Invisible braces, for straighter teeth!

Who wouldn’t love to have a perfect smile that will brighten up any room? This is a possibility for most people, and with payment plans, even a Harley Street smile is within the reach of the majority of budgets. Invisible braces such as Invisalign provide a much more discreet way of getting straighter teeth than traditional ‘train track’ braces, and they can deal with crooked teeth, crowded teeth, overbites and under bites, as well as closing up any gaps between your teeth.

How do invisible braces work?

It’s a straightforward process. We’ll initially take a 3D scan of your teeth from which we can create a series of invisible aligners that will gradually straighten out any crookedness in your teeth and close up any gaps. The aligners will fit your teeth perfectly, gradually guiding them to where you want them to be.

Because the invisible braces are very thin and clear, you’ll probably be the only person who even knows they’re there. They won’t affect your speech in any way, and you can take them off as you eat, which means there’s nowhere for food to accumulate in the same way that it does on traditional braces – so there’ll be no restrictions about what you can and cannot eat. Simply clean your teeth before popping the braces back in. This is especially important if you’ve been eating food that might stain your aligners, such as sauces, beetroot or berries.

For best results, make sure you wear the aligners for 20-22 hours a day.

Every 4-5 weeks you’ll return for another appointment so your dentist can check on your progress and you can collect your next set of aligners.

How long does it take to straighten teeth with invisible aligners?

How long you’ll need to wear your invisible aligners will depend on the condition of your teeth. However, simple straightening treatments could take as little as six months.

At the end of your treatment, it will be necessary to wear a retainer from time to time to keep your teeth in place. Your dentist will advise you on how often you’ll need to do this.

Will it hurt?

Wearing invisible aligners won’t hurt, but at the beginning, you may feel discomfort and pressure as the braces guide your teeth into a better position. Sometimes when you remove your aligner, your teeth may feel a bit tender , but this is completely normal as they move to their new position.

How do invisible braces differ from ‘train track’ braces?

Many people worry about the process of getting their teeth straightened as they don’t want to have ‘train track’ braces that are very obvious. The good news is that invisible braces do as great a job as traditional braces do, and the price is comparable, so for most people, it’s a matter of choice.

In fact, invisible braces offer many more advantages than just being invisible. With invisible braces, you’ll avoid many of the disadvantages of traditional braces. Traditional braces have brackets and wires that can wear out and break, requiring emergency visits; you can’t remove them even for special occasions; food will get stuck and will need to be removed with careful cleaning, meaning there are some foods you’ll need to avoid; and cleaning and flossing are far more difficult and awkward.

If you are looking for a cosmetic dentist offering teeth straightening with invisible braces in Harley Street, the Dr Richard Clinic is based in a fantastic grade II listed building in the Harley Street area of Marylebone. Contact us to book a free 30-minute appointment.