Tag Archives: invisible braces

Invisible Braces – What Are They And How They Can Help

It’s fair to say that for most people dental braces have a certain stigma attached to them. Whether it was because they had to endure wearing them as a child, or whether they knew someone that was continually called names like ‘brace face‘ or ‘metal mouth‘, the thought of having to go through orthodontic treatment as an adult is enough to put many people off. For this reason, a whole host of invisible braces and clear fixed braces were invented to ensure that adults could get the treatment they need. With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at some of them.

Lingual braces

If you saw pictures of a mouth with both lingual braces before and after pictures it’s fair to say that you would definitely notice the difference. Yet we’d also wager that during the treatment you wouldn’t even notice that the person in question was wearing them. Why? Because they’re incredibly discreet. Whereas conventional braces are designed to fix to the front of your teeth by means of brackets and wiring, lingual braces attach at the back of the teeth. This means that patients can smile, speak, and eat without people ever knowing that they’re wearing them. What’s more, their orthodontic treatment can continue in complete discretion.

Clear fixed braces

In essence, clear fixed braces are similar to conventional metal-style braces in that brackets are attached to the front of the teeth and wires threaded through; except this time, rather than being metal, the brackets are a white ceramic colour and the wiring is both thinner and tooth coloured for a more discreet feel. Similarly to conventional braces, clear fixed braces can fix a number of tooth problems including tooth overcrowding, irregular tooth spacing, and tooth alignment issues.

Invisalign Aligners

Invisalign aligners are about as far removed from traditional braces as you can get. Otherwise known as invisible braces, these aligner style appliances have many differences. Unlike conventional brace systems, they’re designed to be fully removable. In addition, rather than one appliance lasting for the duration of the treatment, Invisalign treatment consists of a number of aligners which are worn sequentially and changed every two weeks. Perhaps the best thing about Invisalign is that they do away with brackets and wiring altogether in favour of clear acrylic trays which are worn over the teeth like a gum shield. Because of their transparency Invisalign braces really are virtually invisible to anyone else but you.

If you’d like to find out more about lingual braces before and after, invisible braces, or clear fixed braces then come and talk to the orthodontics team at Church Road Dental and Cosmetics. To book an appointment contact us directly on 0161 660 1218 and start the ball rolling towards restoring that perfect smile.

What Are Invisible Braces And How Do They Differ?

When it comes to adult teeth straightening in Manchester, it’s good to know that people have a multitude of options open to them. While patients can of course opt for conventional metal braces, others prefer a more discreet form of orthodontic treatment such as tooth-coloured ceramic clear braces. However for some, even the thought of having fixed braces (tooth-coloured or not) permanently attached to the mouth for the duration of their treatment is a major obstacle. For this reason a sensible option may well be Invisalign Aligners – more commonly known as invisible braces.

So what exactly are invisible braces and how do they differ?

While ceramic braces, lingual braces, and clear fixed braces are all designed to be more discreet than say conventional metal braces, they still utilise a system of brackets and wiring which are fixed to the teeth. The issue for some people is that they can take some getting used to, especially when it comes to speaking. On the contrary, Invisalign aligners do away with brackets and wiring altogether in favour of a series of clear acrylic trays which are worn over the teeth like a gum shield. Each aligner is designed to move the teeth into a certain position before it’s removed, discarded, and changed for the subsequent one in the series. Eventually after a number of aligner changes and 9-24 months down the line, the patient has straighter teeth.

Are they really invisible?

In a word yes! Because they’re manufactured from a clear acrylic, they’re virtually invisible. Braces under normal circumstances can be seen when a person smiles or speaks (even the tooth coloured, clear braces variety if you look close enough). However Invisalign are virtually impossible to spot, making them the perfect option for image conscious adults. That said there is a caveat….

Invisalign aligners do need to be removed every time you eat or drink anything except water. The reason for this is that the aligners can stain easily. Obviously when this happens your invisible braces won’t be quite so inconspicuous. So to avoid this they should always be removed and replaced directly after any eating or drinking.

What conditions can they treat?

When it comes to teeth straightening Manchester orthodontists can treat a number of conditions including malocclusions, overcrowding, twisted or crooked teeth, tooth gapping and root alignment. The good news is that because invisible clear braces such as Invisalign are a full-term treatment, they can help to treat most of these conditions. However it’s always best to ask your dentist for advice.

So there you have it! Everything you need to know about invisible braces and how they differ. If you’d like to find out more information, or you’re interested in invisible brace treatment, contact Church Road Dental and Cosmetics on 0161 660 1218 for an appointment. Dr Karim and the team are standing by to help.

Invisible Braces – A Discreet Way to Get Orthodontic Treatment

When we think about orthodontic treatment to straighten teeth, invisible braces probably aren’t the first thing that springs to mind. Indeed procedures such as Invisalign treatment and lingual braces before and after, are a long way from the metallic smile that many conventional brace wearers used to have to endure. For this reason more and more adults are now seeking teeth straightening treatments such as these; but what other benefits do invisible or clear brace treatments have?

A wider number of choices

Nowadays when a patient needs orthodontic treatments they have a great deal of choice available. Not only does this include discreet or invisible brace systems such as those listed above, but also fast or accelerated brace systems, removable brace systems, and aligner style systems that even do away with the bracket and wiring aspect altogether. When a patient meets with an orthodontist for the first time, they’ll be give a thorough oral examination. Based on the patient’s dental needs and their personal needs the dentist will choose a brace system to fit that exacting criteria.

Healthier options

One of the long standing problems with conventional metal bracket and wiring braces is that because they’re permanently fixed to the mouth for the duration of the treatment (this can be anything up to 3 years) food particles and debris can get lodged in between the tiny gaps in the brace. This can sometimes be difficult to access when brushing, and although you can floss while wearing braces, it isn’t easy. On some occasions conventional brace wearers are prone to something known as de-calcification. This is where the acids contained in foods robs the teeth of calcium, causing white scars. This in turn can lead to cavities.

Conversely Invisalign treatments and to a certain extent lingual braces, make it easier to brush and floss. Invisalign for example is a non-fixed aligner, designed to be removed when eating and brushing teeth, while lingual braces fit the back of the teeth and therefore access for a toothbrush is far simpler. In fact if you ever get to see lingual braces before and after pictures, you’ll notice that de-calcification isn’t normally an issue.

Access to speedier treatments

Clear or invisible braces come in a wide variety of guises and something we touched on earlier was fast or accelerated treatments. Metal style brace systems tend to be permanently fixed, long-term procedures with the patient having to wear then 24 hours a day for anything up to 3 years. Conversely if a patient has mild dental problems such as gapped or flared teeth, or slight overcrowding and is only really concerned with the aesthetics of their smile, then they might want to opt for fast or accelerated treatments such as C Fast, Six Month Smiles, or the Inman Aligner. These systems usually concentrate their efforts on straightening the front upper and lower teeth that can be seen when you smile, and for this reason treatment can take as little as 2-3 months.

As you can see as well as being discreet, invisible braces such as Invisalign treatment and Lingual braces before and after have a wide variety of other benefits. If you’re not happy with your smile and would like to speak to us about discreet orthodontic treatment then book yourself a free, no-obligation consultation with Shi Karim and the team. To make an appointment either visit our website at www.clearbracesmanchester.co.uk or contact us directly on 0161 660 1218 today and take the first steps towards bringing back your great looking smile.

Orthodontics Manchester – What Are My Options?

If you’re in need of orthodontic treatments such as braces, Manchester residents can rest assured that there’s a treatment to suit their needs. In fact when it comes to orthodontics, Manchester based Church Road Dental and Cosmetics has a wide range of brace systems to deal with a variety of conditions including crooked teeth, teeth overcrowding, flared teeth and even tooth gapping. In fact you could say that we’ve fast become your go to smile dentist Manchester.

So what options are available to you?

Depending upon your needs we have a brace system to suit. The good news is that braces are no longer solely the domain of young teenagers who wear them to help correct oral problems when their teeth are still growing. Nowadays more and more adults are turning to orthodontic treatments to solve their own oral issues such as malocclusions or crowded teeth, or simply to restore their great looking smile. As such they have a wide variety to choose from.

Metallic style braces

For those who feel comfortable about wearing braces, they can opt for the metallic style ‘bracket and wire’ braces that younger teens are often associated with. In terms of cost these are usually the least expensive and modern day metallic braces are a far cry from the heavy clunky braces of old. They’re used to correct a wide variety of issues such as those listed above and depending upon the needs of the individual, treatment can take anything from 1-3 years.

Clear braces

For those who like their orthodontics in Manchester a little more discreet, then a form of clear braces might be the answer. Many are made from plastic or ceramic and contain tooth coloured wiring, meaning they’re less noticeable than their stainless steel counterparts, hence the name. Within this category you have conventional brace systems (eg, those that correct not only the look of the teeth but the underlying physical qualities such as root alignment) and then you have accelerated brace systems. Both systems tend to cost more than their stainless steel cousins.

Accelerated or fast brace systems are ideal for those people who are concerned purely with the aesthetics of their smile (eg, the teeth themselves) and not the underlying factors such as bite and root alignment. They function in exactly the same way as other brace systems by gently coaxing the teeth into position over a period of time, except in this instance most are designed solely to correct the upper and lower front teeth only. This is why they’re classed as ‘fast’ or ‘accelerated’ treatments. Despite their limited capabilities, accelerated systems such as Inman aligners, C-Fast, and Secret Smiles are incredibly popular. On average treatment takes 3-6 months to complete and offers a quick fix solution to conventional braces in Manchester.

Lingual braces

Lingual braces work in exactly the same way as many other brace systems in that they push or pull the teeth into position by means of applying gentle force but the difference is that the brackets and wiring, which is usually located on the front of the teeth, is fixed to the back of the teeth. This means that they’re incredibly discreet to wear as none of the usual ‘brace signs’ are visible from the front.

Invisalign

If you want to get away from the ‘bracket and wiring’ style type of brace system altogether then you might want to opt for Invisalign. They’re considerably more expensive than most other orthodontics Manchester but when it comes to aesthetics they’re worth it. Consisting of a series of bespoke aligners they’re worn like clear gum shields over the teeth. Each aligner is different to the next and is designed to coax the teeth back into position by applying natural pressure. Treatment can take up to 18 months and patients can have around 36 aligners during that time. Invisalign brace systems can treat a whole host of orthodontic problems. In fact for a smile dentist Manchester, they offer a perfect all round solution that will appeal to many people.

To find out more about braces Manchester and what suits your needs then why not book yourself a consultation. At our orthodontics Manchester clinic Dr Shi Karim and the team will listen to your needs and suggest the perfect brace system to suit. To make an appointment visit our website at www.clearbracesmanchester.co.uk or contact us directly on 0161 660 1218 and let us help you bring back your great looking smile.