For people of a certain generation, the idea of braces conjure up a certain image. Ugly, uncomfortable metal ‘train-track’ braces full of wires and metal brackets. Thankfully, and fortunately, for today’s younger generation, braces have developed since then and there is now a wide variety of different kinds of braces on the market to suit each individual’s need.

Orthodontic straightening is now faster, more comfortable and more effective. Treatment can now be achieved in just a quarter of the time it used to take with some traditional braces, and the amount of discomfort has been greatly reduced. One brace that has taken traditional orthodontic methods and improved them is the Six Month Smile brace. With average treatment time being only six months and a lot less force required to manipulate teeth into position, Six Month braces are proving to be very popular with younger patients. They are even manufactured using clear plastic brackets and tooth coloured wires for maximum discretion.

Although they do come a long way behind Invisalign braces in terms of discretion. Invisalign braces are made from one millimetre thick clear plastic and are virtually invisible when in the mouth. Treatment times are slightly longer but many patients feel this is a worthwhile sacrifice to have braces that do not spoil their appearance.

Other braces available from London dentists include the Inman aligner and Damon braces, each having their own distinct area of advantage. Some braces are more suitable for some teeth than others but your dentist will be able to assess your suitability during an initial consultation. Whichever brace is most suitable for your teeth, you can look forward to a more comfortable treatment with less disruption to your life than would have been possible twenty years ago and you will also have a beautiful straight smile to show off at the end.

Braces, also known as dental braces or orthodontic braces, are devices made from a combination of metal, plastic and ceramic used to align teeth for cosmetic and dental health purposes. They are commonly used to correct malocclusions, which include all bite misalignments, as well as crooked or overcrowded teeth.

Having existed in one form or another for over a hundred years, braces aim to use the force applied by wires and plastic retainers to gradually manipulate teeth into a more attractive position. They have become increasingly common over the last twenty years with more and more patients benefiting form the increasingly improved and more affordable treatment.

Most patients of a certain age will be very familiar with fixed metal ‘train-track’ braces which were very popular in the 1990s and first years of the new millennium but brace technology is now able to offer less intrusive and more aesthetically pleasing alternatives. Patients now have the choice of clear plastic invisible braces called Invisalign, or incredibly fast-acting braces such as the Inman aligner or Six Month Smile treatment, which aim to straighten teeth up to 75 per cent faster.

Almost all braces involve a certain amount of discomfort when initially fitted that normally passes after the first few days, but some treatments do involve uncomfortable tightening on a regular basis. Other new braces like the Damon system aim to limit the discomfort to the patient by using revolutionary self-ligating wires that require no tightening.

London dentists can offer each individual patient the most suitable treatment depending on their individual requirements and preferences. Brace technology has come a long way since the first braces were used in the 1880s and can now offer straighter teeth with the minimum fuss, discomfort and cost to the patient.

London dentists have all the modern orthodontics technology to align your teeth and give you that perfect smile without the pain, discomfort and long periods of adjustments associated with traditional braces.

Nowadays they have at least four kinds of contemporary orthodontics techniques to align your teeth to enhance your looks and solve functional problems. These modern orthodontics techniques include the following:

• Invisalign braces. These are almost invisible aligners that painlessly move the teeth to their right position as you wear them week by week. As these braces are designed with 3D computer-aided design, they fit perfectly over the teeth. Unlike traditional braces, Invisalign braces can be taken out when eating or brushing.

• Damon braces. These are fixed light braces that use low friction mechanics to reduce the number of months and number of clinic visits a patient needs to get treated.

• Lingual braces. These give the best option for people who want to get their teeth aligned but could not sacrifice periods of brace-strained appearance. These braces are completely invisible because they are fitted snugly to the hidden side of the teeth.

• Cosmetic braces. These clear aesthetic braces are good for teenagers who may be unable to comply with brace care instructions. They are bonded and fixed onto the teeth to do away with problems associated with conventional braces.

• Tooth-coloured braces. These are custom-made braces that are made almost invisible because they are stained to take the colour of the patient’s teeth.

Your London dentists can perform any one of these braces that you select and any one of these can give you that perfectly aligned set of teeth, enabling you to give glistening smiles.