Nearly everyone has some irregularity in their teeth. Often this is mild and doesn’t bother us but sometimes the irregularity causes concern. Teeth may stick-out or appear pushed-in. They may be crooked or rotated. They may not stand up straight or there may be large gaps.
Irregular teeth look unsightly and are more difficult to clean. In-standing teeth may quickly stain and the spaces between crowded teeth may discolour or allow food to pack during eating. Crowding of teeth tends to get worse as we get older. Even people who have had braces in the past can find their teeth crowd again later if they haven’t been using retainers. Full orthodontics involves moving all the teeth, top and bottom into their ideal positions. This complex treatment should always be carried out by a specialist orthodontist. Similarly, a specialist orthodontist should always be selected for the treatment of children under the age of 18.
Many adults are only interested in straightening the teeth that show at the front of the mouth to improve their appearance. For these people ‘rapid’ orthodontics may be appropriate. This type of treatment is usually completed in about 12 months and can dramatically improve the smile but do not change the position of the back teeth and do not result in the degree of perfection that can be accomplished with specialist-provided full orthodontics.
At Avenue Road Dental Practice we use the following methods of rapid orthodontics:
Simple removable appliances are useful for small to moderate changes in tooth position. Often we use the Inman Aligner which has a spring in front and a spring behind the teeth we are moving. The appliance normally takes about 6 months to carry out most of the required tooth movements and is usually followed with the use of several clear aligners to complete the case.
Removable appliances need to be in your mouth for about 20 hours a day. You remove the appliance for eating and for cleaning but it is important to wear it most of the rest of the time. If it’s not in your mouth it won’t work!
These are the familiar ‘train track’ braces which are glued to the teeth and carry wires and springs to produce tooth movements.
They are more reliable than removable appliances and generally produce a better result.
You cannot remove them and they are visible but less conspicuous tooth-coloured brackets and white-coated wires are available as an option. This image demonstrates a fixed brace with ceramic (tooth coloured) brackets.
These removable appliances produced by Invisalign and other suppliers are used to relieve mild to moderate crowding in the upper and lower front teeth. The aligners are made of clear plastic and are certainly the most cosmetic tooth straightening solution; however, many aligners may be required and the treatment tends to take longer than the other methods.
This image demonstrates the atypical clear aligner.
After orthodontic treatment is complete it may be necessary to carry out some cosmetic composite bonding and recontouring to refine the result.
In all cases you will need to use orthodontic retainers for life after treatment or the teeth WILL move back. These might be fixed or removable retainers and the advantages and disadvantages of each will be discussed with you at your assessment appointment.
If you are not an existing patient of our practice you’ll need to come first of all for a general and cosmetic examination (Price £85.00) where you’ll be told if orthodontics might be appropriate for you. Existing and new patients then wanting to go ahead will require a further initial orthodontic assessment including x-rays if necessary, impressions for study models and case analysis. The fee for this examination is £220.00. Costs for treatment begin at £1800.00 per jaw but each patient receives a detailed cost estimate before treatment.