The majority of treatments we offer here at Eastgate Dental Excellence are focused on keeping your smile healthy and strong. Yet some of our services are aimed at more cosmetic improvements. When it comes to straightening teeth, you don’t always have to go with a full set of braces just to get the look you want. Find out how we can help you straighten your smile with a budget-friendly and comfortable option for treatment.
Benefits of a Straighter Smile
Straightening your smile could have more than just benefits to your self-esteem. By aligning the bite surfaces of your teeth with gentle adjustments, you may notice it’s easier and more comfortable to chew. You can prevent future damage that could be caused by clashes between misaligned teeth. A straighter smile also makes it easy to floss between close or overlapping teeth by creating a more natural gap. If you need further adjustments with procedures like veneers or bonding, it’ll be easier to tell after small adjustments are made. A straighter smile may even make it easier for you to spot issues like cavities or gum disease by giving you a better view of every tooth.
Challenges of Traditional Orthodontics
Many patients mistakenly assume that full orthodontic treatment like traditional braces is their only option for straightening their smile. It’s true that even metal braces are still used today for dealing with some tooth alignment issues. But for the majority of the patients that visit us here at Eastgate, we find that there are plenty of less challenging alternatives. Traditional orthodontics limit what you can eat or drink and require special cleaning throughout the day. They also preclude participation in activities like sports until they’re removed. Using an easier alternative will give you effective straightening with far fewer restrictions.
Reasons to Choose Invisalign
Invisalign is the single most effective method of straightening your smile in most cases. These nearly invisible retainers slowly change the spacing between teeth and help guide your smile into its new arrangement. It’s more comfortable than the routine adjustments needed for traditional braces, with no noticeable soreness for the majority of patients. Since the retainers are nearly invisible, it’s easy to wear them almost all day and night without anyone even guessing you’re realigning your teeth. You’ll get new custom retainers on a schedule so that the alignment process continues until you’re happy with your smile, which takes an average of six to 18 months to complete.
Aesthetic Improvements with Dental Veneers and Bonding
For minor alignment issues that are entirely cosmetic and don’t interfere with your bite pattern, there are other options that can offer nearly instant improvements. Veneers and bonding are two options for changing how a tooth looks, which may change the alignment of your smile in a noticeable way. The tooth is carefully shaped to reduce its size, then it’s covered with a layer of bonded material or a veneer that fits over the entire outer surface. This can create the appearance of a rotated or realigned tooth without the long wait for adjustments through retainers or braces. If you are happy with the results of Invisalign but want a little more improvement, you can always get veneers or bonding done after completing a round of custom retainer use.
Treating the TMJ
If you have misaligned teeth, you may want to treat underlying problems like issues with your temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Clenching and grinding of the teeth will not only cause pain in this joint in the jaw, but it will also damage your teeth even after they’ve been properly aligned. If you use veneers or bonding to put the finishing touches on your smile makeover, you’ll definitely experience a shorter lifespan from the improvements if you don’t stop the grinding. Invisalign retainers can protect your teeth temporarily while you’re using them on a daily basis. When you’re done using the retainers, consider switching to a custom-fit nightguard to control nighttime grinding. Some people may even need daytime guards to deal with severe grinding issues.
Referral to an Orthodontist
You don’t need to determine what method of tooth straightening is best all on your own. Come in for a full consultation and we can tell you if Invisalign will be sufficient for your goals. If you do need a more extensive and traditional orthodontics treatment, we’ll refer you to a specialist who can handle that for you. Most cases are most effectively solved with Invisalign and similar options, so let us assess your smile and determine what will work best before making any final decisions.
Contact us today at Eastgate Dental Excellence to get the smile straightening services you need without further delay. Schedule a visit to our friendly dental office and explore everything we can do to give you straight, healthy, and sparkling teeth.