Can you straighten your teeth without braces?

Our teeth are very important features when it comes to appearance and whether young or old, they can be a cause for insecurity. After all, when we smile, we want to feel confident and show our smile to the world, not feel self-conscious about having crooked teeth or an improper bite. If you are longing for straighter teeth but aren’t keen on the idea of traditional braces, there are alternative treatments available

Reasons to straighten your teeth

Orthodontic treatment has come a long way, with many treatment options today designed to be as unobtrusive and practical as possible, like Invisalign to name but one example. This means that you can seek relatively simple treatment for crooked teeth without much inconvenience to your everyday life. Another main benefit of straightening your teeth is your increased confidence when smiling. However, straightening your teeth can also provide great health benefits to your teeth in general. This includes improved dental hygiene, improved bite and reduction in tooth wear.

Retainers

There are different types of retainer that can help you to straighten your teeth. Though typically used after a patient has worn braces, retainers can be used for milder crooked teeth conditions. A fixed retainer is attached to the inner surface of the teeth to prevent them from moving over time, which can help to straighten teeth and correct your bite. However, you cannot remove a fixed retainer by yourself, so, if you’d prefer some flexibility a removable retainer might be the option for you. Removable retainers form the shape of your mouth following a dental impression and aim to straighten the teeth. However, there are warnings that retainers should be worn for life to stop teeth going wonky again, meaning removable retainers should be worn regularly where possible.

Appliances

Appliances are used to straighten crooked and wonky teeth by correcting jaw imperfections. Typically, appliances place pressure on the upper or lower jaw, depending on what area needs correcting. This allows the upper and lower jaw to meet to achieve straight, perfect teeth. However, if you’re looking for a discrete treatment, like braces appliances are quite obvious.

Invisalign

You may have heard of “Invisalign” with this tooth straightening treatment becoming more popular in recent years. Not only are your teeth straightened but Invisalign is invisible, using custom-moulded clear aligners that are changed roughly every fortnight. Your teeth will gradually move little-by-little until they are straight, in the final position prescribed by your orthodontist. If this has been on your mind for a while but you have yet to take the plunge, you can visit sites such as https://drpeterbrawn.com, for example, to see how you can start this process off and feel happier with your smile.

Less visible types of braces

For more complex cases, where retainers, appliances or Invisalign aren’t suitable, there are less visible types of braces that your orthodontist can recommend. For example, lingual braces are attached behind the teeth rather than in the front. Ceramic braces are also popular amongst adults because of their clear or tooth-coloured brackets, making them less noticeable. Whether you seek advice from orthodontics in London, Newcastle or Birmingham, you’ll be able to discuss the best treatment option for straightening misaligned teeth. However, in more complex cases metal braces may still be considered the best option for your treatment.