How a Dentist Can Straighten Your Teeth

Most adults picture a teenager with those classic metal tracks when they think about braces. While those metal tracks are still used in orthodontics, times have drastically changed. With the advances made, a cosmetic dentist can offer adults many other options for straightening their teeth, including new techniques and aesthetically attractive alternatives to those well known metal tracks.

Effective for straightening teeth, eliminating gaps, and fixing misaligned bites, braces offer more options today than in the past. This article shows the different types of braces available for adults, dispels a few common concerns, and looks at how they can straighten your teeth and correct other dental problems.

The Options

Those metal tracks are still available. Your cosmetic dentist attaches them directly to your teeth and connects the individual brackets with a wire. Some adults only need to wear metal track braces for nine or ten months while others require up to three years. The severity of the problem and the pace of progress determine the length of time necessary.

Tooth colored and ceramic braces provide a more visually pleasing appeal because they eliminate the metal and blend in with your teeth. Many patients report they are more comfortable than metal tracks.

The clear trays of Invisalign are practically invisible unless looking closely. Invisalign provides an attractive alternative to track braces because food can’t become stuck between the teeth.

How Braces Work

Used to eliminate gaps, fix alignment problems, and correct other dental problems by applying constant pressure, braces can straighten your teeth, providing you with a perfect smile. When applying track braces, a cosmetic dentist uses special bonding cement to attach them individually to each tooth before treading an arch wire through the tracks.

Every so often, the cosmetic dentist will tighten the wire to increase the pressure. As your teeth move, the sockets slowly change to absorb the pressure to support the new position of each tooth. With time, the bone structure conforms and provides you with a properly aligned smile.

Adult Concerns

Many adults considering this orthodontic treatment have concerns about the procedure, including the amount of discomfort experienced, the length of time they will wear the braces, and the costs.

There is a mild discomfort each time the arch wire is tightened due to the pressure that results. While some adults only need to wear braces for less than a year, the actual length depends upon several different factors, including the health of the teeth and gums. If there is an underlying problem like gum disease, it must be treated prior to receiving braces. The costs range from less than $2,000 to more than $7,000 depending on where you live and the type of braces you choose.

If you are considering braces because you want to improve your smile, make an appointment with your New York City dentist, or dentist in another city, today. After reviewing the dental issues you need corrected and answering your questions, you’ll be on your way to the smile you’ve always dreamed of in no time.