Whilst a crooked smile can often be considered as a cosmetic issue, the detrimental effect that it can have on an individual’s self-esteem, overall confidence and therefore life in general can be quite substantial. People can hide away from embarrassment and avoid seeking treatment due to concerns of appearing even more unsightly. In the past, orthodontic treatments have been portrayed as large, metal, cage-like apparatus which appear more unsightly than having misaligned teeth. Luckily modern advances within dentistry both in knowledge and technology have enabled innovative orthodontic methods to be formed, which are highly effective whilst remaining as inconspicuous as possible.
Why are clear braces particularly popular with adults?
With physical appearance being of high importance in the majority of people’s lives, it is unsurprising that these transparent and in some cases, removable orthodontic aligners, are becoming a popular orthodontic solution. Due to the inconspicuous nature of the aligners individuals are able to go about their daily lives both professionally and personally without fear of others being aware of their treatment. Whilst the country is currently in lockdown, this may seem like an irrelevant aspect to consider, however many people are still facing video calls each day and when life returns to a sense of normality the treatment will continue as planned rather than becoming a sudden inconvenience that needs to be altered.
How to learn whether this treatment is suitable for you
As with all orthodontic treatments and procedures there is always a need for a consultation with your dental team before following a plan. Whilst you may have carried out the research and decided on a treatment plan for yourself, a qualified dentist will carry out a physical examination, view a series of photographs and scans and consider all options available for your individual case before presenting them to you, the patient. Whilst this may sound like a lot of work to just provide potential options, it is vital that your dental team work with you to ascertain the best options for your lifestyle and misalignment issue. Each orthodontic treatment and procedure has its own particular strengths and weaknesses, so it is vital to match the strengths of the treatment to the weaknesses with your tooth alignment.
Another important aspect of the treatment to consider is the length of time it takes to straighten the teeth. Whilst the Invisalign aligner method pushes the teeth gently into a new position, it can take as little as 6 months for the treatment to be completed, providing the patient follows the plan provided by their dental team. This does not mean that every single case that uses this particular treatment is completed within this short period of time, but this provides a glimmer of hope on short but effective orthodontic treatments. No one wants to be wearing a brace for years on end and therefore these modern aligners were created with this in mind.
Please note, there are potential upsides and downsides with all dental treatments and procedures. Therefore patients are always encouraged to seek further information and advice from their local dental team on any mentioned in this article.
