Are you unhappy with the appearance of your smile? Would like to know how to straighten teeth safely and effectively? I have you covered! I’m going to share with you the different types of braces available for improving your teeth so you can have a radiant smile that you’ll be proud to call yours.
If you’re new to braces, you will be amazed at what they can do for your self-esteem and confidence. You don’t have to let your misaligned teeth control you. Thanks to braces, you can look forward to a healthier smile and a better quality of life! You can also make a fashion statement and that is where one question frequently pops up.
How to Straighten Teeth - What Are the Options?
You’ve decided that you would like to have straighter teeth. The problem is, you aren’t sure how to straighten teeth. Well, you’re right where you need to be. I’m going to discuss your best options for straightening teeth so that you know what to expect moving forward.
Regardless of which braces you ultimately decide on, it’s important to listen to your orthodontist and do exactly as they tell you. As long as you are committed to seeing your treatment through to the end, you can expect great results. On the other hand, there are more comfortable options than braces.
Teeth Straightening With Braces
When you meet with your orthodontist to talk about how to fix crooked teeth, you will be presented with different options. Although limited, braces come in a few different styles that are all designed to do the same thing. There are invisible braces such as Byte, or quality braces for adults like Invisalign.
Each set works to realign your crooked teeth so that you are ultimately left with healthy, beautiful teeth. Once you have decided on a specific set of braces, your orthodontist will apply them in a way that provides just the right amount of pressure on your teeth. On the other hand, if your teeth suffer from malocclusion, check out how to fix an overbite, or if your teeth suffer from prognathism, learn how to fix an underbite.
Over time, you can look forward to your misaligned teeth becoming straighter. On average, you’re looking at a timeframe of around two years to complete the dental treatment. Throughout this time, you will come back to see your orthodontist so that adjustments can be made where needed and to check on the status of your treatment.
Different braces types deliver different results. Some may work faster than others. The key is to follow your orthodontist’s directions and take great care of your braces. In some cases, if you do well you can look forward to getting your braces off earlier than expected.
Following removal of your braces, you will be fitted for a retainer for teeth straightening. This orthodontics appliance works to keep your teeth in line so that shifting doesn’t take place.
You will need to wear your retainer as directed if you want to maintain your newly straightened teeth. You will need to wear it often following treatment, but this will decrease as time goes on.
You may get to the point where you only wear it at night while you sleep. Your orthodontist will be able to inform you as to how often you need to be wearing your retainer.
Let’s shift our focus for a moment to explore the different types of braces you are likely to be presented with when you visit your orthodontist. This will prepare you for what’s ahead so that you make the best decision when it comes time to choose your braces.
Ceramic Braces
Like metal braces, ceramic variants are comprised of brackets and wires that work together in your teeth correction. The big difference here, though, is that ceramic braces are less noticeable compared to metal ones.
The brackets are made of clear ceramic material that can be matched up with your natural tooth color. This makes your braces harder to detect, thus improving their aesthetic qualities.
What’s more, the wires in ceramic braces can be made to look like the color of teeth, giving your smile greater appeal while your teeth are straightening.
Lingual (Inside) Braces
If you’ve never heard of lingual braces, don’t feel bad. This teeth straightener option is lesser-known due to its complexity. Instead of getting braces on the front of your teeth, lingual braces go behind your teeth so that they are facing your tongue.
It’s a pretty ingenious way to apply braces, if not somewhat difficult. Because they are only on the back of your teeth, it’s much harder for an orthodontist to work. Room is scarce, making this a treatment option that is limited to the specialists who know how to employ it correctly.
But if you want to know how to get straight teeth in a way that is virtually undetectable, lingual braces are it. You just might have to do some searching to find an orthodontist who offers them.
Clear Aligners
These innovative teeth aligners are quite an achievement. Similar to a mouth guard in its design, clear aligners are one of the best teeth straightening options available today.
Custom-made to fit snugly over your teeth, clear aligners gradually correct the positioning of your teeth through several sets. Since they are clear, your braces won’t be as noticeable as if you were wearing metal braces.
Even better, clear dental aligners work faster than traditional braces, giving you straighter teeth in just 12 to 18 months. That’s half the time it usually takes for metal braces to complete treatment!
Metal Braces
As one of the most conventional methods used in teeth straightening, metal braces are usually one of the more affordable ways to straighten teeth. And thankfully, this option has improved over the years.
At one time, metal teeth braces were big, unsightly, and uncomfortable. Today, however, they are much smaller and easier to wear. In fact, they are considerably less noticeable compared to their counterparts of yesteryear.
Teeth alignment is achieved via the use of wires that work to speed up treatment time while allowing for more comfortable wear.
Can Teeth Be Straightened at Any Age?
As long as your teeth are your permanent ones, absolutely. A young child who still has their baby teeth would obviously be disqualified from getting braces. But an adult who believes they are too old to get braces should have no problem as long as their gums are healthy and strong.
That said, the ideal age for braces lies somewhere between 10 and 14 years old. This is because youths’ teeth are easier to shift with braces. An adult can certainly get braces; it’s just likely to take a bit longer to complete treatment.
When it comes down to it, you’re never too old to improve your dental health. Straighter teeth are healthier, have fewer dental complications, and are easier to clean. But because everyone’s teeth are unique, your treatment plan may be vastly different from someone else’s.
When you meet with your orthodontist for your consultation, they will thoroughly examine your oral status and put together a treatment plan that is tailored specifically for your needs.
When you get braces, regardless of your age, you can trust that you are getting the very best care for your teeth, mouth, and overall dental health.
Why Results Are More Important Than Speed
Braces take time to do their job. Any attempts to expedite your treatment time could result in poor alignment. That’s not to say that you can’t finish your care sooner than expected.
It just means that you need to be patient and allow your braces to work as intended. Anything outside of your orthodontist’s instructions could delay your care or cause problems with your treatment.
Actually, following your given instructions is what can speed up your treatment time. When you listen to your directions and take the very best care of your braces, there’s a good chance you will finish treatment early.
Factors That Affect the Speed of Teeth Straightening
Aside from following directions, there are some other factors that can help along your treatment time. The current condition of your teeth is a great way to tell how your treatment will go.
If your teeth are severely misaligned or crooked, you should expect it to take longer for your braces to make teeth corrections. It’s important to consider how much distance your teeth need to travel until they are straight.
If there is a fair amount of spacing between them, it’s going to take some time to move them into a healthy position. The same is true for overlapped teeth. Just be patient and try your best to allow your treatment to take its natural course.
Your age is another factor that can affect how long it takes to get straight teeth. As we discussed a moment ago, the younger you are, the easier it will be for your braces to complete the task they were designed for.
Speak to the Experts as Soon as Possible
That means it is important to talk with an orthodontist as early as possible. The longer you put off visiting a dentist, the more challenging it will be to straighten your teeth.
Everyone wants to wrap up their treatment time as soon as they can. You can do your part before treatment even starts by taking action now instead of later. It pays to be proactive in your dental care.
By taking the first steps toward healthier teeth, you can look forward to a better dental health and a more beautiful smile.
Aligner trays are tooth colored and barely noticeable to those around you. This means you do not need to feel self-conscious about wearing them. This system is also easily removable so you are not limited in terms of what you can eat. You can take your aligner tray out to chew gum or have some popcorn if you feel like it.