Everywhere we look in the media, we see film stars, models, influencers, and pop stars with perfect smiles; every tooth is perfectly positioned, gleaming white and looking great. But often, when we look at our own smiles, we just see imperfections.
Crooked, overcrowded, and gappy smiles are common; however, it’s easy to feel like your smile could look better. Aesthetics aside, misaligned smiles also come with health concerns, and it’s often benefial to have your teeth straightened.
Thankfully, we live in an age with plenty of convenient teeth-straightening treatments. From fixed braces to clear aligners, it’s never been easier to get a smile you’ll love. With so many ways to straighten your teeth, which option best suits you?
To help you out, we’ve put together a handy guide to teeth straightening, comparing the braces and aligners available today.
How Do Braces and Aligners Work?
Before we delve into the differences between the treatments on offer, we should quickly look at how braces and aligners work their magic.
Often, the issues we face with the position of our teeth come from the way our jaw forms when we’re young.
Sometimes, we just don’t have enough space on our jaw to support all our teeth, and they get bunched together and become misaligned. Other times, our jaws are too large, and the teeth become spaced out and gappy.
Using gentle pressure against your teeth, a brace or aligner will gradually straighten your smile. This force is either applied through a tight wire fixed to your teeth using brackets or by a carefully designed removable aligner.
The exact length of the teeth straightening process will depend on the treatment used and the extent of your misalignment or bite issues.
What Are the Different Types of Braces and Aligners?
Just a few decades ago, the most common way to straighten your teeth was to have a metal brace fitted. An orthodontist would then tighten the wire periodically throughout your treatment.
While braces are still often used today, many are much better than the traditional appliances used a few decades ago, and there are now plenty of alternative options. Here are some of the options available at Nottingham Smiles.
Damon Braces
Much like traditional fixed appliances, Damon braces use brackets and wires; the main difference is that this treatment uses a special sliding mechanism that makes them more comfortable and easier to adjust. We can even provide a clear option that’s more subtle.
Lingual Braces
You may worry that when you get braces, the world will see them whenever you smile or speak. To solve this issue, lingual braces are fixed on the backs of your teeth. Your brace will work hard to give you the perfect smile, but nobody will know it’s there.
6 Month Smiles
Often, alignment problems are mostly seen in the front teeth. Six Month Smiles is a revolutionary system that focuses on correcting the position of those few front teeth.
This fixed brace system provides noticeable results in half or even a quarter of the time of some orthodontic treatments.
Invisalign Aligners
Invisalign is a brand name that’s loved worldwide. This clear aligner system uses plastic trays to straighten your teeth. The aligner is virtually invisible when it’s in your mouth, meaning most people won’t notice it’s there. Because the aligner is removable, you can take it out when eating.
During your treatment, we’ll replace your aligner every two weeks. Each new aligner is designed to take your treatment closer to the perfect smile.
Inman Aligners
The fast-acting Inman Aligner exerts more force than other aligners, meaning it gets your teeth straighter, quicker. Consisting of a coiled spring and metal plate, these removable appliances are often considered to provide the advantages of both braces and aligners.
Braces and Aligners at Nottingham Smiles
If you have misaligned teeth, we can help you feel comfortable in your smile. With a range of braces and aligners available, we have the perfect appliance for your needs.
Call today to schedule your appointment.
