A healthy, radiant smile can say more about you than words, communicating your warmth, friendliness, and confidence to the world. Unfortunately, many people are self-conscious of their smile due to dental issues such as crooked teeth, overbites or malocclusions, and feel the need to hide their smile.

One of the benefits of wearing braces is their ability to align teeth and improve the appearance of your smile. However, the thought of wearing metal braces can be off-putting for most people, especially in their adult years. Luckily there is a range of alternative options which you may not know about. If you are thinking about straightening your teeth, read on to learn about the available options.

Clear Aligners

Clear aligners are becoming increasingly popular when it comes to a straighter smile and many dental practices like Trident Smiles Dental recommend and fit such aligners. 

Clear aligners such as Invisalign are custom-made replicas of your teeth that work by applying gentle pressure on the teeth to reposition them and gradually move them into alignment. They are an effective solution for people with teeth gaps, overbites, and overcrowding.

Most clear aligners work much faster than braces with treatment usually completed within 12 to18 months.

Retainers

Retainers are commonly given to people who have worn braces as a device to help teeth maintain their new position. They can be a beneficial treatment for people with mild misalignment issues such as a tooth gap, or malocclusion of their teeth. Unlike many other teeth-straightening methods, retainers are removable yet work best when worn full-time.

Lingual Braces

Comprising wires and brackets, lingual braces are similar to traditional metal braces, however, as they are fixed to the back of the teeth they are much less visible. Lingual braces work by applying pressure to the teeth gently pulling them into place and addressing issues such as teeth gaps, overcrowding, and overbites.

Although they offer a more discreet means of straightening your teeth, their proximity to the tongue can cause a lisp in some people, and can also make it more challenging to clean your teeth properly. They are also generally a more expensive treatment compared to conventional metal braces.

Six Month Smiles

Six Month Smiles is recommended for people with mild to moderate dental issues such as overcrowding or spacing issues. As the treatment takes only six months it is not advisable for overbites or severe misalignment issues.

This method fits clear brackets and wires to the teeth offering a  discreet method to straighten your teeth using lower force to move your teeth faster and with less pain compared to traditional metal braces.

Ceramic Braces

Although similar in appearance to metal braces, ceramic braces use clear or tooth-colored ceramics to match the appearance of your teeth providing a less obvious and discreet method to straighten your teeth.

Ceramic braces tend to be larger than metal braces, making it harder to clean your gums and teeth which can cause receding, sensitivity or swollen gums. They are also more susceptible to fracturing or breaking compared to metal brackets.

No matter how unique your dental needs are, you can now feel confident knowing you have a number of discreet yet effective options to choose from.