You shouldn’t underestimate the importance of a great smile. Smiles have been linked to a person’s feelings of self-worth and levels of confidence. If you’re worried about your teeth being crooked, you’re less likely to smile, which brings down your mood and can affect your overall well-being.
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1. Traditional (Metal) Braces
Metal braces are the kind you imagine when you think of braces—but smaller, sleeker, and all-around cooler. Most people, when picturing metal braces, are thinking of the horrifying contraptions from movies and television. Metal braces haven’t looked like that in a long time.
They’re smaller, stylish, and more effective than ever before. They have the most versatility when it comes to options and often involve the shortest treatment lengths. They will affect your eating habits as well as your oral hygiene routine, though.
2. Lingual Braces
Lingual braces are much like metal braces, except instead of being installed on the front of the teeth, where they are visible, they’re installed behind the teeth. This makes them almost impossible to see. However, the trade-off is that they are more uncomfortable and will take longer to adjust to. They are likely to cost more as well.
If you’re concerned about the look of braces, this may be a good option for you.
3. Ceramic/Clear Braces
Ceramic braces, as their name states, are made of ceramics, which means they are coloured to match teeth. This makes them much less visible, though still quite effective at teeth alignment.
They will be more expensive than metal brackets, though they are likely to be more comfortable as well.
4. Dental Surgery
This is the most extreme option for teeth alignment and is usually only recommended by your orthodontist and oral surgeon in special cases. These cases most likely involve some sort of jaw problem. Those with underbites, overbites, or a jaw positioned incorrectly are usually the target patients in need of dental surgery.
The operation is fairly minor in and of itself, but keep in mind you’re likely to need a form of braces before and after surgery to help with the process. If you just have one or two teeth in need of alignment, this wouldn’t be an option.
5. Invisalign
Invisalign consists of clear aligners that are completely removable. Approximately every week, you’ll swap out your aligner for the next model as you work on your teeth alignment. Invisalign fits into your mouth much like a retainer. It’s clear and nearly undetectable. The true beauty in Invisalign is that the aligners only need to be in your mouth for 22 hours a day, which means you can easily take them out to eat and brush your teeth. Invisalign can be costly, so it may not be a good option if your budget doesn’t allow.
When selecting an option for teeth alignment, your best course of action is to speak with your orthodontist. This specialist will help you choose the best treatment to achieve optimal oral health.
Take the time needed for orthodontic treatment and be proud of your smile!
