Cosmetic Teeth Straightening – Fast And Effective In Burton

Posted on Posted in cosmetic dentistry

Often, small improvements can make a big difference to your smile.

Crooked and uneven teeth can be a problem for many reasons. In some cases, it is very visible and sometimes embarrassing for the patient. Other issues include a higher risk of breakages or wearing where teeth don’t meet correctly and grind together. It can even make eating more difficult and increase the risk of food getting trapped in places that are hard to clean. In turn this increases the likelihood of tooth decay and gum disease.

The increasingly popular way to straighten teeth that need comprehensive adjustment is the Invisalign teeth straightening system, and this is a great way to achieve a straighter smile. It not only works well but does so in a way that is discreet and also very convenient. No wonder then, that it is a popular choice among our Burton dental patients.

Sometimes though, this method might be a ‘hammer to crack a nut’ approach. For some people, there are just very small adjustments that need to be made to their front teeth that are seen when we smile. This might be a small gap between two teeth or even a little overlapping; nothing too serious, but enough to just take the edge off what would otherwise be a winning smile. In today’s SG Dental and Implant Centre blog, we will take a look at how this situation can be resolved.

Short term orthodontics

One factor which sometimes deters people from having orthodontic treatment is the time that it takes for the teeth to be back in their correct position. This is necessary as applying too much force to the teeth to speed things up could cause damage to the teeth and the underlying bone.  Where there is only minor misalignment though, orthodontic treatment can be much faster, and, depending on the situation, correction may only take a matter of weeks to restore your teeth to a more natural looking, even smile.

For this type of orthodontic treatment, regular dental braces tend to be used. This doesn’t mean that you will need to have a mouth full of metal wires though and modern conventional style orthodontics now use much finer materials that are produced in a tooth coloured material. This helps them to blend in well with your natural teeth. The short period usually involved makes this a small price to pay for a much improved smile.

Cosmetic composite bonding

This is a non-invasive treatment that can restore shape and appearance to teeth and is increasingly popular because of this. It can also be used to close small gaps between the teeth as well. No local anesthetic is usually needed and a tooth coloured resin is placed and then shaped to either change the shape of a tooth or to close a gap between them. The resin hardens quickly and should last for a few years before needing to be replaced.

It should be noted that if you drink a lot of tooth staining drinks such as tea and coffee, the composite bonding is likely to become stained as it is quite porous and therefore susceptible to staining. The treatment is reversible though so if you wanted to try this as a first step, where appropriate, you could do so and then decide to take the orthodontic approach with no real issues.

Dental veneers

Similar to the bonding mentioned above, porcelain veneers can be used to close gaps or improve the appearance of your smile. They can also be used where discolouration of the teeth is quite significant. From an orthodontic view though, they are largely stain resistant and therefore offer a more long term approach than composite bonding. The main difference though is the cost (veneers are more expensive) and the fact that an invasive procedure is needed to shape the natural tooth so that the veneers can be attached. This will be discussed with you at your initial consultation at SG Dental and Implant Centre so that you can make an informed decision, in consultation with the dentist.

These are three of the most common ways to even out a smile where the correction needed is relatively minor. This should always be done by a dentist and we strongly recommend our patients not to be tempted by online treatments that you do yourself at home. There are a number of pitfalls to this that could cause problems to your long term oral health.

By using the experience of our Burton dentists, along with the technology available at our modern dental practice, we will be able to determine the best approach to take to giving you the smile that you want. If you would like to have a chat with our dentist to discuss this, we are happy to arrange an appointment for you. Simply give us a call today on 01283 845345 and take the first step to having a straight and even smile once more.