Three Tips for Choosing the Right Orthodontics Treatment

You have been embarrassed about your smile for as long as you can remember and your dentist has suggested you get evaluated by an orthodontist, but you are still dragging your feet, why? There are so many affordable and effective orthodontic solutions today that there is no reason for you not get the smile of your dreams.

Here a three tips for choosing the right orthodontics treatment.

First, Know Your Options

Metal braces

Metal braces are permanently adhered to your teeth and can only be taken off by the orthodontist at the end of treatment. The orthodontist tightens the wires during treatment to help shift the teeth. Keep in mind that with this type of treatment, there are certain food and drink restrictions. Also you may have to wear them for 3 or more years depending on how your treatment goes. Most bite and alignment issues can be treated by metal braces

Invisalign

Invisalign braces are clear plastic aligners that can be easily removed. These can be removed to eat and to brush and floss your teeth. Treatment includes a new set of aligners every two weeks as your teeth shift into proper alignment. The most important thing is that you wear your aligners every day for 20 to 22 hours otherwise treatment will not be effective. Invisalign can also handle both simple and complicated alignment issues.

Lingual Braces

Lingual braces are braces that are attached to the back of the teeth instead of the front making them practically invisible to the people around you. They are made up of brackets and wires like traditional braces, but because of their positioning they are more discrete.

Patients with a deep overbite are not good candidates for lingual braces because the overbite might put too much pressure on the brackets leading to the brackets falling off. They can be more difficult to clean properly because it is on the back of your teeth which is harder to reach, and you may have difficulties with speech. Because the braces are on the inside of your teeth, it will feel a little strange at first and you may experience some speech difficulty like a lisp until you get used to them. Because your tongue will be hitting up against the brackets, you may also develop sores on your tongue.

Ceramic Braces

Just like metal braces, but instead of metal brackets, the orthodontist puts on ceramic braces that are tooth-colored. They are less visible than the metal braces, but you need to be careful of foods and drink staining the ceramic.

Accelerated Treatment

There are accelerated treatment options as well. AcceleDent is a FDA-cleared medical device that you can use at home to stimulate the bone remodeling needed to properly align your teeth. The SoftPulse technology used in the device allows a consistent gentle pressure to be applied to the teeth. This pressure in conjunction with the pressure being asserted by the braces allows the repositioning of teeth to happen more quickly. Most patients see results after using it for just 20 minutes a day. You can cut your treatment length almost in half with this device.

Propel Chairside Excellator is another accelerated orthodontic treatment option. This one has to be done in the orthodontist’s office though. Sometimes your doctor can use it during your normal orthodontic appointments, but that is not always the case. Ask him or her if you need to set up a separate appointment to take advantage of this treatment. The Propel system also accelerates the bone metabolism and shortens the duration of treatment.

Second, Choose the Right Treatment For YOU

A lot of new orthodontic patients like the sound of Invisalign treatment because the aligners are invisible and removable, making them less intrusive in your life. However, not every alignment issue can be solved by every type of treatment so you need to get evaluated by a licensed orthodontist. He or she will be able to develop a plan based on your alignment issues, cost and personal preferences. Discuss all the pros and cons of each type of treatment and choose the one that seems to meet your needs the best. Remember that orthodontics treatment is an investment, but it is a worthwhile one. If you don’t take care of your teeth now, you will only have bigger problems down the road.

Third, Choose the Right Orthodontist

To give you the most options, you should find an orthodontist who is skilled at the most comprehensive range of orthodontic services. He or she should also really care about their patients. Chairside manner is important. Orthodontic care can be a little daunting so you want someone who will soothe your anxiety away and really listen to your concern.

Our staff at Orthodontics Limited are experts in their field and offer all our patients the individual attention they deserve. We are skilled in adult orthodontics and are a top Invisalign orthodontist. We have been designated by Invisalign as a Diamond Plus provider. Call us today for your free initial consultation about your orthodontics treatment.