A smile is a curve that sets everything straight! Most of us yearn to have a naturally aligned and perfect smile. But the prospect of wearing the traditional metal braces for a significant period of time is dreaded by many.
Well luckily, for every teeth issue there is no need to get braces fitted. To have a detailed understanding of your various dental ailment and how to treat them appropriately, we have prepared a handy guide for you.
The Dental Issues That Can Be Treated Without Braces
Here are the dental issues which can be treated without the braces
Malocclusion
Malocclusion occurs when the dental ridges of the upper and lower teeth do not align when the patient bites. Minor cases can be treated using a variety of methods, including removable Hawley brackets, aligners like invisalign, and bonded brackets attached to the back of the teeth. Malocclusion requires you to adjust the position of your jaw.
Overcrowding
Overcrowding occurs when there isn’t enough space for your teeth to fit properly. Therefore, it can result in crooked teeth that may be overlapping each other or maybe pushed to the front or the back. In instances of overcrowding, a professional orthodontic surgeon may help patients straighten their teeth without braces.
Treatments such as bonded lingual retainers, palatal expanders, and transparent aligners can be used to direct the teeth to its natural position. The outcomes differ based on the extent of the overcrowding i.e mild, moderate or severe.
Physical injury to the teeth
When a patient suffers from severe damage to the teeth due to accident or any other injury, there may occur chips and severe cracks in the teeth. This can cause ‘angular’ borders to give a misaligned teeth impression. Resolving the problem of straightening teeth can involve restorative treatment like porcelain veneers or contouring and bonding of teeth.
How to Get Straight Teeth Without Braces?
If you are not keen on getting braces, your orthodontist can suggest affordable teeth straightening options available without having braces fitted, depending on your personal medical history. Read on to find out more
Palatal expanders
Sometimes the jaw of a child is too small to make room for the adult teeth that are growing in. Pale expanders are often used to help straighten teeth without braces by widening the jaw of the child. If the palate of the child is not large enough to contain all the teeth of the adult, a palatal expander is used to extend the mouth arch.
Two braces fastened to the upper rear molars are used to secure the expander. This process may sound really scary, but it’s actually quite easy. As compared to braces, expanders cause minimal discomfort each time they are adjusted.
Retainers
Retainers are usually the last step of your traditional braces treatment. However, adults who only need a minimum tooth correction can achieve the desired outcomes by only using a retainer.
A retainer is a transparent orthodontic device that fits over the whole arc of the mouth. This makes it considerably less visible than conventional braces. Such orthodontic devices also tend to be cheaper than braces. If you are looking for an alternative to braces, this may sound like an appealing option, but you also need to keep in mind that it can only work when your teeth require minimal correction.
Orthodontic Headgear
As the name itself suggests, an orthodontic headgear is attached to a patient’s head and secured by straps around the patient’s head or neck. The headgear is typically used to support proper jaw alignment and growth by putting pressure on the upper set of teeth. Depending on the specific requirements, the headgear would either be used to hold the teeth in a particular position, or correct the position of some teeth.
This device is specifically recommended for children and teenagers because their jaws are still developing and can be controlled.
How to Get Straight TeethInvisalign
If you don’t wish to wear those ugly conventional metal braces, then Invisalign could be your best alternative. Invisalign has rapidly revolutionized the world of orthodontics. Invisalign involves wearing a series of custom-made clear plastic aligners that help you move your teeth to the right position. Patients who never even thought of getting braces before are now giving Invisalign a try. Though it could come with a hefty price tag, it’s really worth the shot.
Porcelain veneers
In the world of dentistry, porcelain veneers are like a boon for patients. Porcelain veneers are thin, medical-grade ceramic shells attached to the front surfaces of the teeth for the immediate customization of your teeth.
Individually designed for each patient, it consists of a thin layer of porcelain that is permanently bonded over the teeth to shape, size, color, or positioning of the teeth. Dentists may utilize veneers for an incredible range of aesthetic changes, right from teeth whitening, fixing misaligned or broken teeth, and filling the gap between teeth.
Contouring and bonding
Contouring and bonding are very sought after treatments in cosmetic dentistry. They are used to straighten teeth without braces in situations of slight misalignment or chips.
Contouring can fix issues such as sharp edges, teeth longer than adjacent teeth, overlapping teeth. Bonding is a process of applying composite resin that matches the color of your teeth and is then molded and shaped to hide any imperfections and then hardened using ultraviolet light. Opting for this treatment could be your best bet to get straight teeth and give you an attractive and perfect smile.
Can I Straighten Teeth at Home?
The internet is full of online videos and tutorials to get straight teeth at home. But it is highly advised to not try and straighten your teeth at home by yourself. Teeth have ligaments around their roots, so that your teeth secure themselves firmly in your gum. When you experiment with any DIY methods to straighten teeth, you can really make your teeth worse.
You can put too much strain on these roots and ligaments when you try to straighten your own teeth. This can cause the roots to break off or push the ligaments too hard, possibly killing a tooth.
Also Read; Know About Removable Braces
