If you dream of a straighter, more perfect smile, you should speak to an orthodontist. Orthodontists specialize in straightening teeth and fixing jaw irregularities.
They’re trained to diagnose and treat these irregularities, so you can finally have a smile you love to show off. By straightening your smile, it also becomes easier to care for your oral hygiene and prevent many oral health issues.
Straightening Your Smile With Invisalign
Invisalign is a popular brand of clear plastic aligners that fit over your teeth to correct misalignment. Over the last two decades, hundreds of thousands of patients have chosen Invisalign for its effectiveness and discretion.
Unlike other orthodontic devices, Invisalign trays are practically invisible. No one has to know that you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment! This knowledge can prevent self-esteem issues and social anxiety while being treated. You’re free to talk and smile without worrying that others are staring at your teeth.
How does it work?
Invisalign uses a series of custom, clear plastic trays to gradually guide teeth into the desired positions. Each aligner differs slightly from its predecessor and your current tooth positions. As a result, it applies subtle yet targeted pressure. Over time, this pressure causes teeth to slowly shift.
Your Invisalign aligners are custom-made for your mouth, ensuring a perfect fit and effective treatment. You wear each set of trays for approximately two weeks before switching to the next set in the series. Crucially, for them to work effectively, our orthodontist in Mississauga advises that you must wear them for at least 20 hours per day. Otherwise, your treatment will be delayed.
Main Advantages
- Discretion: Since Invisalign is made from a clear plastic, they’re almost invisible. This is a very appealing feature for patients considering orthodontic treatment. Many are drawn to the subtle appearance of Invisalign.
- Removable: Invisalign trays are removable, allowing you to eat and drink normally. You don’t have to avoid any foods or beverages during your treatment. Just remember to remove your aligners before a meal, so you don’t damage them!
- Comfort: Since Invisalign aligners are constructed from a soft plastic and custom-made to your mouth, they’re more comfortable than other orthodontic devices. Traditional braces, on the other hand, have metal wires that can poke the inside of your mouth, causing discomfort.
Correcting Crooked Teeth With Traditional Braces
For decades, orthodontists have used traditional metal braces to address misalignment and malocclusion issues. These devices are highly effective and versatile. Plus, they’re not just for teenagers! It’s never too late to improve your crooked smile and resolve bite issues.
Complex orthodontic issues cannot be fixed with Invisalign. In these cases, your orthodontist in Mississauga will still recommend traditional braces.
How does it work?
Like Invisalign, traditional braces use pressure to shift teeth into the proper positions. The exact method, however, differs significantly. Braces use metal brackets, bands, and wires to apply pressure to misaligned teeth. Each bracket is secured to a tooth with dental cement and connected to other brackets via wire.
There are a few different types of braces, including the following:
- Metal braces: These traditional braces use stainless steel brackets and wires affixed to the outside of your teeth.
- Ceramic braces: Sometimes, instead of stainless steel brackets, ceramic brackets are used. These are white or clear in order to be more subtle.
- Lingual braces are also called “inside braces” because the metal brackets and wires are attached to the back of the teeth rather than the front.
Main Advantages
- Versatility: Traditional braces can correct a wider range of orthodontic issues than Invisalign. Consequently, your Mississauga dentist will likely recommend braces if you have extreme overcrowding, gapped teeth, or bite issues.
- Cost: These are a very cost-effective method of straightening teeth or correcting bite problems.
- Affixed to your teeth: Traditional braces are not removable, unlike Invisalign. Although ease of removal seems like an advantage, it quickly becomes a problem if you neglect to wear your aligners for more than 20 hours a day. This can lead to delays in treatment. Since braces cannot be removed, your treatment will proceed as scheduled.
The Benefits of Orthodontic Treatment
1. Enjoy a more beautiful smile
A straighter, more symmetrical smile provides a significant boost to your confidence. When you finally have the smile of your dreams, you’ll be more eager to show it off by laughing, smiling, and chatting. If you have spent years (or even decades) hiding your smile from the world, this can be truly transformational.
With more confidence, the world opens up. You might find the courage to start a new job, find love, or make another big change. Regardless, investing in a more beautiful smile can improve your quality of life.
2. Improved oral hygiene
Straightening your teeth also improves your oral hygiene. Crooked and crowded teeth are harder to clean, increasing your risk of staining, plaque buildup, tooth decay, and gum disease.
The reason is that there are more hard-to-reach places. These are perfect havens for bacteria. Even with diligent brushing and flossing, keeping your mouth clean and healthy is much harder.
3. Reduced risk of oral health issues
When your teeth are harder to clean, you’re increasing your risk of developing a myriad of oral health issues.
Oral hygiene is crucial for your long-term oral health. This is why you must brush your teeth twice a day, floss daily, and visit a dental clinic in Mississauga every six months. However, if your smile is crooked and crowded, more hard-to-reach places exist for bacteria to hide and grow.
Gradually, bacterial overgrowth weakens your tooth enamel and inflames your gums. You can develop tooth sensitivity, gingivitis, cavities, and gum disease. Depending on the severity, you may require more involved treatment to restore your oral health.
4. Easier to speak and chew
Correcting crooked, crowded, and misaligned teeth can improve speech and chewing abilities. As a result, you can get more out of your life. You can speak and eat freely and easily, without difficulty or discomfort.
Bite issues, in particular, impact the functionality of your mouth. Severe cases can also impact your breathing. In these instances, you will require traditional braces or surgery to address your malocclusion.
Book a Consultation With an Orthodontist in Mississauga
Begin your smile makeover today by contacting our orthodontist in Mississauga. Our team of dental professionals and orthodontists correct tooth misalignment and malocclusion using the latest technology. We take pride in providing the highest standards of dental care and helping you achieve your goals.
To book an appointment with an orthodontist at our Mississauga dental office, call Bristol Dental Clinic at 866-673-2109 or contact us here.
