You may be someone who has hidden your smile all your life by not smiling in photos or covering up your mouth when you laugh because you don’t like your smile. And the reason you don’t like your smile is because you have so many awkward gaps in your mouth.
As a result of not smiling, people think you are impersonal or unhappy because you don’t want to show your pearly whites. But you’re not wanting to smile is not psychological. Instead, you don’t like the way your teeth look. And since the media portrays a beautiful smile as a symbol of beauty and affluence, anything less than a perfect smile may make you feel inadequate.
If you don’t like your teeth, you don’t have to keep the same smile you were born and raised with.
There are options available to fix the gaps in them. Here, we explore the two most common ways to straighten your smile and some of the pros and cons of each.
Braces
One of the oldest ways to straighten your teeth is braces. This method has been around for many decades and is the one most people use to straighten their teeth. Typically, people get braces when they are children to have beautiful smiles once they are older. However, more and more adults are getting braces nowadays.
Braces work because a dental specialist, will glue metal or ceramic braces onto your teeth, which takes about two hours to install. The pressure from this process will move the teeth. As they move, the orthodontist or dentist will tighten the wires applying more pressure until your teeth move into their desired place.
They may recommend keeping your braces on your teeth for 18 months up to three years, depending on your treatment plan. But every person’s teeth and jawbone are different. So, this length of time may be shorter or longer based on numerous factors.
There may be several things that you will have to do before getting braces. One important thing is to make sure your cleanings are up-to-date and that you have lingering issues fixed, such as cavities. If you have spaces in your teeth resulting from teeth removal, you will need to get a dental bridge or an implant to fix the issue. Your teeth must be as strong and healthy as possible, so they won’t crack under the pressure of the braces. Another thing to keep in mind is that you will also need to prepare mentally for braces.
For the next two to three years of your life, you will not be able to eat certain foods such as popcorn, sticky candy, pizza crust, corn on the cob, gum, or apples. So, if some of these are your favorites, you will have to forgo them until you fix your teeth. Another thing you will have to prepare for is some pain and discomfort. While this will ease with time, you can experience pain for the first few days after getting them.
Clear Aligners
Another newer way to straighten your teeth is with clear aligners. You may have seen many aligner brands advertised on television or magazines, such as Invisalign. Like braces, aligners help move your teeth into place little by little using plastic in the shape of the patient’s teeth. The dentist or orthodontist will send the treatment plan to one of the brands mentioned, displaying how the teeth should get straightened.
After teeth are moved into the desired position from the first plastic aligners, the patient will receive another set of aligners to help move the teeth even more. A patient has to wear the aligners about 22 hours of the day, only removing them to brush their teeth or eat. The patient continues to wear different aligners throughout their treatment plan. The entire process usually takes about 12 months.
As with braces, you should aim to get your teeth healthy before applying them. A dentist will inform you of critical issues you need to address before getting clear aligners. Unlike braces, you don’t have restrictions on what you can eat. Since you can remove aligners, you can pretty much eat what you want. Although it is not a must, some professionals recommend that you minimize eating foods with too much acid when using clear aligners.
So, should you get braces or clear aligners? Ultimately, a dentist or orthodontist will have to determine the best treatment plan to straighten your smile. In some cases, if your teeth are crooked, clear aligners are the best way to go. However, if there are significant issues such as an overbite or huge spaces between your teeth, a dentist will likely recommend braces.
To learn more about the best option to eliminate gaps in your teeth, call to schedule a free consultation with your dentist. After an evaluation, they will help you choose the option that is best for you.
Commerce Dental Office for Your Dental Needs
Sedki Dentistry located in Commerce Twp is fully equipped to address any dental concern for the entire family. Using the latest techniques and procedures in modern dentistry our services include cosmetic dentistry, children’s dentistry, dental treatments, gum rejuvenation treatments and more. Dr. Sedki and his compassionate staff are committed to the safety and wellbeing of each patient so that they can have a healthy beautiful smile for life. Call for a Free Dental Consultation today!