Making the most of your smile

Your smile is a major factor in the impression people get when they meet you.

And the good news is that you now don’t have to settle for a smile spoiled by stained, chipped, or misshapen teeth.

Advances in dental treatment mean there is a wide range of choices to help you get the smile that you want. Here are some of the options:
– Tooth whitening (bleaching) can help brighten teeth that have become discolored or stained. It can be done in the dental office or with a system the dentist can give you to use at home
– Bonding improves the appearance of teeth that have become chipped, broken, cracked or stained. This is done by bonding tooth-colored materials to the tooth surface
– Enamel shaping involves modifying teeth to improve their appearance by removing or contouring enamel
– Veneers are thin custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front side of teeth. They are used to treat spaces between teeth and teeth that are chipped, stained or poorly shaped.
– Braces may be needed if teeth are crooked, crowded or do not meet properly – and not just for kids

Even small changes can have a big impact on your smile and so make a huge difference to how you look and how you feel about yourself.

If you’d like an even better smile, your dentist will be able to give you information about the options available.

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Invisalign: The Clear Choice for Straighter Teeth

Invisalign is a popular alternative to traditional metal braces for those seeking a straighter smile. This clear aligner system uses a series of custom-made clear aligners to gradually shift teeth into the desired position.

One of the main advantages of Invisalign is its nearly invisible appearance, making it an ideal option for those who want to straighten their teeth without the noticeable look of metal braces. The aligners are made from a clear, BPA-free plastic that fits snugly over your teeth.

In addition to their discreet appearance, Invisalign aligners are also removable, which allows for more flexibility in eating, drinking, and cleaning your teeth. However, it's important to wear the aligners for the recommended 22 hours per day to achieve optimal results.

The Invisalign treatment process begins with a consultation with an experienced orthodontist who will evaluate your teeth and create a custom treatment plan. The orthodontist will take impressions of your teeth and use computer imaging technology to create a 3D model of your smile. From there, a series of aligners will be created specifically for your teeth.

Every few weeks, you will switch to a new set of aligners that will gradually shift your teeth into the desired position. While the length of treatment varies depending on the individual, most Invisalign treatments take between 12-18 months.

Overall, Invisalign is a convenient and effective option for those seeking a discreet way to straighten their teeth. With the ability to remove the aligners for eating and cleaning, and their nearly invisible appearance, Invisalign allows you to achieve a straighter, healthier, and more confident smile with minimal disruption to your daily life.

Adult Orthodontics: Improving Your Smile at Any Age

Adult orthodontics is becoming increasingly popular as more and more adults are seeking to improve the appearance and function of their teeth. While many people believe that orthodontic treatment is only for children and teenagers, it's never too late to improve your smile.

Adult orthodontics can address a variety of issues, including crowded or crooked teeth, overbites, underbites, and gaps between teeth. There are several options for adults who want to straighten their teeth, including traditional metal braces, clear braces, and clear aligners.

While traditional metal braces are still a popular choice, many adults prefer clear braces or aligners because they are less noticeable and more comfortable to wear. Clear braces work in the same way as traditional braces but are made of a clear material that blends in with your teeth. Clear aligners are custom-made to fit your teeth and gradually move them into the desired position.

In addition to improving the appearance of your smile, orthodontic treatment can also improve your oral health. Straight teeth are easier to clean, which can help prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

If you're considering adult orthodontic treatment, it's important to find an experienced orthodontist who can assess your individual needs and recommend the best course of treatment for you. With the wide range of options available, you can achieve a straighter, healthier, and more confident smile at any age.

Living with Braces

While modern braces can be comfortable and inconspicuous, there are some extra steps you can take in your central hygiene to look after them better.

Firstly, you need to continue brushing your teeth regularly – your dentist will show you the best approach.

You should also continue flossing daily and making regular visits to the dentist.

When you wear braces, it’s especially useful to limit any snacks between meals.

There are also some foods that your dentist may advise you to avoid such as nuts, popcorn, hard candy, chewing gum or caramel.

Some of these may interfere with braces or accidentally bend the wires.

When you wear braces, you can still enjoy sports and other leisure activities.

Your dentist may recommend a protective mouth guard to cut any risk of injury to the mouth or jaw.

When you follow good oral hygiene practices, you can continue to wear braces comfortably while making a big difference to your smile and your dental health.

Different types of dental braces

Though many people still picture a “mouthful of metal” when they think of braces, there are now many more options available.

Dental braces work by applying pressure to the teeth so that they move gradually into a new position.

The pressure usually comes from a metal wire attached to tiny brackets placed on each tooth.

These brackets are what used to create the “metal mouth”.

However modern brackets are much smaller and are glued on the front of each tooth.

Added pressure is applied to the teeth using rubber bands called ligatures.

They can be made to look more attractive using different colors or gimmicks.

In addition to the much-improved traditional braces, there are now many more options:

• Mini Braces: Smaller than traditional braces
• Clear Braces: Porcelain braces with tooth-colored brackets
• Lingual Braces: Placed behind the teeth to be less noticeable
• Removable Braces: Similar to mouthguards and made of clear plastic

Whichever types of braces you choose, they all work in the same way and help you have straighter teeth which leads to better dental health and a great smile.

How braces look good

Braces are orthodontic appliances that can help straighten out crooked and crowded teeth.

As well as making you look better, they can help improve your dental health.

Many people have been put off wearing them because of how they look but modern braces can be very inconspicuous.

One way of making them inconspicuous is by having the brackets – the part that attaches to each tooth – fixed to the back of the tooth.

The brackets can be also be made in many different materials such as metal, ceramic or plastic so they can be more attractive or less visible.

They can also be designed to appear less noticeable – say be being clear or tooth-colored.

You can also choose to have them in virtually any color. You can even have them gold-plated or glowing in the dark.

Some people like to have their braces shaped in as something distinctive such as a heart or a football.

What an orthodontist can do for you

Orthodontic treatment is about straightening out crooked and crowded teeth and may use special appliances such as braces.

While most dentists can deal with minor orthodontic problems, they will often refer patients to an orthodontist for more specialist care.

Orthodontists are dentists with additional training and they specialize in the treatment of dental and facial irregularities.

One of the key aspects of orthodontics is straightening teeth and correcting jaw alignment.

This can be done through braces, corrective procedures and other ‘appliances’.

There are two types of braces:

• Removable: The patient can take these out of their mouth at any time
• Fixed Braces: These are worn all the time and have to be removed by a dentist

The length of time a person needs to wear braces varies depending on the condition but most people wear braces for between one and three years.

After the braces are no longer needed, the person usually need to wear a ‘retainer’ for some time that holds teeth in their new position.

Modern braces are much more comfortable than ever and usually require fewer adjustments than older apparatus.

Myths about orthodontists

Here is the truth on some common myths about orthodontists

Myth – Any dentist can straighten my teeth.
Truth – An orthodontist is a specialist at straightening teeth with two or three years of additional training after dental school.
They usually see hundreds of orthodontic patients a year where some family dentists may see only a handful.

Myth – Only children wear braces
Truth – Around 20% of orthodontic patients are adults

Myth – You only need to see an orthodontist for very complex cases.
Truth – Orthodontists have wide experience and deal with all types of orthodontic issue. However, their wide experience means they know exactly what to do in the most complex cases.

Myth – Seeing an orthodontist is more expensive than going to a general dentists for orthodontic treatment.
Truth – They are usually doing different work. An orthodontist offers value as an expert, highly experienced professional with specific training in this field.

Myth – Braces are painful and take years to work
Fact – Like a new pair of shoes, braces are perfectly comfortable after an initial ‘breaking in’ or adjustment period. Braces can get results after just a few months.

Myth – Braces are ugly and embarrassing in business settings.
Truth – Today braces can be made from clear plastic and can be nearly invisible. They can also be mounted on the back side of the teeth so that they are not visible.

Mothers Like Braces Better

The vast majority of modern mothers believe braces today are much cooler than when they were young.

In a study for the American Association of Orthodontists, 86 percent of mothers said braces are cooler today than when they were kids and 69% said wearing braces makes their children feel cool.

The vast majority – 81 percent – said their children’s experience with orthodontic treatment was either positive or extremely positive.

One of the factors making braces better today is the range of different color options available so that children can choose the look they want.

This makes the kids feel better about their orthodontic treatment.

Even though the mothers feel braces are cooler today, most – 78 percent – of those who had braces theselves as a child feel it was a great investment by their parents.

Most feel comfortable about visits to the orthodontist and 81 percent rated their child’s experience of visiting the orthodontist as positive or extremely positive.

Entertaining video games and music help children enjoy their visits to the orthodontist while computer software that predicts how they will look after treatment keeps them motivated.

Five ways an orthodontist could help you and your children

Orthodontists are specially-trained dentists who can give you a better smile.

They do this by bringing the teeth, jaw bones and facial profile into proper alignment.

Here are five ways they could help you or your family:

• Straightening your teeth to cut the risk of decay and gum disease
• Enhancing your appearance to boost your self-esteem
• Correcting protruding or misaligned teeth to get rid of speech problems
• Treating jaw joint difficulties known as TMJ
• Correcting jaw problems

An orthodontist will give you a full oral examination looking not just at the teeth but also at surrounding structures, jaw joints, facial aesthetics, muscular functions and speech patterns.

There are several options after this examination.

Sometimes – for example in younger children – it is too soon to do anything so they might advise coming back in a few months.

As the majority of a child’s facial growth happens before age 10, early treatment can deliver results without needing to have teeth extracted and may mean less time with braces.

When most of the adult teeth have erupted, it is possible to re-align the teeth into the desired position.

Although you get the best results by going to see an orthodontist as early as possible they can help people of any age.

Why Straighten Your Teeth?

If you don’t have straight teeth, you might wonder if you need to do anything about it.

Straight teeth have psychological and physiological benefits.

Straight teeth can help you bite, chew and speak better. They also contribute to healthy teeth and gums.

Properly aligned teeth and jaws may also alleviate or prevent physical health problems.

Having straight teeth enhances your smile and makes you look better.

An attractive smile enhances your self-esteem, self-confidence and self-image.

Orthodontic treatment can improve your appearance by bringing teeth, lips and face into proportion.

It can therefore be a step towards greater social and career success and can help you enjoy life more.

Straight teeth therefore work better and make you look better.

People with beautiful smiles therefore have a lot to be happy about.

What is Orthodontics?

Orthodontics is a special branch of dentistry that focuses on the treatment of teeth and jaws that are misaligned.

The word comes from the Greek words orthos meaning straight or proper, and odont meaning tooth.

It is concerned with the treatment of malocclusions or improper bites. These may arise from tooth irregularity, problems with the jaw or both.

You may seek orthodontic treatment for cosmetic reasons or for health reasons.

Cosmetic reasons are usually due to feeling low self esteem due to the appearance of your mouth or smile.

However more serious heath problems can include difficulties chewing, which can lead to digestion problems.

Issues with the alignment of your teeth and jaws can also cause sleep and breathing problems such as snoring or sleep apnea.

In addition, some orthodontists work on reconstructing the entire face rather than focusing exclusively on teeth.

Orthodontic treatment will depend on the diagnosis of the orthodontist after taking x-rays and molds.

The treatment may include braces or other devices to realign teeth. In sever cases, surgery may be needed.

Some estimates say that more than half the US population has problems with misaligned teeth or jaws so orthodontics plays an important role.

How Dental Braces Work

Dental braces are orthodontic devices which help realign the position of your teeth.

They may be used if you have bite problems (also called malocclusions), crooked teeth, gaps or other problems with your teeth.

Although they are mainly used on children and teenagers – as treatment is easier when you are still growing – adults can also benefit from braces.

Braces are made up of three basic parts:

• Brackets
• Bonding (or band)
• Arch wire

The way braces work is that the teeth are moved through the use of force – the wires in the braces push the tooth in the desired direction.

When this happens, there is a biological response which leads to bone remodeling. Bone is created on one side and resorbed on the other side.

A tooth will usually move about a millimeter per month during orthodontic treatment but there are big variations depending on the individual and the exact treatment.

The Pros and Cons of Invisalign Braces

Invisalign braces have become popular as an alternative to traditional braces as they are cosmetically more appealing.

They are known as “invisible braces” but they actually work in a very different way to the traditional approach.

Rather than using brackets and wires, Invisalign uses aligners to move your teeth into new positions.

These aligners are clear and removable.

In order to use the Invisalign approach, you will have X-rays and molds taken which are then used to help an orthodontist plan your treatment.

The Invisalign aligners are built specifically for your mouth and each aligner is meant to be worn for two weeks. You then move on to the next aligner and the whole process can take about one year.

Pros
Virtually invisible so only you know you are wearing them

Easier to clean than traditional braces

More comfortable than traditional braces so less risk of irritation

Removable so can be taken out for eating or just for a break

Cons
Can be more expensive than traditional braces

Won’t work for everybody

Must follow instructions exactly

Teeth are still being moved so some chance of pain

A Quick History of Orthodontics

While you may think braces are a modern invention, the fact is people have been using devices to move their teeth since the early days.

Archaeologists have discovered mummified remains where there were metal bands wrapped around individual teeth.

As far back as 500 BC, Hippocrates and Aristotle were both talking about ways to straighten teeth and fix various dental conditions.

However, despite all the evidence from early times, it was around the 1700s before the most significant developments began to happen in orthodontics.

In 1728, French Dentist Pierre Fauchard published a book called the “The Surgeon Dentist” with an entire chapter on ways to straighten teeth. He used a horseshoe-shaped metal device to help expand the arch.

While teeth straightening has been practiced since early times, orthodontics did not really begin as a science in its own right until the mid-1800s.

Norman W. Kingsley wrote the first article on orthodontics in 1858 and J. N. Farrar was the first dentist to suggest the use of mild force at timed intervals to move teeth.

In the early 1900s, Edward H. Angle devised the first simple classification system for malocclusions, which is still used today as a way for dentists to describe how teeth fit together.

In the early 20th century, gold, platinum and silver were routinely used in braces and the bands wrapped entirely around the each tooth. They continued to wrap around the teeth until the mid 1970s, when direct bonding became possible.

In the 1070s, systems were developed to place braces on the inside surfaces of the teeth – lingual or invisible braces.

In the future, it seems likely that braces will be smaller, less visible, more comfortable and will be needed for much shorter periods of time.

Common Questions About Braces

Here are the answers to some common questions about what it like to have braces

What is it like having braces?,
When you have braces, you will probably find your mouth sore for a few days. It can also be uncomfortable when the braces are tightened. However, most of the time you probably won’t even notice them.

Do braces hurt?
It can depend on which type you choose but usually modern braces will not hurt except for the first few days or when they are tightened.

While the manufacturers are always looking for ways to make them more comfortable, a little discomfort at the beginning is still common. You will be able to take some painkillers if necessary. The pain may be greater if you start orthodontic treatment when you are an adult.

Will it be embarrassing to wear braces?
Over 70% of teenagers wear braces and therefore most people have some experience of them so there is no need to feel embarrassed. If you start treatment when you are an adult, the proportion of people wearing braces is lower but you will still find most people supportive.

Will braces cause sores in my mouth?
Sometimes you might experience sores on your lips in the first few days. These can easily be rinsed in water or special solution and will usually heal within a week or so. You can also put wax on the braces to prevent the braces from rubbing and irritating the sore.

How long does orthodontic treatment take?
It varies a lot depending on exactly what changes need to happen in your mouth. When started young it may last a few months. From the age of 12, it can take a year or two and perhaps more for adults. However it depends very much on your personal situation and your orthodontists will be able to advise you.

What are Braces and How do They Work?

Braces are devices which are used to straighten teeth, correct bite problems and fix irregular teeth.

They are made of three basic parts:

• Brackets
• Bonding (or band)
• Arch wire

The bonding is used to fix the brackets to the teeth.

The arch wire goes through the brackets and is held in place with small rubber bands.

The brackets and arch wire work together to move the teeth into new positions to straighten the teeth.

The arch wire works by putting pressure on the brackets to help move the teeth into the desired new position.

When pressure is applied to your teeth like this, they loosen slightly from the gums. Bone grows in to support the tooth in its new position but this takes time so the process needs to be done slowly.

That’s why you may have to wear braces for about two years and adjustments are only made every few weeks.

The arch wires work because they want to keep their original shape and will exert a great deal of pressure to do this. It is the combination of this aim of the arch wire and the person’s body heat that puts pressure on the teeth.

Braces are not always enough on their own to complete the task so the orthodontist may also use rubber bands or other devices to help pull the teeth in the correct direction.

After you have finished with the braces, you may need to wear a Retainer for a few months to hold the teeth in position until the bone has fully grown into place.

Overcoming Problems with Braces

Most people get used to braces quickly and wear them for as long as they need to with no problems.

However, occasional problems can arise and taking the right steps enables you to resolve them quickly.

Here are some examples of problems that may arise.

Allergic Reaction: Some people can have an allergic reaction to the elastic or the metal used in braces. Alternative materials can normally be used so it is important to let your orthodontist know of any allergies.

Mouth Sores: There may be irritation due to some parts of the braces. This is more commons in the early stages but there are many products available such as oral rinses and dental wax that help heal sores quickly.

Build Up of Plaque: It is important to keep up your regular oral care routine of brushing and flossing to prevent food building up around braces as this can lead to build up of plaque which can cause tooth decay and bad breath.

Damaged Braces: Braces can be damaged if not cared for properly. Certain hard or sticky foods can cause damage as can mouth injuries when playing sports. If damage occurs frequently, it can mean the treatment takes longer.

Arch Wire Movement: If the arch wire becomes displaced, it can cause irritation and mouth ulcers. Dental wax helps but it is usually best to have the damage fixed by an orthodontist.

Discomfort: Pain and discomfort may occur after first installation and also after any adjustments but these usually pass quickly.

Adult Braces and Self esteem

A lot of effort is made to help teenagers feel better about having braces.

However as around 70% of teenagers need braces, it’s a very common experience.

Yet adults can also need braces and it is less common amongst their peers so adults often have more issues about what other people think of them when they go to work and to social events with braces.

Feedback suggests many men feel a bit geeky with braces while women often feel unattractive.

Of course, some adults don’t care what other people think but many do.

The fact is the braces may seem like a big deal for you, especially at first because they are in your mouth. However, most other people barely notice or may just mention it in passing.

Many adults wore braces as kids or have kids who are in braces.

They are likely to be sympathetic and may even admire you for taking action to improve your appearance.

Several high profile actors and musicians have also worn braces as adults and this makes it much easier.

Of course, you may need to be prepared to answer questions – especially when some people meet you for the first time. So you may need a plan for dealing with certain events such as important business meetings.

What Adult Orthodontic Treatment Feels Like

The early stages of orthodontic treatment can be a little harder for adult patients than for teenagers.

Teenagers have the benefit of getting treatment while they are still growing and their mouth is more flexible.

In some cases, adults will need to have teeth removed or will require surgery to expand their jaw to make room for moving the teeth. This may not be fun but anaesthetics and painkillers make this a short-term concern compared to the long-term benefits.

When the orthodontist actually puts in your braces, your mouth may be tender for a few days though this should clear up quickly.

Beyond that, the only time you are likely to notice your braces is when you have them tightened.

Some adults say that they feel like their teeth have come loose at the beginning.

The reason is that when you are older your teeth are more firmly anchored into your jaw.

The orthodontist needs to loosen the little filaments that anchor your teeth before the teeth will move.

This can mean your teeth feel loose. However, the feeling is no reason for concern. They will tighten again after the orthodontic treatment.

Beyond that, the basics of orthodontic treatment are the same at any age. Your mouth will feel tender for a few days after you first get the braces and you will experience some discomfort when your braces are tightened.