Misaligned teeth can really spoil the appearance of a smile. Even if the teeth are in really good condition, being clean and white, if they are not straight it is instantly noticeable. When it comes to your teeth, to look their best, everything has to be right. Now, you can obviously clean your teeth to keep them clean and white, and even use whitening treatment to improve the colour, but what can you do if the teeth are not straight? The answer is to use orthodontic straightening treatments, commonly known as braces.

For many years, the world of orthodontics was dominated by the fixed metal, or train track brace. This is a tried and tested brace proven to be very effective. However, it did have some fairly obvious drawbacks. Firstly, the brace had a significant aesthetic impact, with its prominent metal brackets and wires, you could spot a fixed metal brace from a mile away. They also were uncomfortable, frequently causing patients irritation and discomfort, and all of this could last as long as three years.

Thankfully, over the last decade there has been an explosion in the way orthodontic treatments have been designed. Nowadays, a lot more attention is focused on making the treatment work for the patient and not the other way round. Braces such as Invisalign, Inman and the Six Month Smile are discreet, fast acting and use a lot less force to move the teeth into the desired position. For every patient there is now a brace to suit them and their needs. For a full range of the treatments available, make an appointment with your London dentist. They will be able to make an assessment about the condition of your teeth and their alignment and tell you which brace system will work best for you.

iYour smile is very important to you. It is very often the first thing that people see when they meet you, so it is important that you are happy and comfortable with it. Teeth that are crooked or misaligned can spoil the appearance of a beautiful smile but by using orthodontic straightening devices it is possible to correct this fairly easily.

For patients who suffer from minor alignment issues it may be possible to straighten your teeth in a matter of a few months using the Inman aligner. This relatively new orthodontic straightener was developed in the US at the tail end of the last millennium. It is now staring to make waves here in the UK, thanks to exposure on several television shows and its incredible straightening power.

The aligner works by using the power of a coiled spring, which sits on the tongue side of the teeth. A thin metal wire runs a long the front of the teeth (the only really visible part of the aligner when in the mouth) to keep the teeth in alignment while the spring creates room for them to straighten.

The Inman aligner is capable of producing visibly straighter teeth in as little as six weeks but for a more complete treatment it is advised to wear it for up to six months. The aligner is also completely removable which makes it ideal for people who may occasionally need to take it out for work or social commitments.

The Inman aligner is the ideal tool for the right patient. More and more this is including brides-to-be keen to have the perfect smile on their wedding day. If you think your smile could benefit from being a little straighter, ask a City of London dentist about your suitability for an Inman aligner.

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.

There has been a lot of coverage in the media in recent years about Invisalign invisible braces. They are the first really effective and invisible orthodontic straightening devices capable of achieving similar results to fixed metal braces but how do they really compare to the more traditional brace?

Invisalign braces were introduced in 1999 by Align technologies in the US and quickly caused a stir because of their ability to straighten teeth without the need for unattractive metal braces. Consisting of a series of one-millimetre thick clear plastic braces worn consecutively, the treatment aims to straighten teeth by making small adjustments in each new brace. Treatment usually lasts between a year and eighteen months, on average six months shorter than with conventional metal braces.

The braces are made using the latest digital technology allowing them to be very accurate so that they provide a comfortable fit over the teeth. Each new brace is worn for a period of between two to three weeks before being replaced. One of the major advantages of the Invisalign braces over fixed metal braces is that they are completely removable. This means they can be taken out for effective teeth cleaning and for eating. These are two of the most common complaints against fixed metal braces and the Invisalign addresses both of them.

London dentists offer Invisalign braces as an alternative to fixed metal braces for patients unwilling to make the sacrifice of up to two years of wires and brackets. Invisailgn braces are just as strong and powerful as fixed braces but may cost a little more. However, many patients see the added advantages of the Invisalign treatment as worth the extra cost.

A trip to the dentist used to mean that you had something wrong with your teeth that was causing pain or discomfort and needed to be sorted. It was purely a utilitarian practice that was a necessity. Over the last twenty years the role of the dentist has changed and they can now provide procedures that rise above the merely functional.

In a world that places increasing importance on appearance, cosmetic dentistry has provided millions of people with the opportunity to improve theirs. The teeth are one of the most obvious factors that affect our appearance to others and with smiling being one of the most important ways of communicating we have, the way our teeth look can affect the way others perceive us and even how we feel about ourselves. Bad teeth can be a source of great embarrassment and low self-confidence.

Cosmetic dentistry is capable of completely transforming a smile by using a number of procedures running simultaneously. This wider process is called a smile makeover and usually includes such treatments as teeth whitening, orthodontic straightening, cosmetic bonding, veneers and dental crowns. All of these procedures can be carried out on their own to make minor cosmetic adjustments to the teeth.

Teeth whitening and veneers are two of the most popular procedures as they can completely transform the appearance of badly stained or discoloured teeth, which can make them look very unhealthy and unattractive. Modern veneer technology allows the design and manufacture of a whole row of porcelain veneers in as little as one appointment. Cosmetic dentistry may not be essential for health reasons but the psychological and mental benefits of treatment from a London dentist cannot be underestimated.