For most people, dental braces conjure images of a kid’s mouth filled with metal. This has significantly affected the decision making of patients who need them not just for aesthetic reasons, but also for dental health reasons. Most of the patients seen in dental care nowadays with misaligned or crooked teeth, gaps, and overjets are adults. This is primarily because more parents are starting their kids’ dental visits early and preventing most of these issues ahead of time.
You might assume that a dental implant specialist based in Scottsdale, AZ is the only dentist you will need in adulthood. This misconception stems from the assumption that only missing teeth are detrimental to an adult’s oral health and dental functionality. Crooked and misaligned teeth, overbites, and gaps nonetheless also affect your oral health. This is because they make it hard to clean your teeth and increase their susceptibility to a range of gum and tooth diseases. They also negatively impact your smile and will often affect your overall self-esteem. Thankfully there are invisible braces that will correct these issues without affecting your look. Here are tidbits on your available alternatives.
Ceramic Braces
These feature composite material for their brackets, unlike the metallic brackets used in the past. The brackets are connected by ligatures that are often also the same color as your teeth. The ceramic brackets in these braces are larger compared to traditional metal braces, but they are brittle. To this end, the dentist might not apply as much force to move your teeth into their desired positions. Therefore, treatments with ceramic braces might take a bit longer compared to when using metal braces.
Lingual Braces
While traditional braces are installed on the front ends of teeth, lingual braces are installed on the back of your teeth. They, like conventional braces, will have bracket and wire systems for moving your teeth. Lingual braces can treat more conditions compared to ceramic and clear braces and are easier to use for those who play wind instruments. They are, however, the most expensive invisible braces and are relatively difficult to adjust.
Clear Aligners
Invisalign is the most common brand name used for clear braces. These are removable ceramic or plastic trays that place low pressure on your teeth to move them over time. Clear aligners will take time to move teeth into their perfect alignment, depending on your issue, and you will need to change them frequently. Even so, it is easy to brush and floss your teeth when using them.
Tieless Orthodontic Systems
These are self-ligating braces that use archwire technology for the movement of your teeth. The technology employs a slide mechanism. This mechanism automatically moves with the braces’ memory wires and clear brackets as your teeth align. Tieless orthodontic systems align teeth fast, will need minimal dental visits, and place minimum pressure on your teeth, making them comfortable.
With these alternatives, you need not live with crooked teeth. Though expensive in the past, dental technology has improved and made the installation and fabrication of these braces inexpensive. To this end, they are within reach of nearly all budgets.