Deciding to wear braces is not easy, even if you are eager to have a beautiful smile. There are many adults who have postponed to see a dentist for many reasons including being embarrassed about wearing braces. But that fear should not stop you from getting the smile you always dreamed of, no matter how old you are. Advances in orthodontics have made braces less obvious and more and more adults are now willing to undergo treatment.

All Ages Can Get Lingual Braces

One patient came to fix her teeth because she was very unhappy with the way her smile looked. Her teeth were crowded and she felt uncomfortable and even embarrassed, whenever she smiled. What is important is that she thought her age was not appropriate for braces.

During the initial consultation, the patient found out that lingual braces are actually a great option for both young people and adults, no matter what their age is. The only condition is: the bones and gums must be healthy.

Please note: You are never too old for braces.

What Are Lingual Braces?

This is one of the options for adults when you decide to straighten your misaligned teeth. Lingual braces involve the use of fixed braces on the teeth’s inner surface. One of the advantages of this design is that they really are invisible – you can’t see them from the front, and they allow you to straighten your teeth in an extremely discreet manner. Many adults worry about how they will appear when they are out and about, but you needn’t worry about any severe changes occurring while the treatment is in place.

The lingual braces are permanent and that means they stay in your mouth 24/7.  Some people are initially put off by this, but lingual braces are actually the more practical option in the long run. The treatment time depends on the problems you have and the complexity of your teeth.

Some cases can take as little as three months, some cases can take twelve to eighteen months, but that would be indicated at your first appointment.

Lingual Braces Are Considered a Great Option for adults

The patient evaluated her experience with Lingual Braces as being a really positive one, not only thanks to the beautiful smile she has now but also thanks to the helpful staff she found at the Straight Teeth Suite. She was given all the information she needed and treated her case with enthusiasm.

Furthermore, the braces are not visible, they can’t actually be seen. This is a plus for adults who are scared of the idea of wearing braces. It can be your secret! The experience was a pleasing one and the result made the patient happy and confident. The fact that her new smile was obvious to people around her made her even more content.

For any concerns and questions, you can contact Straight Teeth Suite and make an appointment for a FREE consultation HERE

If you want or need your teeth straightened quickly for a big occasion you would like to look your best for, or you do not like the idea of wearing braces for a year or more, aligners are a great solution.  Aligners are custom-made to fit your teeth and gently move them into the desired new position.   If you are a suitable candidate, the Straight Teeth Suite can fit your aligners and straighten your teeth in as little as sixteen weeks.  Four months and you can have the smile you always wanted.

Aligners

As we are all different and have different complexities of issues with our teeth, the dentist will first need to give you an examination to see if aligners are the best solution for your problem and to give you a realistic idea of what to expect.  If the problem is mild, for example, your teeth are just slightly overcrowded, you have an unsightly gap in your front teeth, or they protrude, aligners are probably a great solution, and you will not need braces for too long.  However, you need to be committed and follow the instructions the dentist gives you to the letter if you want fast results.  There are no half measures, if time is an issue.

The aligner is removable, but it is intended the patient wear it day and night until the teeth have been repositioned.  Just because you can take the aligners out, they are not made to be worn part-time if you want them to be effective.  They should only be removed to eat and clean your teeth if you want the best results.

How Aligners work

Aligners are removable braces with a clear plastic bar on the front and on the reverse side of your teeth.  The bars gently oppose each other, guiding the teeth into their new position. As they are almost invisible, they are a fantastic solution if you don’t want anyone to know you are wearing braces to straighten your teeth.  Initially, as with anything alien in your mouth, they may feel awkward and cumbersome, and you may develop a lisp until you get used to them.  During this period, you may be tempted to remove them but, for every hour you leave the aligners out, you add an hour to your treatment time.  If you are dedicated to straightening your teeth, they will follow, and you will soon have the smile you want.  If you feel you are not going to be able to commit, your dentist will suggest another solution.

During treatment, your teeth will need to be checked every two or three weeks to review progress and adjust the plastic bars.  When the treatment is completed, a retainer will be fitted to prevent your teeth from moving back to their old position.

Not quite ready to get braces? Please post your comment below if anything is unclear and you would like your questions answered.

One of the most common prevailing concepts regarding wisdom teeth is that they push the teeth in front of them, causing them to crowd. This was firmly believed for quite some time, which is why many orthodontists, general dentists, and oral surgeons recommended the removal of wisdom teeth, in order to safeguard against teeth crowding, especially after an orthodontic treatment. However, this preventive measure is no longer required, and teeth crowding has little to do with the existence of wisdom teeth.

There is a wealth of documented evidence that disapprove the theory that wisdom teeth can have any effect on the movement of the teeth, thus cause crowding. They simply cannot exert the pressure demanded to do that. Studies have shown that, regardless of the presence of wisdom teeth, teeth will drift forward naturally, throughout life. Over the years, teeth move slightly forward, and the distance between the lower canines gets narrower. This can occur even if you have had your wisdom teeth removed.

Why Do Teeth Get Crowded?

Modern research has revealed that teeth crowding can be inherited or it can be the outcome of particular habits, such as thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, and mouth breathing, among others. It could also be attributed to late tooth loss or injury. Of the many reasons that lead to incorrect jaw development (and, consequently, to improper facial and dental development), nothing has to do with phenomena caused by wisdom teeth.

As per what affects the development of teeth crowding, it seems that there are several factors that play a significant role and are associated with the:

  • Tooth Size
  • Tooth Shape
  • Original Position of the Teeth.
  • Soft Tissue Pressures that change from lip and tongue posture.

Here at Straight Teeth Suite in Nottingham, we see many adults that come to our practice, who had relatively straight teeth when they were younger, to correct new crowding that has occurred, mainly in their lower teeth. Although the exact mechanisms that such a thing occurs are not yet fully understood, wisdom teeth are usually not related, at least not directly.

Should Wisdom Teeth be Extracted?

There is no evidence dictating the extraction of wisdom teeth unless they are impacted and have no room to erupt correctly. Also, it is wise to remove wisdom teeth if they cause dental problems, such as tooth decay (when it’s difficult to brush and floss properly), pericoronitis (infection that occurs around the lower 3rd molars that have been partially erupted),  cysts around the impacted 3rd molar, tissue and bone defects behind the 2nd molars, and root resorption of 2nd molars. Of course, your dentist will assess your case and decide whether wisdom teeth removal is necessary or not.

Important Note: To prevent teeth from moving, it is crucial you wear a retainer after the completion of an orthodontic treatment to help keep your teeth straight. Wear them as instructed and your teeth will not move a bit, regardless of the presence of wisdom teeth.

Have more questions about tooth crowding, wisdom teeth extraction, or any other dental-related issue? Book your first FREE consultation here or get your FREE Straight Teeth Guide to get some first answers quickly!

Damon braces is an entire philosophy of orthodontic treatment and comprise a favourite option for all ages. To give you an idea, they are a high-quality brace system, with a small door to lock the wire in place, and here are some of the most commonly asked questions regarding Damon braces for your reference.

 

Q: What’s so Different about Damon braces?

A: With old-fashioned braces, we had to install little elastics, to be able to keep the wire in place, paying attention that the wire was fully engaged in the brace to apply pressure and allow the tooth to move. However, the most frequent problem is that these elastics can drop off while there are times when they don’t adequately cover the wire in place, stalling the treatment. The Damon brace door though, secures the wire in place, saving both you and us from unnecessary distress.

Another issue we faced with traditional braces was that the elastic also caused friction, making it more difficult for the wire to work, which not only reduced the number of movements that could be achieved at the same time, but also slowing down the treatment. Thanks to advanced dentistry and Damon braces, we can achieve various types of movements occurring all at the same time, much quicker than ever before, without applying too much force on the teeth. This means more spaced out (and less) appointments required.

 

Q: Can Damon braces treat all cases?

A: The Damon braces come in metal and clear, with the first type be mainly used for moderate cases, leaving the metal Damon brace for more severe cases.

 

Q: What about Teeth Extraction?

A: Another great advantage of the Damon Brace is the fact that very few cases will require teeth to be taken out. With a traditional brace, the extraction rate (rate of removal of teeth) is between 40-70% while with the Damon brace is a mere 10-20%. This means more teeth saved.

 

Q: When do we Need to Take out Teeth?

A: Although we don’t need to take as many teeth out with the Damon Brace, there are cases when tooth extraction is the only option and here are some examples (this is not a comprehensive list):

  • If you have severe crowding, we need teeth out to make space to straighten them.
  • If your profile is already too full (we don’t want to make it even fuller and unbalanced).
  • If you have very proclined sticky out top teeth that need to be pushed back.
  • If you have very thin bone and gum recession and your teeth are already tipped forward.
  • If some of the teeth are in a very bad condition and treatment cannot commence with those teeth in your mouth.

 

Q: How to find out whether you need to have teeth out or not?

A: Of course, attend our free straight teeth consultation, where we will:

  • Assess your teeth and bite,
  • Go through all the available options, and
  • Discuss the costs.

 

Q: What is the Procedure to Get Damon Braces?

A: Providing you are entirely contented with the outcome of your consultation, we will invite you back for a dental health check and X-ray appointment to ensure your teeth and mouth are healthy, before we provide braces for you.

Once everything is OK we will set a mould, photo appointment where we will take a series of records and carry out an orthodontic assessment so we can then decide whether we need any teeth out and, if so, which ones.

 

Q: Where do I get to know more about Damon Braces?

A: For any questions, concerns, or queries, please feel free to contact us or call our Straight Teeth Suite clinic in Leicester on 0115 824 3115.

You may have had braces fitted in your teenage years only to find that over time your teeth have moved back to their original position and are as crooked or overcrowded as they were originally.  Perhaps you are now contemplating whether or not to have braces or aligners fitted to repeat the treatment and correct your smile again but are of the opinion there is little point if they are going to move once your treatment is completed. The reason for the failed treatment is not in most cases because the straightening treatment did not work but because you were either not advised to wear retainers or failed to do so. Your smile will last if you follow a few simple rules as set down by the Straight Teeth Suite.

The most important part of teeth straightening treatment are the retainers.  Whether you have had fixed braces or clear aligners to straighten your teeth, once they are removed a retainer will need to be fitted to keep your teeth permanently in their new position. Without a retainer, teeth can move into the spaces or position they were in before.  When you undergo an orthodontic treatment, the bone and tissue surrounding the teeth require some time to adjust to the new position they are moved into, by your treatment. This time span is crucial and must be used intelligently, to maximize the effect of having worn braces to straighten your teeth to achieve a beautiful smile.

The best retainer is a fixed retainer.   This is a small wire fixed to the reverse side of the teeth and held in place with a white filling material, so it is very discreet. Retainers allow the gums to adjust slowly to the new bone structure and keep the teeth perfectly aligned, at the same time. You are the only person, aside from your dentist, who need know the fixed retainer is there.  Not only is it invisible but it is comfortable.  Very soon you will forget you are wearing the retainer.  It remains in position indefinitely protecting your teeth from moving.

In addition, the Straight Teeth Suite recommend a removable retainer worn over the fixed retainer only at night.  The ‘belt and braces’ combination of the fixed wire and removable retainer ensures good stability while you sleep. Patients who have adhered to this type of retention treatment over a period of more than eight years are the patients whose teeth have remained in position and are happy with their smile.

For all of you who have successfully endured dental treatment and worn braces for anything from six months to two years to straighten your teeth, the relief of finally having your braces removed and seeing your new smile light up your face is a magical moment. Long may it last.

Contact the Straight Teeth Suite here for an appointment to talk about braces and retainers to keep your smile for life.

If you have recently completed your straightening treatment, having worn braces for many months, you will be relieved when they are finally taken off, and you have the pleasure of your new smile unencumbered by brackets, wires or aligners.  The Straight Teeth Suite  explains the need for retainers, how they work, and how they will keep you smiling.

Which Retainer?

There are three types of retainer:

  • Your best option is a fixed retainer worn indefinitely to hold your teeth permanently in their new position.  A fixed retainer is a discreet wire bonded to the back of your teeth where it can’t be seen.  It is comfortably positioned, and you will soon forget it is there.
  • A removable retainer, worn at night, will help prevent your teeth from moving.  This is essential in the early weeks following removal of your braces, and you need to adopt the habit of wearing it regularly.  The plastic vacuum formed retainer is moulded from impressions of your straightened teeth and worn to hold your teeth in place. Without your retainer, your teeth will undoubtedly move.
  • The most cautious option is a combination of both a fixed and removable brace.  The removable brace is worn at night, two or three times a week to be certain your teeth will not move.

Why you need to Wear a Retainer

  1. A retainer keeps your teeth in their new position.
  2. Teeth need time to fuse in place.
  3. Without a retainer teeth can move back into their old position.
  4. The forces of biting and chewing put more pressure on your teeth.
  5. If you lose, or gain, weight and age, your face will change shape putting pressure on your teeth.
  6. Some patients are prone to grinding their teeth when asleep, and these constant forces can damage your teeth.

Before considering braces to straighten your teeth, you need to know the importance of committing to life with a retainer.  After all, you don’t want anything to dent your smile and burst your bubble, so think of your retainer as the protector of your new smile.

Anything we haven’t covered on retainers? Post your comment below and we’ll make sure to answer.

We wonder how many celebrities featured in the news, in magazines and on television who have worn braces to straighten their teeth you can name?  You can’t?  That’s not surprising. Lingual braces are so clever and discreet they can’t be seen.  Nobody will know you have been to the Straight Teeth Suite and are undergoing teeth realignment with Lingual braces unless, of course, you tell them.  

There are some famous people who have embraced their braces and have told the world about their new smiles. Myleene Klass, singer and television presenter of This Morning, flaunted her Lingual braces for all to see.  But, if she hadn’t opened her mouth so wide to let the camera in, no one who have known.

Other famous personalities in the public eye, such as Wimbledon champions, Serina Williams and her sister Venus, Tom Cruise and Emma Watson of Harry Potter fame have all worn braces.  Faye Dunaway, the Oscar-winning actress, wore her braces at the age of sixty- one proving it is never too late to get a beautiful smile.  Members of the Royal family, including Prince William, who wore his braces for years with no one noticing, despite the paparazzi photographing him thousands of times. Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, is known to have had her Lingual braces fitted before her marriage to William giving her a lovely smile for the much-publicised wedding photos.  Her braces were invisible, and only a few close family members knew she had opted to have her teeth straightened until someone leaked the news to the press.

All these celebrities are in the public eye and may be subject to scrutiny. Even if you are not famous, you may feel judged or criticised if you have an overcrowded smile or buck teeth. And, if your bite is misaligned it may be uncomfortable to eat. They are many different reasons, aside from the aesthetic, to consider having braces and realigning your teeth.

You don’t have to be famous to treat yourself like the best.  Lingual braces are available for all.  Fitted to the reverse side of your teeth, they are more comfortable than conventional braces.  As they are custom made, they fit perfectly and are very effective in moving teeth to their desired position in a relatively short amount of time. The brackets are smaller and they are less intrusive so they don’t disrupt your ability to chew or affect your speech.  And best of all, no one will know you have braces unless you tell them.

If you want to be one of the best and have Lingual braces fitted, contact the Straight Teeth Suite HERE

Whether it’s getting up for school, making friends or getting good grades, through the eyes of a teen even the smallest of stresses can feel like a huge struggle, which is why most will turn away at the first mention of braces.

However, the idea of braces need not be something to cringe at. Once your child’s orthodontic treatment is complete, they will have a happier, healthier smile and their confidence will bloom.

Although it may seem intimidating at first, what is important to understand is that braces are not uncommon during adolescence and many teens are experiencing a similar thing, with all the same worries and concerns.

As a parent, there are a number of ways you can help ease any anxious thoughts your child may be having about the treatment. To erase these worries, you can encourage your child to see the overall experience as positive and exciting!  Here are some fun ideas to get you started:

Throw a brace supper party! Before getting their braces fitted, throw your child a party and celebrate with a table full of all the foods they’ll need to avoid whilst wearing their braces. Giving them this day of indulgence will make saying goodbye to their favourite treats less of a loss and give them something to look forward to before having their braces fitted, and after they come off, too.

Join in. Crooked or crowded teeth can be bothersome for adults, too. If you’re unhappy with your smile and have been for a while, it can be encouraging for your child or teen if you go through the treatment process together. You’ll be able to give them further guidance and support throughout the period of their treatment, and you’ll both end up with brighter and healthier smiles.

Add some colour. With a traditional set of braces, each visit to the dentist gives patients the opportunity to change their bracket bands. These come in a range of colours, and so gives each visit an element of fun. Your child can personalise their braces and experiment with their favourite colours by mixing and matching their bracket bands at each visit.

Get blending in the kitchen. Since wearing braces can cause some pressure and tightness, smoothies can be a nutritional, yummy and exciting way to help beat the beat the craving for off-limit foods. Especially after getting your child’s braces tightened, taking a trip down the fruit and veg aisle for some smoothie ingredients can take their mind off of the discomfort.  Go home and get busy in the kitchen by throwing in a variety of different ingredients into a smoothie. You can make up a new one together every time!

Positive reassurance. It can be easy to feel self-conscious whilst wearing braces, which is why it’s important to keep communicating with your child throughout their treatment. Encourage them to always smile and remind them that the treatment is an exciting experience that will have beautiful results.

Straight Teeth Suite offers in braces for children and adults alike. Contact our practice today HERE to see how we can help give you a brighter smile.

Lingual braces (you may hear them referred to as Invisible braces or Incognito braces, as well) are braces positioned at the back of the teeth, facing the tongue. It is a superb treatment for adults that are worried about looks and aesthetics during an orthodontic treatment, as it offers complete discretion. This means that no one will be able to tell you are wearing braces!

Lingual braces are digitally customised and require specialised technology to make them, and trained professionals to install them. So, don’t expect your family dentist to know the how-tos as it takes particular skills to stand up to the challenge involved in implanting lingual braces. Of course, all these add to the overall cost of the treatment, making lingual braces more expensive than regular braces. However, their benefits overshadow any possible drawbacks, which is why lingual braces are among the most popular orthodontic treatments patients ask for in the last decades. In detail…

  1. Lingual Braces are Invisible

If you have angled front teeth, crooked or misaligned teeth that make your smile somewhat unflattering, you will fix your problem with orthodontic braces. So far so good. However, with the traditional route, you will have to wear metal braces around your dentures. If you don’t fancy the metal mouth and metal braces flashing every time you smile, you have lingual braces; a solution with a more cosmetic and aesthetic appeal. They bond at the back of your teeth, thus remaining undetectable when smiling. Perfect!

Note: Even if you choose to wear clear braces or ceramic braces, they’d still be visible. They are definitely a more aesthetically inconspicuous option, but won’t give you the utmost discretion you will get from lingual braces. So, if you are struggling with self-consciousness, no other form of orthodontic braces will get you covered.

 

  1. Lingual Braces are Made for Various Bites

Almost every form of bite can be treated with lingual braces. If you were told you need braces, there is absolutely no difference between conventional braces and lingual braces, when it comes to the final outcome. With only minor exceptions, lingual braces can treat even the most serious form of oral disfigurement. The only difference is that they won’t be seen by others. In addition, there is a variety of brackets to choose from, which gives you the freedom to shop around if you want and find the company that will best meet your oral requirements.

 

  1. Lingual Braces are Custom-Made for YOUR Smile

For lingual braces, we use 3D imaging and computer-designed brackets and wires to fit your mouth specifically. The “one size fits all” plan does not have a place here. No one will tell you that positioning lingual braces is an easy task. The fitting demands particular skills and knowledge so that the braces are perfectly aligned with your teeth’s contours and meet your mouth’s particular specifications. This is one of the reasons you need an orthodontic that has received special training to be able to fit lingual braces.

 

Do you know if you are a good candidate for lingual braces? If any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact us, book your FREE first consultation, and get your mouth assessed. Acquiring that wonderful, straight smile of your dreams has never been so close!

If you are reading this article, you are probably planning to improve your smile and straighten your teeth. So, you should congratulate yourself for making this decision, considering there still are many people afraid of this procedure, implications and even costs.

Well, there is nothing to worry about. With Invisalign available at the Straight Teeth Suite, you don’t have to wear old-fashioned braces and the costs aren’t as high as you’ve thought.

  • So, What to Expect from Straightening Your Teeth?

Well, the treatment is easy and pretty fast, comparing to usual, fixed braces. Also, people don’t even have to know you are wearing anything in your mouth. Of course, they will begin noticing the improvement and probably the beauty of your smile. But the rest of it? Not really. Only if you tell them, since the aligners are almost invisible.

  • How Exactly Does this Work?

The procedure offered is far from being similar to the traditional braces, most people run away from. You should actually expect clear invisible plastic trays that must be changed every two weeks.

However, you must be careful and not let yourself tempted to do it any less than that, because you can actually stop tooth movement and encounter some issues.

  • Can You Take the Aligners Out?

You definitely shouldn’t take the aligners out more than you are advised to. These aligners must be worn for an average of 22-23 hours a day, so you only removed them to eat, drink and brush your teeth

  • Invisible Aligners Are Not Painful

Many people have this question and the answer is always the same: pain is a very subjective matter. However, with the invisible aligners, you won’t get the entire rubbing that you would with the fixed braces, Of course, there will be some pressure in the first week, but it does ease off afterwards.

  • Invisalign Doesn’t Really Affect Your Speech

Many people are quite afraid of their manner of speaking while wearing braces. When beginning to straighten your teeth in Loughborough, you might also get an unusual lisp, but it’s only temporary. However, besides the fact that many people find it cute, if you talk a lot or read a book out loud in the first days, your tongue can get used to it and the lisp will disappear quite quickly. Not as bad as you expected, right?

  • Is There Anything You Should Not Do While Wearing the Aligners?

After all the good news you received, it’s time for some interdictions. Actually, none of these is good for your health so you can have a positive perspective when it comes to the following advice: smoking and chewing gum are not recommended. Both can damage the aligners and there is a charge to replace them.

So, now that you found out how easy it can be to straighten your teeth are you ready to make an easy but important change in your life? Book your FREE assessment HERE or read Your Guide To Invisalign part 1 HERE