You may be considering teeth straightening treatment and braces for many different reasons. Some patients have their teeth straightened because they have crooked teeth that are causing health issues as they cannot clean their teeth effectively, or their bite is impaired making it difficult to eat and they lisp. Other patients simply don’t like their smile. Whatever the motive, be it vanity or valour, the Straight Teeth Suite in Nottingham can help you. We all want to smile spontaneously, look our best and have confidence in our social lives. That’s not vanity, and it is certainly not self-indulgent. It’s a meaningful, intelligent act, especially if it gives you the courage you need in the big wide world.
The Straight Teeth Suite have treated thousands of adult patients who were facing a life-changing event, and their new smiles gave them the resolution and the self-assurance to face the day. To want to look your best is only natural and makes perfect sense. We get a lot of patients who are in the public sector, for example and have to speak in public or meet clients face-to-face. You might be a teacher, a policeman, a politician or a bank manager, no matter what career, a beautiful smile, and straight teeth not only makes you happier and more self-confident but actually enhances your job prospects leading to promotion and success. Straight teeth and smiles make successful people.
And brides-to-be invest a lot of time and energy in their special day that of course, they want to look their very best. After all, photos of the wedding will be treasured for many years and brides and bridegrooms, want to feel relaxed and smile spontaneously for the camera. The Straight Teeth Suite get so many cards of ‘thank you’ from appreciative patients to say how much we’ve changed their lives and how we made the day so special by improving their smile and making them feel good about themselves.
However, we do get a few patients who feel ashamed and think the very act of wanting their teeth straightened is somehow self-indulgent and extravagant, “I want to straighten my teeth but my husband says I’m just being vain.” Straight teeth are not just for Hollywood stars or the fortunate few who were born with straight teeth. It’s not about vanity; it’s about improving your quality of life. To desire straight teeth and a beautiful smile you feel happy with, not only boosts your ego but actually improves your mental health on a much deeper emotional and lasting level, turning shy people from introverts to extroverts. We don’t call this vanity but valor, as armed with straight teeth and an attractive smile you can take on anything and win!
For your free consultation contact the Straight Teeth Suite in Nottingham here and be vain!
Your smile and eyes are the most important features of your face. Many people dream about the confidence of a healthy straight smile, but for most of you straightening your teeth seems like a big deal, thinking it must take forever. Well, the good news is getting the smile you have always wanted barely has to impact your daily life.
Transforming your smile with Invisalign doesn’t take as long as you thought and it’s a comfortable as well as removable treatment. Your peers will hardly notice them.
- Are you a Suitable Candidate for the Treatment?
The good news is that everybody who is tired of feeling uncomfortable when smiling can take advantage of this treatment. With Invisalign large bites are treated and so are the gaps between teeth. Yes, you can say goodbye too gappy teeth, and you don’t have to wear the annoying fixed braces all people complain about.
A straight smile can actually change your whole face and you can achieve this without too much hassle. The procedure involves invisible aligners, which can be removed, especially when you eat or brush your teeth.
For Invisalign to work properly, you must wear the aligners 20 to 22 hours per day. You remove your aligners when you’re eating, as well as drinking, unless its cold water. You may also want to avoid anything that’s too hard to chew because your teeth may be a bit tender. That’s pretty good news since you are able to eat anything you want without the fear of having something caught in your braces.
- What if you are pregnant?
Yes, you can straighten your teeth if you are pregnant, but it depends on the stage of pregnancy, and sometimes we may postpone it until after you give birth, because taking x-rays of your teeth prior to treatment is absolutely necessary. So, just to make sure, you should speak to your midwife and GP and let them know you want to have dental treatment, such as braces where x-rays are required and ask for their opinion.
- Can I have Invisalign if I have a dental bridge or crown?
Patients with bridges and crowns can also be treated. However, there are some things that must be discussed before. It really depends on their position and on how they would be influenced by the aligners. Once you have consulted, you will be told exactly if there are any issues or not. There have been patients with both bridges and crowns who were very happy with the results.
- How comfortable will you feel wearing Invisalign?
The pain and discomfort people who wore fixed braces complained about is out of the question when it comes to treating your teeth with Invisalign. Of course, you might feel some pressure in the first week, but it will all be gone in time.
- So, How Can You Get the New Smile that Will Make Your Life Better?
You can start by making a free appointment with one of the dentists HERE. To read Your Guide To Invisalign part 1 CLICK HERE and for part 4 CLICK HERE
If you are ready to be more comfortable with your smile, and you think having straight teeth might help, getting your teeth fixed with Invisalign is a great option.
The custom-made aligners are barely noticeable and removable. They are also fast and extremely effective.
You probably have many questions about how to use the aligners, who can use them or what restrictions they might bring. So, here are some answers most people are looking for when it comes to getting straight teeth with Invisalign.
- Are there any restriction on what I can eat while wearing the aligners?
Obviously, we don’t recommend you eat while wearing them because you could damage the aligners, so remove them when you’re eating and remove them when you’re drinking, unless its cold water. Also, you may want to avoid anything that’s too hard to chew because your teeth may be a bit tender but as long as you take them off you can basically eat anything you like (not like with fixed braces).
- Can I Smoke While Wearing the Aligners?
No, smoking is not advised. Not only can you damage the aligners because obviously they’re made of plastic, but you can also discolor them quite severely. So do not smoke, please.
- Can I Chew Gum While Wearing Aligners?
No, that is not recommended because again, you can damage your aligners and there will be a charge to replace them.
- What’s the Best Way to Clean My Aligners?
A good and small toothbrush that can fit into the aligners works quite well and also rinse them in lukewarm water. You should not use anything like a denture cleaner, because they have got some chemicals that may end up damaging your aligners. Also, brushing your teeth after each meal and prior to re-inserting your aligners is strongly recommended.
- Are there Certain Dental Conditions that Could Exclude Me from Being an Eligible Patient in Leicester?
Yes, unfortunately, if your gums are not healthy and if you have had a lot of bone recession around your teeth, you cannot have any treatment with braces. However, once your condition is treated, wearing aligners should not be a problem anymore. A consultation would be able to assess whether or not you are a suitable candidate.
- How Often Do I Need to Change My Trays?
Straightening your teeth with Invisalign is not annoying or difficult. However, it is essential that you change your trays every two weeks.
For any questions, concerns, or queries, please feel free to contact the practice and book a FREE consultation. To read Your Guide To Invisalign part 1 CLICK HERE and for part 3 CLICK HERE
Misaligned teeth can make you smile less and undermine your confidence, affecting your social and personal life. Fortunately, you now have more orthodontic teeth straightening options available than ever before to bring your smile back and perfectly align your teeth. If you are wondering about the overall duration of a given teeth straightening treatment, we must say that there is no straightforward answer. Each case is different and only when we have assessed and evaluated each case separately will we be able to set the desired time frame for the completion (and type) of the treatment a patient will have to undergo. To help you understand what can affect the duration of an orthodontic treatment, here is a small guide with some useful information.
What is Teeth Crowding and What Should I Know about it?
Teeth crowding or malocclusion is an irregularity of the jaws (upper or lower, or even both) or the teeth relationship. Teeth crowding is a complex and multifactorial subject, whose nature is classified under dental, skeletal, and soft tissue. All three of them interplay and result in a broad array of teeth crowding severity.
The dental causes include:
- The Position of the Teeth
- Extra/Missing Teeth
- Incompatible Tooth Size
- Permanent Teeth whose Eruption has been Disrupted.
The skeletal causes include a varied growth of the jaws (either one of them or both) while the soft tissue causes include lower lips, among others. Also, tooth crowding can be inherited, or it could be attributed to development disorders, such as hypothyroidism and Down’s Syndrome, to name a few.
As you can see, tooth crowding can occur due to numerous reasons that have to be carefully and thoroughly evaluated before recommending an orthodontic teeth straightening treatment. Of course, just the fact that someone has malocclusion does not necessarily mean they will benefit, either functionally or aesthetically, from undergoing treatment. Whether orthodontic intervention should be considered for an individual (that is if they make a suited candidate) is another issue that also has to be assessed.
Get Fully Informed
Just as we want to carry out a full assessment of a case, we want you to be as educated about the available options as possible. For that reason, we provide you with not only one but five different teeth straightening solutions to choose the one that best meets your needs and requirements. Making an informed choice regarding your orthodontic treatment is paramount to us, so don’t be surprised if we show you several before and after examples of our options and a 3D simulation that will allow you to visually see the final result before you even start a treatment! For your reference, you can have from invisible braces that go completely undetected and clear braces to braces with shorter treatment times and less discomfort.
Back to the initial question, a teeth-straightening treatment at Straight Teeth Suite in Loughborough can take from 2 months and up to 2 years, always depending on the case. Needless to say, each treatment is strictly personalised and will not exceed the 2-year upper limit for any reason whatsoever.
To get a better idea of the teeth straightening options available, feel free to book your first straight Teeth consultation for FREE or download your FREE Straight Teeth Guide here and claim the smile of your dreams!
After 4 months of living with Lingual braces, my teeth are free, and I have the smile I have been dreaming of for the past twenty years. I can’t stop looking in the mirror to admire my new grin. It is better than I ever expected. For the last few months, I have been visiting the Straight Teeth Suite to have my Lingual braces fitted and adjusted, and I am so happy I did.
Day 1: Having chosen Lingual braces because they are nearly invisible unless I open my mouth really wide, the day has come for my dentist to fit them. I am excited and nervous at one and the same time. The whole procedure lasted about forty minutes. Firstly, my teeth were thoroughly cleaned with a water jet. The brackets were then fixed to the reverse side of my teeth where they can’t be seen using a special adhesive. As the dentist pressed on each of the brackets to get a strong bond, the pressure was uncomfortable for a moment, and my jaw was starting to ache from keeping my mouth open. And last of all, the wires were threaded through the brackets. Armed with a bag of essentials including Ibuprofen, toothbrush, mouthwash and dental wax, I made my way home. I was not in any pain yet, but I will let you know how I got on.
Day 2. My first 48 hours with Lingual braces were no better and no worse than I had been warned. I had a little pain, a lot of discomfort, I lisped a bit, and I found it hard to chew. After taking a dose of Ibuprofen, the pain disappeared. My tongue was sore where I had rubbed it on the brackets so I put some dental wax on the wires and brackets, and that really helped. I had plenty of soups in the fridge and dipped my bread to soften it, so I didn’t go hungry. I was lisping for a while but practiced using the Rainbow Passage developed by some speech therapists. I didn’t sound too silly. It was useful to practice in front of a mirror and exaggerate the words. Singing along to my favourite songs helped too. My mouth felt really dry overnight, so I kept a glass of water by my bed.
Day 31. A month after my braces were fitted and I could already see a difference in the position of my teeth. I wasn’t expecting this so soon. The gap between my lower incisors, right at the front had completely closed. It is a big confidence boost to see the braces are actually working. My lisp was much better. In fact, I only lisped when I talked too fast or had bits of food stuck in the brackets. I brushed my teeth at least six times a day. Not only did my mouth feel much nicer after brushing but it helped with the lisp too. I had moments when I could forget I was wearing braces which were a real bonus.It can be very tiring being conscious of something alien in your mouth all day. When I had my braces fitted I was told to avoid biting into anything hard or chewy. Four weeks on I had devised a menu plan to make this more bearable. Porridge, scrambled eggs, granola with yoghurt and fruit, for breakfast. Soup, fish and mash, jacket potato with tuna, pasta and sauce, or omelette for lunch or dinner. And puddings of chocolate mousse or ice cream made up for not being able to eat sweets or biscuits.
Day 60. Two months later and my wires were adjusted for the first time. It wasn’t too uncomfortable and only took a little time. The best thing was my protruding tooth has now moved to connect with the wire. For the first week, my gums ached again, and I took some more painkillers. My lisp had totally vanished by this time, so everything was great. I also visited the hygienist who professionally cleaned my teeth. She was able to get in between the brackets and wires and my teeth felt smooth and clean.
Day 90. More than halfway through my treatment and I had my wires adjusted again. My teeth had moved dramatically during the past three months since I first had my lingual braces fitted. I was already feeling happy to show my teeth when I smiled, something I avoided doing before.
I was prepared for another week of discomfort after my appointment but this time, I didn’t need to take the painkillers.
Day 120. At the third adjustment for my braces, the dentist used a stronger wire. He said my teeth were moving well. My gums were sore again for just a few days but I didn’t have any tongue pain from rubbing on the brackets, and I could eat most things. I was already more confident and actually wore red lipstick for the first time in my adult life. I even started practicing smiling for the camera in time for the braces to come off.
Day 143. The end of the journey, I had my braces removed, and I felt amazing! I hadn’t actually thought about how the dentist would remove the brackets. When I saw the clamp, a bit of panic set in. The dentist literally pulled the brackets off. One yelp and it was all over. I had a tiny wire fixed behind my teeth to hold everything in place before my retainers were fitted. I love my smile and any discomfort, trials and suffering were undoubtedly worth the effort. If I have any regrets, it is that I didn’t have braces and a beautiful smile sooner.
If you are considering Lingual braces, contact the Straight Teeth Suite for a free consultation HERE
Braces are part of growing up. Maybe you are already aware your son or daughter needs braces, or perhaps they are already asking as more and more of their friends come to school with their braces fitted, and they want straight teeth too. The Straight Teeth Suite sees new kids every day and help their mums and dads make the right decision to bring their teenagers along to have their teeth straightened and avoid serious problems in the future
There are a number of obvious signs your teenager needs dental braces but others are not so obvious, and all teenagers will need to see the dentist to be sure. The three following indicators are the most apparent:
- Crooked or crowded teeth: If your children’s adult teeth have grown in crooked, twisted or overcrowded, they will need braces not only to improve their smile but to make the teeth easier to keep healthy and clean.
- Incorrect bite: When the bite isn’t aligned correctly, it is difficult to chew properly, and your child may experience discomfort when eating. It is important to correct a crossbite, underbite, or overbite with braces before they experience any major dental health issues.
- Misaligned or irregular teeth: They can also lead to problems when chewing food. Braces can help to correct this issue.
It is important to seek help from an experienced dentist to determine if braces are a right option for your child’s orthodontic needs. A full examination, diagnosis and treatment plan is prepared by the dentist and the different options discussed with you and your child. Gone are the days of the dreaded ‘train track’ braces with their heavy metal brackets and wires akin to ‘Ugly Betty’. We use the advanced generation of braces that are not only more effective but easier to wear, a whole lot more comfortable and more invisible.
It is important to involve your teen in the whole decision-making process. After all, they are the one wearing and looking after their braces and need lots of encouragement to feel good about the idea as it is not a quick fix. Apart from avoiding some hard to eat foods and fizzy drinks, braces won’t impinge on their activities, including sports, and they will one day thank you for the gift of a beautiful smile.
If you and your teenager would like a free consultation to discuss dental braces, contact The Straight Teeth Suite here
Many parents wonder at what age they should take their child for their first braces appointment. It’s one of the most common questions an orthodontist is asked.
At the Straight Teeth Suite we start treatment when the child is around 12 or 13. Sometimes as early as 11. It all depends on whether your child’s young adult teeth are present. What is important to understand here is that taking your child for their first orthodontic check-up does not necessarily mean that braces will be required at the age of 13, or even at all.
The importance of an early check-up
You may be wondering why you should take your child at such an early age? Is it too soon? Is there any point when their teeth aren’t even fully developed yet?
At the age of 13, the structure of your child’s teeth and bite are beginning to form. A number of their permanent teeth are starting to show, and at the Straight Teeth Suite we will be able to evaluate your child’s dental growth patterns. Getting an evaluation as soon as these teeth are visible will allow the dentist to pinpoint potential problems, such as overcrowding and crooked teeth.
A few common factors that the dentist will assess include
- Placement of permanent teeth (including missing/additional teeth)
- Jaw growth pattern
- Crossbites
- Overcrowding of teeth
- Under/overbites
- Habits that affect the bite
- Potential problems with gum
- Oral development issues
The list above are problems that most often appear early on, but each child’s individual dental growth is unique and there are a number of complex factors that could affect your child’s smile. Your orthodontist will review your child’s dental structure after their initial examination, which will often lead to a second observation, where your child will be re-evaluated after a period of 12 months.
If any issues are identified that can be addressed early, a discussion will be initiated regarding available treatment options, and your dentist will be able to give you a professional opinion along with suggestions.
Any treatment at the age of 13 will most likely be moderate, simple procedures that will focus on particular areas rather than the overall structure of your child’s smile.
At our practice, we understand that any kind of healthcare treatment at such an early age is a big step, and significant time should be allowed to consider all options and a complete review of the potential choices and process provided.
Visit our Nottingham Straight Teeth Suite dental practice to book a FREE consultation for your child and receive a full evaluation. Ensure your child has a happy and healthy dental future!
Well done. You’ve just had your braces fitted! Braces can be quite uncomfortable when they’re first fitted. Don’t worry. It is only temporary. After a couple of days, we would expect that discomfort to disappear. To make thing easier for you, we recommend you stick to a soft diet for the first few days and allow yourself to adjust to this new phase.
To keep your teeth clean and healthy, avoid any breakages and minimize your treatment time, here are a few points for you to consider.
What To Expect While You’re Wearing Braces (Especially in the First Few Days)
1. Lip Soreness
At first, your teeth and lips are going to feel quite sore. Since each person responds differently to various interventions, you may only get that sore for a few days or up to about a couple of weeks or so.
2. Pain
As mentioned before, every person is different, which is why someone may experience pain once the braces are fitted that reminds a headache in severity. In this case, it is advised to take the usual medicine you use for headaches, such as your Paracetamol or Ibuprofen, or any other.
3. Small Bite Issues
If you have had bite guards placed at the back of your mouth, biting may be a bit difficult for you at first. Again, it may cause a small discomfort that will go away in a few days, so just be a little patient and it all goes well.
4. Rubbing on the Lips
The reason you had braces is that your teeth were irregular somehow (spaced, gappy, crooked, etc.). The braces may cause pressure points in order to move your teeth to the ideal position, and might rub on your lips. If the wire is rubbing against your gum, you can use the wax we provide you with, which comes in strips in your brace kit, to avoid ulcers. Break a little bit off and mould it with your fingers into a ball-like shape. Then, press it over the rubbing bracket and wire, and that’s about it.
Tip: If you are going to have a hot drink or something to eat, take the wax off first, because it will come off while you are eating or drinking something hot, and place it back after you are done.
How To Keep Your Teeth Clean And Healthy
To maintain a good level of hygiene, brushing your teeth AND gums at least twice a day for 3 minutes is highly recommended. Don’t just focus on the brackets. Make sure you brush your gums as well. You can use TP brushes (either yellow or blue, depending on the required size) to clean in between the brackets where regular brushing won’t allow you to reach and get rid of all the trapped food that could form tartar in the long run. Your dentist or hygienist will help you pick the right size for you.
A mouthwash is also a valued helping hand. We recommend an alcohol-free product with fluoride. Rinse out with that after you have cleaned your teeth and make sure you DON’T remove any excess with water. We want it in your mouth.
If you notice any redness or swelling, keep us posted. It is important to keep regular visits with the hygienist to ensure everything is clean and healthy and that plaque around the teeth and any of the brackets is effectively removed.
DO’s and DON’Ts of Eating
Look after the appliance by not eating hard, crunchy, or sticky food, such as chewing gums, crispy baguettes, toffees, and hard sweets, because they might break the bracket and make it pop away from the tooth. We are not saying you can’t eat, for example, your favourite chicken wings. But, we do prefer you tear the chicken with your fingers or a fork and eat it, rather than biting into the chicken wing itself!
As for fruit and vegetables, cut them into small pieces or peel them if necessary, and enjoy them! As long as you are not biting into an apple, you are always free to have as many as you want, if only you cut them up into small pieces.
When chewing and eating, take your time, especially if you have had bite guards placed on the back. You won’t be able to chew on as much surface as you were before, anyway. So take a little bit longer to eat your food.
Avoid biting your nails, pens, and pencil tops or opening bottles with your teeth. These actions may cause breakages. If you are wearing a clear brace such as the Six Month brace, then your brackets and elastics may stain over time; they just discolour. Note that foods such as tea, coffee, red wine, and curry, as well as smoking, will cause stains on your brace for a very long time. If you want curry, then do so a night before you have your elastics changed!
Upon any problem regarding your brace, be it a dental pain, a bracket that has come out or a or a bite block that has come off, book an appointment to have things checked out for you. If you want to know more about the options you have, when it comes to braces, feel free to contact us.
You probably heard many people talking about a method of straightening your teeth, which doesn’t have anything to do with the old-fashioned annoying braces people seem to be so afraid of. Invisalign became popular pretty fast thanks to the many benefits they bring to patients. Here are five of the reasons most people choose to improve their smile using invisible aligners in Loughborough.
1. You Don’t Have to Wait Too Long for a Confident Smile
Everything happens pretty fast around you and waiting years before being able to smile without feeling uncomfortable seems too much. This is why many people don’t even bother to try straightening their teeth. However, the new method, involving invisible aligners is different. In just a few months, you can get beautiful natural looking teeth without any effort at all.
2. Invisible Aligners Makes Straightening Your Teeth Comfy
This already famous procedure, involves a nearly invisible way to straighten your teeth. Even if people who wore fixed braces told you how awful it was for them, you should not be worried.
This method involves going through a succession of clear aligners, which you change every two weeks until your teeth are as straight as you always dreamed of. No rubbing wires like you would get with old fashioned braces and, of course, less pain and much less discomfort!
3. There is No Age Limit!
Age doesn’t matter, even if if you’re in your 60s or 70s. What matters is that your teeth and gums are healthy. However, many dentists prefer using Invisalign on young adults who have got all of the teeth present and fully formed.
4. The Treatment is Cost-Effective!
There are so many people who are afraid of prices when they hear all the information available on getting a great smile in Loughborough. But this is far from being an issue. The price really depends on the complexity of the treatment, but people say that, considering the effectiveness of the procedure, the price is more than affordable and you can spread the cost with a monthly payment plan.
5. Straightening your Teeth Doesn’t Have to Be Obvious
Nobody should feel ashamed to wear braces. However, there are many people who are uncomfortable with fixed braces, feeling like people stare at them. Well, with Invisalign all these fears are gone. Everything is close to being invisible so even if you feel conscious, your peers will have no idea you’re straightening your teeth while talking to them.
Invisalign is an effective but easy and comfortable journey towards a new life full of the confidence given by a beautiful straight smile. The invisible aligners are the proof that there is no need for too much hassle in order to get the straight teeth you’ve always wanted.
If you’re ready to find out what your options are you can contact us here. To read Your Guide To Invisalign part 2 click HERE
How much it costs to get a great smile is a question the Straight Teeth Suite is frequently asked. Modern dentistry and the skilled technicians can now achieve fantastic results for patients with misaligned or missing teeth but, until recently, this kind of dentistry was often considered the domain only of the rich and Hollywood stars bringing perfect, white smiles to the screen. From simple techniques to keep your teeth healthy and clean, to more complex procedures to straighten crooked or crowded teeth, to more complicated treatments to replace missing teeth, the Straight Teeth Suite in Leicester will price your priceless new smile.
What is the price of happiness?
A simple clean with a qualified hygienist can give your smile a whole new look. Stain removal, using air flow and a professional polish can cost as little as £68 but can leave you feeling refreshed. Teeth whitening at £200 can renew a tired, yellowing smile, leaving you beaming with pleasure.
If your teeth are overcrowded or crooked, teeth straightening with fixed braces or clear aligners can cost from £1500 for simple cases to £4000 for more complex cases that take more time to correct. The Straight Teeth Suite recommend both fixed braces and clear aligners depending on type and severity of the treatment needed. Fixed braces are designed to be as discreet and comfortable as possible and clear aligners, a moulded clear plastic tray that fits over the teeth is invisible and removable. The aligners are changed every two or three weeks until the teeth have moved to their new position. The best type of brace for you and the duration of treatment will be explained at your first consultation. Dentistry is never a case of ‘one size fits all’ and all treatments have to be determined individually and costed accordingly.
Quite a lot of patients combine teeth straightening and teeth whitening treatments to achieve the smile of their dreams. When the teeth have become damaged through wear and tear, accident or injury and are chipped or uneven, we can offer composite edge bonding. Essentially, this is a filling, coloured to match your teeth and fixed in place to improve the shape of the teeth.
Although this type of treatment may initially seem beyond your reach, by spreading the cost over time it becomes much more realistic and affordable. The Straight Teeth Suite can offer their patients a financial plan, allowing you to spread the cost on a monthly basis over one-year interest-free or up to five years. You can achieve your new smile without delay.
If you have a special occasion in mind or have been dreaming of a great new smile, contact the Straight Teeth Suite in Leicester for a consultation and a quote and take a step towards happiness today.