Years ago, if you or your children had teeth that were crooked, the only options to you were to either straighten them with braces or learn to cope with a misaligned smile.
Braces remain an effective way to straighten teeth, but not everyone likes or wants traditional braces. Some do not like how they look or feel, and they do not like the care and maintenance traditional braces require.
The good news is, your Manahawkin dentist can tell you about alternatives to traditional braces that you might find more desirable. A few you may want to learn about include:
Veneers
These are not braces. Actually, they aren’t even a way of straightening your teeth. Instead, a veneer is a porcelain covering that goes over the front of your natural teeth. The idea is to give you a brighter, straighter smile. These are most often used to fix chipped teeth, but in some cases veneers may be used to correct tooth alignment as well. Ask your Manahawkin dentist if you are a candidate.
Invisalign
Now a very popular alternatives to braces, Invisalign works by using clear aligners custom molded to your teeth. These are essentially a sheath that keeps your teeth in place and moves them towards their proper alignment. They require no metal, wires or brackets, and most people won’t even know they’re there.
It’s also good to know that treatment is widely available and cost effective. Invisalign treatment takes about a year, with a new set of aligners every two weeks. These aligners gently move your teeth to their optimal position.
Six Month Smiles
Six Month Smiles is not widely available and may not be available in New Jersey, so ask some dentists in Manahawkin before getting your hopes up. This method uses clear brackets and white wires to re-align teeth. These are less obvious than traditional braces, though they are not invisible. Ask to see if your insurance carrier covers the treatment, because it’s not yet as widespread as Invisalign.
Smart Clips
Just like Six Month Smiles, smart clips use metal clips held together with wiring. Just like traditional braces, the goal is to slowly align your teeth so they are straighter. These are quite similar to traditional braces, except they don’t require rubber bands. These are most often used for minor adjustments.
There are other alternatives that are not as frequently used, but the above options are the most common. For more information, be sure to ask your dentist for more information. They will be glad to fill you in on the many ways your teeth can be straightened. As you can see from the above, you have several options depending on your needs and the condition of your teeth.
Most of all, have faith in your dentist! They know what they are doing and have seen every case you can imagine. A few crooked teeth is nothing they haven’t handled before! They can help you have the straight smile you’ve always wanted.