Your Orthodontic Options For Straighter Teeth In Chelmsford

Our friendly local dentists can help you have a nicer smile with safe, appropriate teeth straightening treatment

Many dental problems can be treated, or corrected, very quickly. Even replacing a full set of missing teeth with new replacement ones can sometimes be done in a single day with the aptly named ‘teeth in a day’ dental implant treatment. There are other issues though that can take longer to resolve and amongst the longest of these are crooked and uneven teeth.

Because treatment has to be gentle so as not to damage the teeth and surrounding bone tissue, straightening teeth can take a year or so to work. This will depend on each situation though and some cosmetic dental braces can work in just a few weeks.

To determine the type of orthodontic method most suitable for you, an examination at Blue Sky Dental in Chelmsford will be necessary and our team is on hand to help!

Modern dental braces

The idea of wearing braces can put some people off having their teeth straightened, leaving them with teeth that are less attractive than they could be. There is also the fact that crooked teeth are much more difficult to keep clean and therefore common problems such as decay may occur more often. Although it is true that some teeth braces do still use wires and brackets to correct the position of your teeth, these are now much more refined and use smaller wires and brackets to achieve their aim. They are also available in white which helps them to blend in much better with your natural teeth, making them significantly less visible.

This method can be used for all teeth straightening issues but is also commonly used where relatively minor cosmetic changes need to be made. This would apply, for example, where the very visible front teeth overlap. Depending on the severity of the problem, this method may only take a few weeks to correct it.

The other method is using clear aligners. These are also very successful at straightening your teeth but abandon the use of wires and brackets altogether. Instead of these, a series of transparent plastic trays are placed over the teeth, with each correcting the problem a little more than the one before. Unlike wire braces, these are removable by the patient which makes it much easier to keep your teeth clean and they can also be taken out when eating, meaning no more awkward issues at the dinner table!

Children and adults

Although it is true that results can generally be achieved faster in children than adults, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have your teeth straightened in your adult years. More and more of us are paying more attention to the way that we look and with cosmetic dentistry now being available to a wider group of people, it probably isn’t surprising that orthodontic treatment is becoming more and more popular.

Some of this may also be due to the wide use of teeth whitening to bring out the best of your smile. There is little point in having this done if it serves largely to highlight crooked teeth. Many patients, once their orthodontic treatment is complete, add the finishing touches with our ‘at-home’ teeth whitening treatment.

The process

Although there are some ‘at home’ orthodontics on the market, we feel that these are best avoided and that personal professional supervision is far preferable to give you the outcome you are looking for. Our Blue Sky Dental team will make sure that your mouth is in good health before any type of brace is fitted. This means treating any instances of decay and making sure that your gums are in good health first.

We will examine your teeth and, in discussion with you, decide upon the best orthodontic system to use for your particular case. Once this has been determined, 3D modelling will be used to take impressions of your teeth and gums so that the braces can be made especially for you.

Once your braces are ready, you will be recalled to our Chelmsford practice for fitting. You will also be offered guidance and advice about how to get the best from them and also how to care for your teeth whilst wearing them. You will also be invited for follow up visits so that we can monitor the progress and make any adjustments necessary. For the best long term results, we may advise you to wear a retainer, often at night, to prevent your teeth from regressing to their previous, and crooked, position.

For more information about teeth straightening or any other cosmetic dental procedure, please call Blue Sky Dental on 01245 211070. Your straight smile journey is just around the corner!