What are Your Options to Straighten Your Teeth?

Many people want to show white, properly aligned teeth when they smile. It can be their pride and joy. It enhances their beauty and makes them feel confident when talking with other people.

It is one reason why people spend a lot of money on dental services, including having braces to correct a slight misalignment of their teeth. Parents are particularly concerned when their children have a bad bite (malocclusion), overcrowded, overlapping or crooked teeth.

Wearing braces can correct the problem some people have with their teeth. And today, more options are available.

Visiting a dentist to straighten your teeth 

If you have a problem with the alignment of your teeth, you should visit a dental professional. At the same time, various treatments are available, including clear braces, hidden braces, clear aligners, removable aligners, 6-month orthodontics, and conventional braces. The treatments most people prefer today are clear aligners and traditional braces. Like any other treatment, each type of dental treatment has its set of pros and cons.

Wearing traditional braces

If you are given a choice, which type of dental treatment will you prefer? Here are some things you should know about braces.

If you have bad tooth alignment, traditional braces are the better option. The treatment typically produces excellent results. However, braces cannot be removed until the desired results are achieved. Many people complain that they cannot clean their teeth properly when they have braces. But some tools can help clean your teeth.

The braces are fixed because the elastic ligatures that the dentist uses gradually move the teeth into their proper position. Since the teeth are moving, removing the braces will interrupt the process. The period of treatment using traditional braces depends on the severity of the problem. For minor cases, it could take between six and twelve months. Other treatments can last from 18 to 24 months. The treatment for more difficult cases, particularly for adults, can last for 36 months.

Parents often choose traditional braces because their child cannot remove the device. Further, traditional braces exert pressure on all sides of the teeth, ensuring that the correction is complete.

Wearing clear aligners

A modern method to align teeth is to use a clear aligner, such as Invisalign, a registered trademark. The device is a removable dental tray made from medical grade plastic that fits your teeth exactly. Only a professional dentist can perform the treatment.

The dental technician takes a 3D impression of your teeth and creates the aligner, which will go over your teeth. The tray, which will be slightly different from the previous one, is replaced every two weeks, so the movement of your teeth will be gradual.  

One of the great things about Invisalign is its availability. With so many professional dentists extolling the benefits of this device, you needn’t travel far to have them fitted. If you are in Gloucestershire, for instance, then finding a clinic that offers Invisalign in Cheltenham is easier than ever before.

The advantages of using a clear aligner are that it is barely noticeable, and you can eat whatever type of food you like without issue. You can also easily remove it so you can brush your teeth.

However, the last aspect is a disadvantage because the constant removal will interrupt the movement of your teeth into the proper position. Likewise, it can be two times more expensive than traditional metal braces.

Whatever option you choose, make sure that you follow your dentist's instructions so you can achieve the permanent results you want.