Teeth Straightening With ‘Invisible’ Braces

Modern orthodontics helping Chelmsford patients to have straight teeth more discreetly

If there is one thing that tends to put people off having their teeth straightened, it is the thought of having to wear dental braces. When we think of this, we tend to think of the more traditional style braces that were made from dark coloured materials and were very visible when worn.

Perhaps unsurprisingly then, a large number of people would probably choose not to have these unless their teeth were very crooked. The idea of wearing braces to correct a small problem such as a minor overlapping of the teeth, would almost be out of the question, often leaving an attractive smile spoiled by this small issue.

These days, things have changed. Teeth braces are now available using methods that mean you can wear them but they are barely detectable by those around you. There are even new systems which do away with wires and brackets altogether. You can’t simply pick these off the shelf though as different systems are designed for different purposes, and if you have crooked teeth that you want to have straightened, you will need to have a consultation at Blue Sky Dental to determine which is the most appropriate system for your need.

Transparent tray orthodontics

The newer type of orthodontic can be seen in popular brands such as Invisalign. This is a very popular way of straightening teeth but which is often used where significant correction needs to take place, including the less visible teeth at the side and rear of the mouth. This system doesn’t use wires and brackets but uses a series of transparent trays which fit over your teeth. Each tray is designed to move the teeth a little more than the previous one, with each one being worn for a short while before being replaced with the next in the series.

These trays are custom produced for each individual. This not only ensures that it works to correct your own specific crooked teeth issue, but also helps to make them more comfortable for you to wear. As this type of teeth straightening often takes a year or more, this additional comfort factor is important for a lot of patients.

This type of orthodontic system is also very convenient and helps you to keep your teeth and gums in good health too. Although they are made to be worn for twenty hours or more a day, they are also designed so that you can remove them when you are eating and for cleaning your teeth. This means that you can eat without the problems associated with traditional braces, and also not getting food trapped in them. The fact that you can brush and floss your teeth and gums as usual also means that you should not only have a straighter smile once the treatment is complete, but a healthy set of teeth and gums as well.

Inman aligners

Sometimes, a patient comes to our Chelmsford dental clinic with teeth that are nice and even except for a small issue such as a single crooked tooth or a gap between two teeth which they feel detracts from their smile and often makes them feel self-conscious. In situations like this, Invisalign and similar solutions might not be the most appropriate technique.

There are now a number of orthodontic solutions for situations like this. These are sometimes referred to as ‘cosmetic orthodontics’ as they are designed predominantly for aesthetic improvements. One popular system that we use at Blue Sky Dental is the Inman Aligner. This is a removable orthodontic which uses coiled springs to power opposite bows. If that doesn’t really make much sense to you, we have an excellent explanatory video on the orthodontics page of our website.

As with Invisalign, the Inman Aligner is removable for eating and cleaning your teeth. Unlike Invisalign and similar systems, they can act much quicker due to the fact that they are usually used for cosmetic improvements of the ‘social six’ teeth; the six teeth at the top and bottom which are revealed when we smile. The length of time taken to correct these issues will depend on the extent of your problem. Our cosmetic dentists will be able to give you a guide as to how long it will take but it could be just a few weeks, though more significant correction could take up to eighteen weeks. This is a short period of time though to give you the benefit of having an attractive and even smile.

We understand that people now not only want to have a healthy mouth, but a great looking smile too. Orthodontics are just one of the ways that we can help you to achieve this. We can also offer teeth whitening,  veneers and implants amongst others. If you have an aesthetic smile issue that you would like to find a solution to, why not make an appointment to discuss this with one of our cosmetic team. You can make an appointment by calling Blue Sky Dental on 01245 211070.