Blog — self ligating braces

Why is chocolate a safe treat for those with braces? 0

Generally, chocolate is a safer treat for those that have braces as it is consumed in one go, a bag of jelly sweets tends to be consumed over a period of time. Jelly sweets are sticky in nature and often coated in sugar, this then traps around the orthodontic appliance and is tricky to remove. With eating the jelly sweets over a period of time it doesn’t allow the teeth to recover in between a meal or snack.  As a rule, we would like our teeth to be exposed to 3 acid attacks per day. An acid attack occurs when we eat or drink something. Drinking water or tea/coffee with no added sugar is a good way to stay hydrated so are not to be included within the amount of acid attacks but, snacking and a drink of fruit juice or a carbonated drink would be.

Start the New Year by Improving Your Smile 0

The New Year always provides an opportunity to try and make some changes, whether this be to your lifestyle or even your appearance. If there are things that you feel uncomfortable about or lack confidence in, why not take the opportunity to make some improvements now? If your teeth are crooked or misaligned, we understand that this can have a big effect on you and you may not like showing off your smile. At Northenden House Orthodontics, we can provide a number of treatments to help you get the smile that you desire this New Year.

Traditional Braces

Metal braces are still widely used and are proven to be extremely effective for straightening and realigning crooked teeth. Whilst they have a reputation for being uncomfortable and slow, metal braces now use much smaller brackets than they used to and can provide quicker results.

Self Ligating Braces

Self-ligating braces are a more modern alternative to traditional braces. Rather than using elastic bands to keep the wire in place, they use small metal clips. Some of the biggest benefits of self ligating braces is that they are designed to be more comfortable than traditional braces and can achieve faster results as the wires don’t need to be tightened at every appointment.

One of the main reasons that many people avoid seeking orthodontic treatment is that they are worried about what other people might think. Whilst having crooked teeth can have an effect on your self-confidence, this can be even more difficult if you are worried about your braces making your teeth stand out even more. However, in recent years, orthodontic technology has advanced considerably and there are a number of discreet treatments available:

Invisalign® Aligners

Invisalign® aligners are an extremely popular teeth straightening treatment as they are simple to use and almost invisible. Similar to a mouthguard, clear aligners fit over the teeth and are made from transparent, wafer thin medical grade plastic. Invisalign® are comfortable to use and can be taken out to eat, drink and clean your teeth properly. Orthodontists provide a series of clear aligners which are changed to the next pair approximately every 2 weeks, gradually moving the teeth into the required position.

Ceramic Braces

Similarly to traditional braces, ceramic braces are fitted to the front of the teeth, but metal brackets are replaced by subtle tooth coloured or clear brackets with metal wires running through them. As a result, they are much less noticeable than standard metal braces. Many people choose ceramic braces if they suffer from teeth irregularities that mean that Invisalign® treatment isn’t suitable.

Lingual Braces

Lingual braces not only treat a number orthodontic problems, but they are probably the most discreet way of straightening teeth. Whilst lingual braces use brackets and wires, unlike traditional braces, all brackets are fitted to the back of the teeth so they are practically invisible to other people. To provide the most efficient treatment, the metal brackets are custom made for the individual shape of the teeth.

If you feel unhappy with your teeth and feel that the New Year is the perfect time to improve your smile, you can call Northenden House Orthodontics on 0161 998 2622 or email info@manchesterorthodontics.co.uk.