No one wants to smile at the mirror and see gapped, crooked, or poorly aligned teeth smiling back at them.
If you’re an adult you feel the self-consciousness that comes with a subpar smile. What’s worse is being a parent and hearing that your child is being teased about their teeth.
And while crooked teeth may feel like “end of the world” to you or your child, it isn’t anything like that — in fact thanks to modern orthodontic care, crooked or misaligned teeth can be nothing worse than a temporary issue.
In fact, at My Local Dentists West Ryde our team of dental professionals helps people just like you begin to repair their crooked smiles each and every day. And we can do the same in your case!
There are multiple approaches to this fix, partly dependent on your individual case. A one-size-fits-all answer is not a good answer, instead, consultation is needed to understand the various treatment options. In this article we’ll cover top 3 of the orthodontic answers for crooked teeth that we offer.
#1 Modern Conventional Braces
Metal braces are the most used type of braces for patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. While in the past these braces were big and bulky (“train tracks”) modern metal braces are smaller, flatter, and more comfortable than in the past. They can also be customised with colour.
Traditional metal braces are made of high quality stainless steel or titanium and are comprised of three main elements:
- Brackets — Brackets attach to the teeth using a dental glue bonding them to the tooth surface and holding them in place.
- Archwire — The archwire is a thin metal wire connecting each bracket and putting pressure on the teeth to help guide them into place.
- Ligature Elastic (more commonly called “rubber bands”) — Elastics, or rubber bands, are the colored ties that connect archwires to brackets. Elastics can come in a variety of colors, allowing for customization.
How Braces Work
Braces exert continual pressure on your teeth, which moves teeth into proper positions. As noted above, in addition to braces, some patients may need to wear rubber bands and/or headgear.
Metal Braces for All Ages
Traditional metal braces are the most popular, fastest, and economical orthodontic treatment available. Contact us to schedule an appointment and discover more about how braces can improve your smile.
#2 Invisalign
Invisalign is an advanced, modern, nearly invisible method of moving teeth using clear removable retainers instead of brackets and wires attached to teeth. In most cases the retainers are as effective as traditional methods of orthodontics. With diligent patient habits most malocclusions can be treated using Invisalign.
The number of retainers depends on the severity of the crowding and misalignment, but generally ranges from 7 to 60. Each retainer is worn for two weeks.
The advantages of Invisalign are substantial.
- The aligners are nearly invisible – most people won’t notice you are wearing them.
- Non-invasive and pain-free
- Aligners are removable so you can remove them when eating, cleaning teeth at home, or when playing sports.
- Invisalign can address several orthodontic issues. However, it’s ideal for mild to moderate cases.
#3 Veneers
Some cases of teeth straightening don’t require braces, or braces are not the best treatment. Some patients have only one tooth out of alignment; in other cases teeth may be overlapping each other. In these cases veneers, categorized as a cosmetic treatment, can fix the appearance of crooked teeth.
My Local Dentists West Ryde offers two kind of veneers.
Porcelain Veneers
Custom-made porcelain shells, which are bonded to the surface of your tooth. To be certain of a perfect fit and a shape that suits your mouth we take impressions of your teeth; this allows a dental lab to manufacture a veneer that blends flawlessly with the rest of your teeth, and also looks as natural as possible.
Composite Veneers
A cost effective alternative to porcelain veneers, composite veneers are made from a strong resin, the same material used for fillings.
Benefits
- Quick results – sometimes only two appointments
- Non-invasive
- A biocompatible treatment that doesn’t harm surrounding tissues
- The thin shells look and feels very realistic and natural
- Makes teeth less susceptible to stains and decay
- Veneers can last 10 years or more
Free Orthodontic Consultation at My Local Dentists West Ryde
At My Local Dentists West Ryde, our treatments and service are 100% personalized to you and your needs. Our dentists are highly motivated and accredited practitioners with graduate degrees from the University of Sydney.
As well as our dentists, the supporting staff at My Local Dentists West Ryde are extremely dedicated and experienced to guarantee that each visit with us is as comfortable as possible.
Grab your FREE Orthodontic Consultation today!
Call your West Ryde dentist on (02) 9809 7000 or visit us at Shop 20 West Ryde Marketplace 14 Anthony Road in West Ryde.