Teeth Straightening Flashcards
Options for Straightening Teeth
You may not really want to have traditional braces for cosmetic reasons. Fortunately, braces aren’t the only solution if you wish to correct overlapping teeth and other imperfections in the way your teeth line up. Traditional braces are definitely effective, but may make you feel like they detract from your appearance. Additionally, food particles frequently get stuck in metal braces.
Your Brooklyn dentist may suggest other options for straightening teeth, including a retainer for teeth straightening, dental appliances, and Invisalign for overlapping front teeth. Ask your Brooklyn cosmetic dentist what’s the best option for you.
Retainer for Teeth Straightening
Using a retainer for teeth straightening is an option to correct problems with your bite, which is the way your teeth fit together. Overbite is the vertical overlap of your front teeth over your lower teeth, while under-bite is when your lower teeth protrude past your upper teeth. Retainers are sometimes used for children either before they get braces or after braces are removed, and they may be worn anywhere from a few months to a few years.
Fixed retainers are attached to the inner surface of teeth using dental cement to prevent shifting and movement. They offer a long-term solution, but you can’t remove them. Removable retainers can be removed for special occasions or if you need occasional relief, but then you may misplace the retainer, so removing them is discouraged.
Appliances to Straighten Teeth Without Braces
There are a variety of dental appliances that can be used on a short-term basis to correct specific problems with misaligned or overlapping teeth. Small metal bars may be fitted between or behind teeth to maintain space or to hold the width of a dental arch. Other appliances may be used in children on a short-term basis to try to align the jaw, which is an example of how to straighten teeth before the need for braces arises.
In many cases, appliances aim to treat the underlying problem behind crooked teeth, such as poor jaw development. Issues with jaw development in children can have a variety of causes, including thumb sucking, mouth breathing and allergies. Your cosmetic dentist in Brooklyn may recommend treating these underlying causes to prevent additional dental problems as your child gets older.
Other Alternatives to Metal Braces
For the treatment of misaligned or overlapping front teeth, your Brooklyn cosmetic dentist may recommend Invisalign as one of the best solutions for teeth correction without braces. Invisalign is a clear alternative to traditional metal braces, offering an almost invisible method to straighten your teeth without braces. For overlapping teeth, Invisalign uses clear plastic retainers to straighten teeth without being visible.
Clear Correct aligners are another option to straighten teeth without braces. They are similar to Invisalign, but sometimes offer a more affordable choice. The best Brooklyn dentist presents you with alternatives that best suit your needs and your budget.
Making a Choice to Straighten Teeth Without Braces
If you’ve been avoiding a trip to a Brooklyn cosmetic dentist because you know you don’t want braces, you’ll find that there are many ways of straightening teeth without braces. Remember that by using Invisalign for overlapping front teeth and other crooked teeth, you can straighten teeth inconspicuously without the need for braces.
If you have a minor misalignment of teeth, it might be treatable with retainers or dental appliances. There are several alternatives available to correct your crooked teeth as well. Talk to your Brooklyn dentist to discuss all your options.
Does Teeth Straightening Hurt?
You may be reluctant to go through with straightening your teeth because you think it may be painful. Most approaches to teeth straightening result in some slight discomfort at first, but that usually improves with time. Your dentist can make adjustments to retainers or appliances if you experience severe pain.
Straighten teeth without braces or rely on more traditional methods of correcting teeth imperfections. Your dental team at Quentin Smile Dental Practice, the best dentist in Brooklyn, provides you with the pros and cons of each kind of teeth-straightening options to find the one best suited to your needs.
