as there are no wires for the food to become trapped in and cleaning your teeth becomes much easier too.
Whiter teeth
Going back to where we started, there is little point in having your teeth whitened if they are crooked and unsightly. Once this has been corrected by one of the methods just mentioned though, it is a great time to have them whitened. This straightforward and non-invasive treatment will enable you to have not only a nice even smile but a much brighter and whiter one too!
If you would like to find out how we can help you correct a crooked or uneven smile, why not get in touch to arrange an initial consultation with one of our cosmetic dentists? You can do this by calling The Dental Centre Bedford today on 01234 819868. We looking forward to meeting you to start your new smile journey.