When you are an adult who has misaligned teeth, it can feel tough in daily life; especially at staff meetings or when going out with friends. And if you grew up in the last 30 plus years, you may believe that the only way to realign your smile is by using a metal brace.
Confused about braces as an adult?
But, this is no longer true; there are now more options than ever before to get you the straighter smile you want and in this article, you will be introduced to some of the most popular ones.
A brief guide to your options
So, what are some of the different orthodontic options which an orthodontist in Stoke-on Trent is likely to offer you?
Clear braces
OK, so many people confuse a clear brace from an invisible aligner and it’s easy to see why.
But, a clear brace is typically fitted to your teeth, much in the same-way as a regular orthodontic brace but the brackets that have affixed it to your teeth are clear.
This makes it more visually discrete, as the wires which run across the front of these brackets are often thinner too. They are often worn for shorter periods of time too, with the shortest clear brace being the Six Month Smile, which corrects misalignments that have occurred with the front 6 teeth in around 6 months (hence the name).
Invisible aligners
Almost everyone has heard about invisible aligners; afterall, Invisalign is now an extremely common part of orthodontics that takes place in dental surgeries. Made from a thin, clear plastic, these aligners are custom-fitted to your teeth and come in a set of aligners that need to be worn in a precise order to be effective.
Related: Invisalign at Your Local Dental Clinic
They usually take an average of 6-9 months to realign most patients’ teeth and can also be used to straighten the teeth of teenagers. But, they have to be kept in for 22 hours per day to work, making it important for anyone using an invisible aligner to adhere to this.
Orthodontic braces
Everyone knows someone who has worn an orthodontic brace; they are made from metal and are placed across the front of the teeth. Commonly used for childhood orthodontics, these braces can also be used to correct misalignments that occur in adults and will require tightening every 6-8 weeks to work. With adult patients, it can take up to 24 months for the teeth to be straightened. But, as there are now other orthodontic options available, it is more than likely that your dental team will use this brace type in conjunction with another, such as a clear or invisible aligner, which will be more discrete and easier to use.
Lingual braces
Like traditional braces, Lingual options are fitted to the teeth but are placed at the back as opposed to the front. They require tightening on average every 6-8 weeks and can take around 24 months to work. Unlike traditional braces, the brackets are made from gold (very classy!) and this brace is renowned for being discrete.
