Do you want to have your teeth straightened as an adult but think that this will mean wearing a fitted, orthodontic brace?

In the last 20 years, orthodontic care has come on leaps and bounds and now, it is easier than ever before for you to straighten your teeth discreetly and effectively. And at Clapham South Dental, we can help.

At Clapham South Dental, our team can offer our patients a myriad of different braces and aligners, including Invisalign and even clear braces Clapham, with each one chosen to get you the straighter smile you want in the shortest time frame. Great!

Here, our team at Clapham South Dental runs through the most commonly used types of orthodontic tools in our clinic, everything from standard to clear braces Clapham. So read on to learn more about this ever-expanding (and life-changing) area of dentistry!

Fitted braces

OK, so most people will know at least one person in their life who has worn fitted braces.

They are metal braces that are affixed to the front of your teeth and require tightening and adjusting to move the teeth.

And while they remain common in the treatment of misalignments for children and teenagers, thanks to advances in orthodontics, they are becoming rarer among adults. That is unless there is a more complex case of misalignment that requires the rotation of a tooth and/or the movement of molars. In cases of adult dental care, you may need to wear an orthodontic brace for 36 months, but this may vary depending on the complexity of your misalignments.

Clear appliances

Next, we come to clear braces Clapham, which are often confused with aligners.

However, when it comes to braces, clear ones are usually fitted but instead of the brackets that affix them to the teeth being made from metal, they may be clear or enamel coloured to keep appearances discrete. These braces also usually contain a thinner archwire, which once again, keeps them visually minimalistic.

As these braces are used across the spectrum of dental misalignments, you may need to wear them for between 6-36 months.

Lingual braces

Here we come to the most hidden of all of the fitted braces, the lingual brace.

Placed on the back of the teeth, this brace is practically invisible but allows us to manage more complex dental issues, without the discretion problems that often accompany fitted braces.

But, based on their position, they can be a bit fiddly and so, lingual braces take longer to fit and can be more difficult to clean. But don’t worry; our team will show you how to care for your lingual braces, which will help to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Aligners

And finally, we come to aligners!

You may have heard of these due to the infamy of brands like Invisalign. Removable, visually discrete and easy to clean, aligners are seen by many as the most discrete orthodontic tool and can be used to treat everything from overbites to spacing problems.

However, for an aligner to work, you need to wear it for at least 22 hours per day.