Aligning Expectations: Let’s Compare Braces

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Professional consultant and author Jay Danzie maintains that “Your smile is your logo”. Whether you are a professional person or not, do you dream of a charming and healthy smile to boost your confidence and self-esteem?

When people think of braces, the first thing they picture is a teenager with a mouthful of metal. These days, however, an increasing number of adults are opting for braces too because, regardless of your age and lifestyle, these are great treatment options to straighten your teeth, align your bite and give you a smile to be proud of.

When you get into it and compare braces, you’ll be amazed at just how many options there are to best suit your situation and expectations.

6 Things to Consider Before Getting Braces

We’re sure that you have a lot of questions. Doing your homework is a smart move, and will give you the peace of mind knowing that you’re making the best decision for yourself or your child.

Cost and Treatment Times

The cost and treatment time will depend on the practice you pick to attend to your dental work. In addition, your overall oral health, and whether other issues need to be corrected first, and the type of braces you ultimately choose are all factors.

The average treatment period is around two years, but this can be reduced to as little as six months depending on your expectations and what is possible.

Compare Braces and Choose Correctly

It’s important to carefully consider the type of braces you wish to have for your orthodontic treatment that suits your lifestyle. Use our handy table below to get an idea of what is available and discuss your favourite options with your specialist that will both suit your case, and which will make you feel the most comfortable.

	BEST FOR	CORRECTIVE ACTION	PROS	CONS
TRADITIONAL METAL BRACES	Children, teens and adults	Crowding, spacing, overjet (vertical misalignment), underbite and crossbite	Most affordable option Treats the widest variety of cases from simple to very complex You can choose your elastic colours	Food restrictions Most visible braces
CLEAR CERAMIC BRACES	Teens and adults	Spacing, crowding, overjet, crossbite and underbite	Treats a wide variety of cases Translucent brackets are less noticeable, blending into the teeth Works more quickly than options like Invisalign	Food restrictions
SELF-LIGATING BRACES	Children, teens and adults	Crowding, spacing, overjet, underbite and crossbite	Treats a wide variety of cases Smaller and sleeker brackets Tie-less braces requiring fewer adjustments	Food restrictions Still visible on the teeth
LINGUAL BRACES	Older teens and adults	Mild to moderate crowding, spacing, underbite, crossbite and overjet	Discreet and completely invisible from the outside Customised to your mouth	More expensive than other treatments Results may take longer to achieve Not always appropriate for severe cases More difficult to clean
INVISALIGN & INVISALIGN TEEN	Teens and adults	Crowding, spacing, crossbite, overjet and underbite	Virtually invisible Comfortable smooth plastic aligners Removable aligners for convenience No food restrictions Oral hygiene is simple to maintain	Not always appropriate for severe cases Treatment can take longer

Cleaning your Teeth

When you compare braces and the options available to you, another factor to keep in mind is the ease of looking after your teeth and keeping your mouth healthy while wearing the braces.

Fixed braces tend to have more crevices for food to get stuck in, which could lead to a build-up of bacteria and ultimately cavities. It’s thus important to make sure you floss at least once a day and spend more time brushing the tricky areas. Rinsing your mouth thoroughly with water after you eat and swishing it around in your mouth will also go a long way to keeping your teeth happy.

Food Restrictions

The type of braces you choose will affect what you can or can’t eat. Most sticky or tough and hard foods are a no-go as these can not only damage your braces but can end up lodged in the brackets making it more difficult to clean your teeth properly. Keep this factor in mind when you compare braces, especially if you’d prefer fewer food restrictions.

Temporary Discomfort

While the actual fitting of the braces rarely hurts, the initial phase of your treatment may be uncomfortable. As your teeth start shifting and realigning you will experience some discomfort in the way of pressure, gum and lip sensitivity, and some aching and soreness in general. Once your mouth starts to adapt to the new situation, the pain and discomfort will fade. Discuss pain relief and pain reduction options for the beginning of your braces journey with your specialist.

Retainers are Required after the Fact

To make sure all the work, time and effort that has gone into giving you a straight and stunning smile, you will need to keep your teeth in their new position to make sure they stay that way.

Because your teeth have a memory, as they are moved into their new alignment, they leave behind gaps in the surrounding tissue and bone. This is called mesial drift. Wearing a retainer for a certain number of hours a day for the first 3 to 6 months will help hold your teeth in place while the tissue surrounding them catches up with the shift. After the initial daytime routine, wearing a retainer at night will serve well to maintain your new look for a lifetime.

At Shine Dental, you can be certain that you’ll be in safe hands because we understand how important it is to make every visit to us as pleasant, relaxed and as reassuring as possible.

Please feel free to contact us today on 01422 824 875 to speak to our friendly team and set up an appointment to compare braces and discuss your options.