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We understand the importance of a straight smile both for the confidence you can gain and the long-term health benefits. With continuous advances in technology, orthodontic treatment for adults is becoming more popular. The traditional ‘train-track’ metal braces are no longer the only choice for straightening teeth. You can now choose a more modern, more efficient and more discreet brace system to achieve the smile you want.
At Long Street Dental Practice we offer a full range of orthodontic solutions so you can find the right system to fit your lifestyle.
Lingual braces are one of the most discreet fixed methods of straightening teeth and can treat a wide variety of orthodontic problems.
They are fitted to the back of your teeth making them invisible to the outside world, this provides a great option for patients who do not want anyone to know they are wearing braces, for social or professional reasons.
Each bracket is specifically designed to fit each individual tooth perfectly, allowing the brace to be low profile and smooth to the tongue.
Lingual braces are not suitable for children or people with teeth on the smaller side, due the appliance needing enough space to fit comfortably inside the mouth.
Traditional fixed braces are a more economical option for teeth straightening and are used for more complex cases.
All orthodontic options offer different pros and cons and although traditional braces are not as popular as some of the newer aligners they are still used for most teeth straightening treatments.
Being less expensive than ceramic or custom braces and remaining comfortable to wear, metal braces are a great option for children, they can also be customised with different colours making them a little bit fun as well!
Metal braces may be the best choice for certain conditions such as when a patient has a deep overbite, the metal brackets aid in keeping the bite open while the teeth move into their new position.
Self-ligating braces are another type of metal brace specially designed to make treatment faster and more comfortable. Brackets are bonded to the front surface of your teeth and the arch wire is threaded through the brackets to connect them. The self-tightening system combined with advanced technology heat-activated wires mean that the process of aligning teeth is relatively gentle.
In terms of outward appearance, self-ligating braces are the same as conventional styles using a bracket and wire system. However, the modern technology used means that no elastic bands or metal ties are required to keep the arch wire in place.
Fixed braces use elastic bands around the brackets, whereas self-ligating brackets have a small clip mechanism to hold the archwire in place. The elastic bands on fixed braces can cause friction resulting in longer treatment times, but as these elastic bands are not needed with self-ligating braces, straightening treatment time can be significantly shorter.
Self-ligating braces are constantly adjusting at a steady pace. This removes the pain or discomfort experienced when having traditional brackets, adjusted. The clips on self-ligating braces also gives the archwire slightly more freedom to respond to the movement of your teeth making self-ligating braces a tailor-made and very comfortable orthodontic treatment.
Self-ligating braces are suitable for both adults and children. However, there are limitations to the kinds of orthodontic cases that can be treated with these braces.
If you are interested in discreet teeth straightening, we also offer Invisalign Clear Aligners.
The Invisalign aligner system straightens teeth using a series of nearly invisible, removable aligners that are custom-made specifically for your teeth. Invisalign offers many benefits that regular teeth straightening can’t.
Following your treatment, if the teeth are not held in their new position by retainers, they will slowly move back to their original position. The best way to ensure they stay in their new position is with a retainer. Retainers keep teeth in their new position by srengthening the bone and muscle around them allowing your jaw to properly set in its new position.
The length of time you are required to wear a retainer varies depending on the scope of your treatment however It is important to know beforehand that retainers can be “for life or as long as you want straight teeth”.
Following your treatment, if the teeth are not held in their new position by retainers, they will slowly move back to their original position. The best way to ensure they stay in their new position is with a retainer. Retainers keep teeth in their new position by srengthening the bone and muscle around them allowing your jaw to properly set in its new position.
The length of time you are required to wear a retainer varies depending on the scope of your treatment however It is important to know beforehand that retainers can be “for life or as long as you want straight teeth”.
Prestige Dental Care Group is a trading style of Prestige Dental Services Ltd
Registered address: 19 Highfield Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands, B15 3BH
Registered in England and Wales Reg: 06382861
