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Orthodontics is a type of treatment that is undertaken to straighten teeth, usually to improve the appearance of the teeth and smile, whilst maintaining or improving the facial shape. Many people have crooked or overcrowded teeth which can be more difficult to clean, to maintain oral health.
If you feel too shy or self-conscious to smile, because you feel your teeth "let you down", it's never too late and you're never too old to have orthodontic treatment to gain a confident healthy smile.
Most often fixed braces or "train tracks" consisting of small attachments cemented to each tooth, joined together by fine metal wires are used.
Fixed braces come in two main types: metal braces which are often brightened up with coloured elastics and aesthetic braces.
Aesthetic brackets are ideal if you want your brace to show as little as possible and have been worn by celebrities such as Tom Cruise. They are tooth coloured and will not stain with time and achieve excellent results. Aesthetic braces tend to be used mostly for adult patients as part of a private treatment.
Functional braces are used to improve a patient's profile where the lower jaw is small and typically the top teeth are prominent and stick out. They are only used in growing patients and need to be worn all the time usually for about 6-9months. |
Invisalign® braces are a series of removable thin clear plastic aligners which can achieve tooth movement and straightening in a virtually invisible way. They are created with state-of-the-art 3D computer imaging in the USA. They are a good way to straighten mildly crooked teeth and to close gaps but are not suitable for all malocclusions.
Once the teeth have been straightened, retaining braces are essential whilst the teeth stabilise over a long period. Even with retainers some severely rotated teeth, spaced teeth and the lower front teeth can become crooked again due to natural development. Retainers should be worn for as long a period as possible.
Retainers are mostly removable and are like thin clear gum shields although sometimes a plastic plate and wires are used. Fixed retainers are used for adult patients and are cemented to the inside of the teeth and are left in place permanently.
Please telephone or email us at birchingtonorthodontics1@btconnect.com if you have any questions or would like to self-refer for a private consultation.
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