The 5 Fascinating Truths of Wisdom Teeth and Braces

Wisdom teeth, whether they come in your teens or later in life, are often thought to cause problems, including overcrowding of teeth.  The result of a recent study on wisdom teeth concluded whether or not you have wisdom teeth, crowding can occur. By drawing a comparison, assessing the front, lower teeth in many patients,  the research team deduced crowding is not solely the result of your wisdom teeth erupting.  The Straight Teeth Suite in Leicester will help you with your overcrowded smile and wisdom teeth with a few fascinating truths.

The Myth Of Wisdom Teeth

We often see patients who say,

“I had lovely straight teeth before my wisdom teeth came through,”

And we see patients with overcrowded smiles and no wisdom teeth.  The fact is your teeth can move and crowding occur for no apparent reason.  

Preventing Teeth From Moving

If you’ve got lovely straight teeth, the only way of preventing crowding from occurring in the first place is to have a retainer. A retainer, made to custom fit, will prevent the shifting of the teeth.  A retainer will need to be worn on a regular basis to ensure your teeth don’t move. With a retainer, you don’t need to have wisdom teeth removed to keep your teeth straight.

Removing Wisdom Teeth

Whether or not your teeth move and become overcrowded, there are other good reasons to remove wisdom teeth.  They might be causing pain, decay or infection and, for your health’s sake and to avoid risk to other healthy teeth, you are better off without them.  Whereas we do not extract wisdom teeth to prevent crowding, as this is a myth, we will remove them to enable other teeth to rotate and move in a particular way. Simple extractions are carried out painlessly in the clinic. More complex cases might require surgery.

How Do I Straighten My Teeth?

The Straight Teeth Suite have the solution for everyone who wants to achieve straight teeth. Age is not a barrier to a more confident, beautiful smile.  We will make a full diagnosis and advise you as to whether or not your wisdom teeth need to be extracted before braces are fitted.  Depending on your diagnosis, and whether your particular case is complex or simple, you will be offered a choice of a brace.  Your teeth, with the guidance of the brace will gently move into their desired position and a retainer will keep them in place forever.

Which Brace?

We offer a selection of braces which all effectively straighten your teeth and give you a great smile.  Depending on your diagnosis and your choice, we will fit:

Damon Braces.   Unlike traditional braces Damon braces include a small sliding door into which the wire is securely inserted, eliminating the need for elastics. This special design allows the teeth to slide smoothly, without friction, and with reduced force.  These braces have many significant advantages, including shorter treatment times, fewer adjustment appointments, less discomfort, less need for teeth to be extracted and no tightening, since elastics are not used. Damon Clear  offer further discretion as they are barely noticeable.

Lingual Braces.  Lingual braces are totally inconspicuous as they are fixed to the reverse side of your teeth, where they can’t be seen, and they are more comfortable. Treatment times vary, depending on complexity, and they can take three months in simple cases and longer in more complex ones.

Accelerated Removable Braces/Inman Aligner . Inman Aligners straighten the front four teeth and is really quick. Some cases can be completed in as little as ten weeks. The aligner consists of a clear, removable brace with a bar at the front of the teeth and one at the back and has to be worn nearly all day and night.

Clear Aligners.  Invisible braces either Invisalign or Smilelign consist of a series of custom made removable clear plastic trays which you change every few weeks until the movement, and desired position of the teeth, has been achieved. There are many types of invisible braces, but we use the best available, custom made to fit.  

Six Month Braces. Six months braces utilise clear braces that are attached to your teeth with a tooth coloured wire to straighten gently and realign teeth in an average time of just six months.

To help dispel the myths about wisdom teeth and braces we compiled this blog. If we have missed anything out please comment below and we will be sure to answer your questions.

Tags: , , , , , ,