2023
6 Frequently Asked Teeth Straightening Questions
If you have a misaligned, gappy, or crowded smile, you may feel self-conscious about showing it off. Orthodontic problems can negatively affect your confidence. This can impact other areas of your life. Teeth straightening can be done for you easily.
It’s never been easier to have issues with the position of your teeth corrected. With various cosmetic brace options available at Canon House Clinic, we’re here to help you achieve the smile you’ve dreamed of.
Of course, you’ll naturally have several important questions before deciding.
Here are the answers to some of the most commonly asked teeth straightening and cosmetic brace questions.
1. What Are the Benefits of Teeth Straightening Treatment?
For many people, getting their teeth straightened is a purely cosmetic decision. Having perfectly positioned teeth can make you feel better about how you look and give your self-confidence a boost.
But aside from the aesthetic benefits, there are also some fundamental health advantages.
Crooked, gappy, and overcrowded teeth are often hard to clean. Where teeth sit at an odd angle, some surfaces become prone to plaque build-ups. This increases the risk of tooth decay.
If your upper and lower teeth don’t align when your mouth is closed, you may have an issue like overbite, underbite, deep bite, or crossbite. Problems like these put pressure on your jaw, leading to pain in the joint that connects to your skull. You could develop TMD, which causes considerable pain spreading from the jaw to the head, neck, and shoulders.
Straightening your teeth remedies these issues and improves your overall dental health.
2. How Does Teeth Straightening Work?
Teeth straightening treatments use prolonged gentle force to gradually improve the position of each tooth. The pressure applied by a brace or aligner is so slight you’ll barely notice it after you’re used to wearing the appliance.
3. What Are the Differences Between Treatments?
Braces use wire fed through brackets affixed to your teeth. The tension on the wire is enough to slowly move your teeth. We offer two types of braces; Incognito Braces that sit behind your teeth and Damon Braces that offer easy adjustment.
Aligners use precise custom trays that fit your teeth perfectly but gradually apply pressure to promote movement. We offer Invisalign; a comfortable, subtle aligner that’s great for anyone that doesn’t want a fixed appliance.
With both braces and aligners, your treatment is tweaked periodically throughout. With braces, this means adjusting the wires. In the case of aligners, you’ll get a completely new custom-made tray every few weeks.
4. How Long Does Teeth Straightening Take?
The exact length of your treatment depends on the complexity of your misalignments. We can address some cases in around six months to a year, while other cases can take two or more years.
During your initial consultation, we’ll be able to give you more information about your expected treatment timeline.
5. How Often Will I Need to Come to the Clinic During Treatment?
This depends on which treatment you choose. For Invisalign, you’ll need to collect new aligners roughly every two weeks. But you won’t need any actual appointments during the course of your treatment.
Incognito and Damon Braces both require adjustments periodically. This is typically done around every month to six weeks.
6. Am I Too Old for Teeth Straightening?
No. Although you may see more teenagers undergoing orthodontic treatments, it’s never too late to enjoy the benefits of straight teeth.
If you’re conscious of wearing a noticeable appliance, Invisalign is clear and removable, making it subtle and convenient. Alternatively, Incognito Braces hide behind your teeth where nobody can see them.
Cosmetic Braces at Canon House Clinic
At Canon House, we offer a range of orthodontic treatments to suit your lifestyle and clinical needs. Our skilled dentists are here to advise you on which option is best for you.
Call us today to schedule your consultation and learn more about how we can give you the straight smile you’ve dreamt about.
Ask a Question
Get in touch with the Canon House Team to find out more about any aspect of cosmetic or restorative treatment.