Cosmetic braces: a guide to subtle tooth straightening

Braces remain the most reliable and predictable way to straighten teeth. At Smilecraft Dental Care in Stevenage, we understand that for many adults who would like to have their teeth straightened, the thought of conventional metal braces is enough to put them off seeking treatment. That’s why we offer a far subtler route to straighter teeth. . .

Teeth straightening: the benefits

Straightening your teeth can have a positive impact on your body image and self-esteem, but did you know it will also benefit your dental and general health?

It’s not complicated, when you think about it. Properly aligned teeth are easier to keep clean, because there are fewer gaps in which food particles and dental plaque can build up. So long as you visit your dentist and hygienist regularly and have a good home routine of brushing and flossing, straightening your teeth with cosmetic braces can reduce your risk of tooth decay and gum disease.

Dental decay and gum disease are both leading causes of tooth loss, which can cause serious problems for your diet and your general health. Therefore, teeth straightening is a step in the right direction for your overall health and wellbeing.

Stevenage cosmetic braces

The majority of adults to come into our Stevenage dental practice interested in teeth straightening treatment are concerned about the teeth that show when they smile. Known as the “social six” teeth, when they are misaligned or crooked it can make you feel too self-conscious to smile in public.

We offer treatment with Six Month Smiles cosmetic braces at our Stevenage clinic. This clever system of braces takes the traditional principles of orthodontic treatment and modernises them to create a subtle and effective 21st-Century brace system.

Comprising clear ceramic brackets and tooth-coloured nickel-titanium wires, these braces blend in with the natural shade of your teeth, whilst at the same time acting in as little as six months. The majority of cases at our Stevenage practice are complete within nine months.

You will need to attend monthly check-ups at our Stevenage dental practice during treatment to make sure it is progressing as planned, and to make adjustments as necessary.

Cosmetic braces: an introduction

Cosmetic braces are an excellent way to treat mild to moderate alignment issues with the front teeth. At Smilecraft Dental Care in Stevenage we offer treatment with the popular Six Month Smiles cosmetic brace system, which is designed to move your teeth:

Quickly
Gently
and Discreetly.

Think you know braces? Think again

If, when you hear the word “braces” you get shivers at the thought of obvious metal appliances, you are not alone. Once upon a time, not so long ago, the only way to move teeth was by using such brace systems. Whilst they remain popular with teenagers, who enjoy being able to customise their braces with bands in their favourite colours, they are not particularly compatible with professional adult lifestyles.

That’s where cosmetic braces such as Six Month Smiles come in. There has been a great deal of research and investment in the field of orthodontics over the past three decades, and Six Month Smiles are now one of the UK’s most popular adult teeth straightening systems.

Six Month Smiles in Stevenage

What Six Month Smiles braces do is take the traditional principles and mechanics of orthodontics, modernising and adapting them to create a discreet 21st Century teeth straightening solution. Gone are the obvious metal wires and brackets of traditional brace systems: Six Month Smiles comprise clear ceramic brackets and tooth-coloured nickel-titanium wires, meaning they blend in with the natural colour of your teeth.

As well as being discreet, Six Month Smiles are fast-acting. You have probably worked out from the name that the average treatment time is just half a year; some patients at our Stevenage dental practice only need to wear these braces for three months, in cases of mild correction. They work so quickly because they focus on the “social six” front teeth.

When you come into our Stevenage dental practice for a Six Month Smiles consultation, a fully accredited dentist will assess your suitability for this treatment. Six Month Smiles can help in cases of gappy, crooked, crowded and misaligned front teeth.

You will need to come into our Stevenage dental practice for check-ups and adjustments to your braces approximately once a month for the duration of treatment.

Cosmetic orthodontics: tooth straightening with Six Month Smiles

Orthodontics isn’t just for teenagers, and isn’t all about obvious braces. At Smilecraft Dental Care in Stevenage, we believe that anyone can benefit from teeth straightening treatment – no matter what their age. As increasing numbers of men and women are starting to realise the true value of a beautiful, attractive smile, so the demand for adult orthodontics has seen a rapid increase.

six-month-smiles At our Stevenage dental practice, we are always eager to point out that even cosmetic orthodontics goes hand in hand with health benefits. By improving the alignment of your teeth, you make them easier to clean. When there are fewer areas that are hard to clean, where plaque bacteria can build up, you can reduce your chances of both dental decay and gum disease – so long as you have an excellent home hygiene routine and pay regular visits to your dentist and hygienist.

For many adults interested in orthodontics, their key concern is with the teeth that show when they smile. Often referred to as the “social six” teeth, it is here that any alignment issues will be most obvious.

At our Stevenage dental practice, we use one of the most popular cosmetic orthodontic systems in the world for teeth straightening: Six Month Smiles.

Stevenage Six Month Smiles

Six Month Smiles are braces with a difference. They take the traditional principles of orthodontics, modernise and adapt them to provide treatment that is as rapid as it is discreet. As you will have worked out from the name, the average treatment time with these cosmetic braces is just six months.

Some orthodontics cases at our Stevenage dental practice are complete in as little as half that time. The vast majority of patients complete their treatment within a nine-month time frame.

Although Six Month Smiles do comprise brackets and wires in the same way standard braces do, the brackets are made out of clear ceramic and the wires from tooth-coloured nickel titanium. This means that they will blend in with the natural colour of your teeth, and are not obvious in everyday life.

These braces use lower forces than standard orthodontics, making them much more comfortable.

Cosmetic braces: more than just aesthetic benefits

Cosmetic braces are growing rapidly in popularity. At Smilecraft Dental Care in Stevenage, we have used the popular Six Month Smiles cosmetic brace system to help many adult patients achieve their dream of straighter teeth. If you are in need of mild to moderate correction of the alignment of your front teeth, read on to discover how Six Month Smiles could be the perfect treatment for you. . .

The magic of modern braces

Many adults are plagued by crooked teeth. Whether they missed out on orthodontic treatment in their younger years, or they had treatment only to experience adult relapse, they feel caught in a trap: lacking confidence in their smile because of their tooth alignment, yet simultaneously put off seeking treatment because they fear wearing obvious metal braces for months or years on end.

If this sounds familiar, Six Month Smiles could be the perfect solution. Whether you’ve had unsuccessful orthodontic treatment in the past or not at all, these revolutionary braces could give you those straighter teeth you’ve always dreamt of in just half a year – or less.

Six Month Smiles are braces with a difference. Whilst they still use brackets and wires to adjust the position of your teeth, they comprise tooth-coloured nickel-titanium wires and clear ceramic brackets, which means they blend in with the natural shade of your teeth, and are not as prominent as their metal counterparts.

What’s more, whilst traditional orthodontic appliances are associated with lengthy treatment times, as the name hints at the average treatment time with Six Month Smiles cosmetic braces is just half a year. They work so fast because they focus on the front teeth.

Six Month Smiles braces in Stevenage

When you come into our Stevenage dental practice for a Six Month Smiles consultation, your dentist will examine you and, so long as you are suitable for this treatment, will take impressions of your teeth for your braces to be made.

At our Stevenage dental clinic we can use these cosmetic braces to correct misaligned bites, crooked, gappy or crowded teeth. Our dental hygienist will teach you how to clean around your braces effectively.

Cosmetic braces with more than just aesthetic benefits

Metal train-track braces may be the most familiar method of teeth straightening, but they are far from the only option. At Smilecraft dental practice in Stevenage, we offer a subtler alternative: the popular Six Month Smiles cosmetic brace system.

cosmetic-braces Unlike conventional metal braces, Six Month Smiles comprise clear ceramic brackets and tooth-coloured nickel-titanium wires, so they will blend in well with the natural colour of your teeth. They are resistant to staining and are designed for short-term mild to moderate correction of alignment issues.

The health benefits of teeth straightening

Whilst often referred to as “cosmetic” braces, Six Month Smiles – as with all brace systems – also bring additional health benefits. When teeth are straightened, they are easier to keep clean. With fewer gaps for food particles to get trapped in and plaque bacteria to build up, straighter teeth improve your dental health by cutting your risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Of course, you need a good hygiene routine including regular visits to the dentist and hygienist, but you should find cleaning your teeth easier.

Some studies have linked gum disease to serious conditions including diabetes, heart disease, and strokes, thus straightening your teeth can benefit your general health, too.

Cosmetic braces in Stevenage

Six Month Smiles braces are not designed to correct major issues with the bite, but for adults in need of mild to moderate correction of alignment issues, they are often the perfect treatment. When you come for a consultation at our Stevenage dental practice, your dentist will assess your suitability for Six Month Smiles treatment.

Impressions will be taken of your teeth so that your braces can be custom-made. They are generally considered more comfortable than standard orthodontic treatment thanks not only to the low forces used to move your teeth, but also due to the reduced treatment times.

Six months is the average duration of treatment; some patients at our Stevenage practice need only wear these braces for half that time, and the majority of cases are complete in nine months. They work so fast by focussing on the social six teeth – those that are visible when you smile.

Discreet orthodontics – the subtle way to straighten your teeth

Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with the alignment of the teeth, as well as with the bite – how your jaws meet together. At Smilecraft dental practice in Stevenage we offer an alternative to conventional orthodontic treatment for patients who need mild to moderate cosmetic correction of their teeth.

discreet-orthodontics Many people, on hearing the word “orthodontics”, automatically picture the traditional metal braces worn by teenagers. The concept is enough to give many adults the shivers, and put them off seeking orthodontic treatment.

However, the field of orthodontics has advanced rapidly in the past three decades, and there are now a number of more discreet alternatives available. At our Stevenage dental practice we are pleased to offer treatment with Six Month Smiles.

Orthodontics no longer need to mean metal braces. Whilst these are still popular with teenagers, who often view them as a rite of passage at school or college, and who are now able to enjoy customisation options such as colourising their braces to match their favourite sports team, it’s not hard to see why obvious metal appliances with a reputation for long treatment times are incompatible with professional adult lifestyles.

Discreet orthodontics in Stevenage

Six Month Smiles are fixed braces, but there won’t be a single glint of metal on show. These braces take the traditional principles of orthodontics and modernise them to create an appliance suitable for the 21st Century.

These braces comprise clear ceramic brackets and tooth-coloured nickel-titanium wires, which means that they will blend in with the natural colour of your teeth and not be immediately obvious in everyday life. What’s more, treatment time with these braces is much shorter than the times associated with traditional orthodontics.

As you may have guessed from the name, the average treatment time with Six Month Smiles is just half a year. Some cases are complete in half that time, and most are finished within nine months. They work so fast because they focus on the front teeth – those that show when you smile – and use special gentle forces to move your teeth.

To find out more about Six Month Smiles, get in touch with our Stevenage dental practice and book a consultation with a dentist.

Say goodbye to bee stings and fat lips, and hello to The Wand

If you’ve had routine dental treatment – some fillings, or root canal therapy perhaps – you are likely to have been given local anaesthetic. For many people, this was the most unpleasant part of the whole dental experience – after all, once you were numb, you wouldn’t feel any pain from treatment. But the injection itself often came with an irritating “bee sting” feeling that would last a little while before numbness kicked in.

pain-free-dentistry Even if you managed to avoid – or to tolerate – the bee sting sensation, once your treatment was complete you may well have left the dental surgery feeling as if someone had given you a fat lip.

The effects of local anaesthetic would last for a good few hours after your crown or filling was placed, or your root canal cleaned. During that time, you could expect to experience a numb tongue and/or lips. Eating or drinking was a risky business – you would wait for your coffee to go tepid to ensure that it didn’t burn your numbed tissues, only for half of it to dribble down your shirt as you tried to negotiate your numbness.

Trying to eat anything was a definite no-no. If you did try to have any food, it could prove very difficult to chew, and when the local anaesthetic eventually wore off while you would have no pain or discomfort from your treated tooth, you might find that you’ve been inadvertently chewing your tongue or lips instead of your lunch.

Now, this can be a thing of the past. At Smilecraft in Stevenage we use The Wand, a pain-free injection system that not only gets rid of the bee sting effect by removing the margin for human error, but also has the capability to deliver targeted anaesthetic, so that only the relevant tooth or teeth are numbed.

The Wand looks like a pen and is connected to a computer, which controls the delivery of your anaesthetic. That way, once your treatment is finish you can stroll out of the surgery with a mended tooth and no bothersome numbness – not to mention the ability to drink your well-deserved coffee.

With The Wand, painful dental injections are a thing of the past

For a lot of people who are scared of visiting the dentist, it’s not the dentist him- or herself that they are afraid of. Neither is it the drill, the actual treatment. . . For many people, it’s the thought of the dentist’s injection of local anaesthetic that causes their anxiety.

oral-health-stevenage Now, thanks to The Wand, pain-free dentistry is a reality. We use The Wand as a matter of routine at Smilecraft in Stevenage, and have many delighted patients who are more than happy to testify to the results.

Whether it is the sight of a needle or the bee-sting feeling of the injection itself that makes you anxious about having local anaesthetic at the dentist, The Wand can help.

First and foremost, it looks nothing like a syringe. It looks like a pen, which is connected to a modern computer unit. So if the sight of a needle leaves you quaking in your boots, you may be pleasantly surprised.

The bee sting effect that people often experience with traditional injections isn’t actually caused by the needle, but by the delivery of the local anaesthetic too quickly. The Wand takes the element of human error out of the process; delivery of anaesthetic is controlled by the computer, so that it will be provided in a smooth, controlled and even manner every time.

The Wand also has other benefits in addition to preventing the unpleasant bee sting sensation of injections. It enables your dentist to numb only the area that needs to be numbed.

Previously, after a dental injection, you would spend a good few hours afterwards afraid to eat or drink, lest you drooled on yourself, or ended up chewing on your numb lip instead of your sandwich. With the help of The Wand, your dentist can now numb just one or two teeth as necessary, which means that you will leave the dental practice without feeling like someone has given you a fat lip.

Why cosmetic braces have more than just aesthetic benefits

In 2016, braces do not have to mean obvious metal train-tracks. At Smilecraft in Stevenage we believe there are always advantages to be gained from straightening your teeth, whatever your age, and we offer a subtler way to do it.

Stevenage Six Month Smiles

cosmetic-braces-stevenage Six Month Smiles are modern cosmetic braces, designed to improve the position of your teeth both quickly and discreetly. They take the traditional principles of orthodontic treatment and modernise them to create an appliance fit for the 21st Century.

Braces work by using brackets and wires to exert pressure on your teeth, moving them gradually into a better position. Six Month Smiles still use brackets and wires, but unlike standard braces these are made from clear ceramic (the brackets) and tooth-coloured nickel-titanium (the wires). This means that they will blend in well with the natural colour of your teeth, and will not be immediately obvious.

Six Month Smiles also have a considerably shorter treatment time than traditional orthodontic appliances. As you have probably guessed from the name, the average treatment times with these cosmetic braces is just six months. Some cases are complete in just half this time, whilst the vast majority of patients finish treatment within nine months.

When you come into our Stevenage dental practice for a Six Month Smiles consultation, your dentist will be able to advise you of your projected treatment time. The shorter length of treatment also makes Six Month Smiles more affordable than conventional braces.

These appliances are not designed for major orthodontic correction, but for mild to moderate cosmetic issues they are the perfect choice. Teeth straightening without a mouth full of metal really is possible, and it begins with a Six Month Smiles consultation here at our Stevenage dental practice.

More than just aesthetic benefits

Whilst Six Month Smiles are classed as cosmetic braces, at our Stevenage practice we are always keen to point out that there are health benefits to be gained from these braces.

Misaligned teeth are harder to keep clean, and plaque and tartar is more likely to build up in gaps. Straightening your teeth can improve your dental health.

Why cosmetic braces are about so much more than just appearances

Cosmetic braces such as Six Month Smiles are increasingly in demand with adults who want to straighten their teeth. At Smilecraft in Stevenage our skilled dental team have treated scores of patients successfully using Six Month Smiles.

cosmetic-braces If you are unhappy with the alignment of your smile, perhaps too embarrassed to smile in photographs or covering your smile with your hand in business meetings or social situations, read on to discover how Six Month Smiles cosmetic braces could change your life. Your journey begins with a consultation here at our Stevenage dental practice. . .

The problem with regular braces

Braces remain, in many cases, the best way to straighten teeth. They afford maximum control to your dentist or orthodontist over the movement of each tooth, and produce predictable results.

There’s only one problem with traditional braces, and that is that they are not exactly subtle. Whilst many teenagers enjoy the customisation options available for modern appliances (such as adorning their brace with the colours of their favourite football team) it’s not hard to see why this can be incompatible with a busy professional adult lifestyle.

Six Month Smiles are different. These cosmetic braces comprise tooth-coloured nickel-titanium wires and clear ceramic brackets, which means that they blend in with the natural colour of your teeth, so are not nearly as obvious as their metal cousins.

What’s more, as the name hints at, the average treatment time with Six Month Smiles is half a year. Some patients at our Stevenage dental practice complete treatment in just three months, and the vast majority of cases are complete in nine months.

It should be noted that Six Month Smiles are primarily designed for cosmetic correction of the front teeth – those that show when you smile – and are not meant to correct major issues with your bite. Your Stevenage dentist will discuss other options if you have substantial bite issues.

Health benefits

At our Stevenage dental clinic, we are keen to point out the health benefits of Six Month Smile braces. Straighter teeth are easier to keep clean, so you could reduce your risk of gum disease and tooth decay – with regular visits to your dentist, of course.

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