Few people are born with perfectly straight teeth, with 62% of Australian adults considering orthodontic treatment. You can renew your confidence and straighten your smile with one of these options for correct teeth alignment: Orthodontic braces and Invisalign clear aligners.
Your dentist can help you decide which option is best for you based on your smile and circumstances.
What Makes Correct Teeth Alignment Important?
Beyond achieving a straighter smile, alignment of your teeth is very important for several reasons.
-
Improved oral hygiene
Crooked teeth can be challenging to clean and can cause tooth decay and gum disease. Straightening your crooked teeth makes it easier to brush thoroughly and floss between all your teeth, reducing the potential for food particles to become trapped.
Without orthodontic intervention, you may experience a build-up of bacteria and food debris that can result in periodontal disease.
-
Create a natural bite
When you close your mouth, you should be able to fit your teeth together naturally. If your teeth don’t fit well together or bite your inner cheeks frequently, this is called a malocclusion.
Your dentist can take X-rays to determine your type of malocclusion before recommending a treatment option. The best orthodontic option for you will depend on whether you have an open bite, overbite, underbite or wide gaps and their severity.
Using orthodontic braces or clear aligners can correct tooth and jaw misalignment, allowing the jaw to return to a more natural posture.
-
Change in appearance
An overbite can create the appearance of a weak chin, an undefined jaw and prevent your lips from touching. Due to the position of your teeth, you may notice your lips appear thin.
With orthodontic treatment for correct teeth alignment, you may notice you develop a more balanced facial profile with a stronger looking jawline and more pronounced chin. Having a healthy, attractive smile boosts your self-confidence both socially and professionally.
How to Correct Teeth Alignment?
After a comprehensive dental exam of your teeth, gums and supporting bone structure, your dentist will recommend a treatment plan to correct teeth alignment based on their findings.
-
Orthodontic Braces
Orthodontic braces are the traditional way to correct teeth alignment. These are usually recommended for more severe malocclusions such as large gaps or extreme intrusion and extrusion (lowering or raising the teeth).
Your orthodontic braces are applied directly to your teeth. To anchor your braces, your dentist puts a metal band around the molars. Once they find a band that’s the right size, it’s secured with dental cement and set using a blue light.
Next, the dentist places a small dab of dental cement in the centre of each tooth to attach the brackets. Blue light is used to set the dental glue before your dentist connects the brackets with the archwire. A small rubber band, called the ligature, secures the archwire to the bracket. The wires guide the teeth into the proper position by applying gentle pressure over time.
Depending on your bite and how crooked your teeth are, you will see your dentist for wire adjustments every 4-6 weeks. As treatment progresses, you’ll notice the new archwire you receive at these adjustment appointments becomes thicker. The more significant adjustments your teeth require, the more force the wire must apply.
At the end of your treatment, your dentist removes your orthodontic braces and fits you for a permanent or removable retainer, so your teeth don’t return to their original position.
-
Invisalign Clear Aligners
Invisalign uses transparent clear aligners to straighten teeth over time gradually. Your dentist creates your customised clear aligners based on CAD/CAM technology to fit snugly on your teeth.
You will need to wear a new set of clear aligners every two weeks, each targeting a different tooth or group of teeth until you achieve correct teeth alignment. The clear aligners need to be worn 20-22 hours per day, except while eating or brushing and flossing your teeth for optimal results.
The length of treatment for Invisalign clear aligners is similar to conventional orthodontic braces but depends on the complexity of your case. Although you are responsible for switching your clear aligners to the next set in the series every two weeks, your dentist will need to monitor your progress every 6-8 weeks. You will also need a retainer once this treatment is complete.
Learn More About Your Teeth Alignment Options
Orthodontic treatments for correct teeth alignment can benefit children, adolescents, and adults. It is never too late to get orthodontic braces or clear aligners to correct misalignment or malocclusion disorders.
Schedule an orthodontic consultation at Dental Spot to determine which orthodontic treatment is best for your specific situation. Call us today on (02) 9158 6115 or fill out our online form to start your journey to a perfect smile.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
