Everything You Need To Know About Teeth Straightening

We all know that misaligned teeth can negatively affect your self-esteem and confidence, but did you know they can also affect your physical health?

Straighter teeth make cleaning your teeth and gums easier as there are fewer cracks and crevices for the plaque to build up, which helps to reduce the risk of dental decay.

By correcting the alignment of your bite, the muscles around your jaw function better, making things like biting and chewing easier, which helps relieve jaw pain and strains.

Straight teeth make chewing easier and more effective, this helps reduce digestive problems such as indigestion.

Straight teeth can cause sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and bruxism (teeth grinding). Fixing bite issues and getting the jaws aligned can help keep your airways clear and relieve the stress on the jaw.

Types of braces
Clear Aligners - A removable, discreet, custom-made appliance that fits over your teeth a bit like a mouth guard only much thinner. They are worn for 22 hours a day only to be removed for eating and drinking. After 2 weeks they are replaced with a new set of aligners to gradually shift your teeth into place.

Fixed Braces (AKA Train tracks) - A metal or ceramic bracket is attached to each tooth and joined with a wire. The wire is regularly changed to align the teeth over time. Metal braces are very versatile and are suitable for almost every patient.

Lingual braces - The same as conventional braces however they are fixed to the inside of your teeth rather than the outside. This positioning helps to keep them nearly invisible.

How long does teeth straightening take?
On average clear aligners tend to take about 12 months to align your teeth, metal fixed braces are a bit quicker, around 9 months.

Is there an age limit on teeth straightening?
No there is no age limit on any cosmetic dental procedure. Our teeth are indeed easier to guide into place when we are younger however your teeth will still respond to orthodontic treatment whatever your age.

Will braces affect my dental health?
Neither clear aligners nor fixed braces will affect your dental health, however, one thing to note if you are considering fixed braces is that you will need to allow more time to clean your teeth as they will need extra attention to clean around the appliance.

Can I have my teeth straightened on the NHS?
Unfortunately, teeth straightening is a cosmetic dental procedure, which means you will have to use a private dentist to perform your treatment.

I don’t live in Eltham can I join your practice?
Yes, we are happy to accept patients from all over South East London, including Bromley, Erith, Bexleyheath, Sidcup, and surrounding boroughs.

What other cosmetic dental treatments do you offer-
Teeth Whitening
Composite Veneers
Composite Bonding
Dental Implants
All On Four Dental Implant Solution
Veneers
Smile Makeovers
Dental Hygienist

S3 Dental is proud to be one of the top ClearCorrect clear aligners providers in the UK and we have completed hundreds of teeth straightening cases in the last few years.

If you would like more information on any of our cosmetic dental treatments WhatsApp us on 0208 850 9836