Many paths to straighter teeth

Many paths to straighter teeth

29 June 2017

When it comes to teeth straightening in Kent, one size definitely does not fit all, which is why at Staplehurst Dental Practice we like to offer a variety of options. This means we can help you choose the method that will best suit your lifestyle, your timeframe and your pocket.

Let’s take a look at the different methods of teeth straightening in Kent available at our practice:

Six Month Smiles

As you can tell from the name of this system, time is one of the major attractions for the Six Month Smiles method. Six months is the average amount of time that this system takes to straighten your teeth, although it can be as little as 4 months and as long as 9 months.

The speed of this system is based upon the fact that is designed to straighten the front 6 teeth only. These are the teeth that are most on view and they are known as the ‘social 6’. This method only deals with misalignments, and not with corrections to issues with your bite. This means that while it still uses the tried and trusted mechanics of traditional ‘train track’ braces, the forces employed are much gentler and therefore the braces themselves can be much smaller. Instead of metal, the brackets are made of clear ceramic, and the wire strung between, which is tightened to move the teeth, is tooth-coloured, making the whole lot blend in more with your teeth. These braces do not dominate your mouth.

Invisalign

This method of teeth straightening in Kent does not even use brackets and wires. Instead it uses very thin, clear, rigid plastic trays that fit over your teeth rather like mouth guards. Invisalign aligners, however, are so thin that, once they are on, you cannot really see them at all, and they certainly do not interfere with your speech. They also have the benefit of being removable, making eating and brushing as easy as ever. You do need to wear them for at least 22 hours a day if you are to stay on schedule with your treatment, which generally takes about a year. Invisalign has variations in treatment for teens and very small realignments.