Three Teeth Straightening Options for Adults

You have a variety of teeth straightening options to choose from if you have misaligned teeth. Dentists typically address poorly aligned teeth with appliances like braces and clear aligners. These devices work by applying a constant force on your teeth, gradually improving their alignment.

Dentists sometimes opt to address misaligned teeth by creating the illusion of straighter teeth instead of moving the patient’s teeth to a better alignment. Dental cosmetics like veneers can be used to make a person’s teeth appear straighter.

Popular teeth straightening options

Improving the alignment of your teeth enhances how your smile looks, and it also makes it easier to clean your teeth. This helps to protect against common dental issues like gum disease and tooth decay. Here are some of the teeth straightening options that are popular with adults:

1. Braces

These are the oldest way to straighten teeth, and they have been used for centuries. Braces are made up of brackets and wires that connect all of the brackets on each dental arch. Tightening the wires increases the force being applied to the wearer’s teeth.

Braces remain one of the most effective ways to straighten teeth, and they can be used to fix some alignment issues other options like clear aligners cannot fix. Braces are fixed devices, so they stay in once they have been inserted. That means the patient will have to learn how to eat and clean their teeth with braces on their mouth. That can take some time to get used to.

The biggest complaint people who wear braces have is how conspicuous the appliance is. It is impossible not to notice when you interact with someone who wears braces. It can lead to awkward stares and questions.

2. Clear aligners

Clear aligners are transparent, plastic mouth trays that are used to move teeth to a better alignment. They are removable devices so they can be taken out as needed for meals and oral hygiene. Clear aligners need to be worn for at least 22 hours each day for the best results. Failing to wear clear aligners as needed can lead to teeth reverting to their old position.

Treatment with clear aligners involves getting multiple aligner trays at the start of the treatment. Each tray is worn for roughly two weeks, which is how long it takes for it to push the wearer’s teeth as far as they can. It is then replaced with another set, that takes over from there and takes the wearer’s teeth even further. The process repeats until the patient is done with all of their aligner trays and their teeth should be at the targeted alignment at that point.

3. Veneers

These tooth-shaped shells can be used to make misaligned teeth appear straight. The restoration covers the front part of a tooth, and multiple can be used to cover the patient’s visible teeth to make them appear straighter. It is often recommended when the patient also has other dental issues that require veneers to fix.

Get straighter teeth

Call or stop by our Woodstock clinic to learn more about your teeth straightening options and how our dentist can straighten your teeth.

Request an appointment here: https://www.dentistryforwoodstock.com or call Dentistry for Woodstock at (770) 238-1437 for an appointment in our Woodstock office.

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