If you dream of straightening your teeth but are put off by the prospect of wearing traditional metal braces, you may be interested in invisible orthodontics. Wanting orthodontic treatment but not wanting to wear “train-track” braces is a common conundrum for adults, who fear the impact that metal braces may have on their professional and social life may outweigh the benefits of teeth straightening treatment.

At King’s Dental Clinic we are keen to point out that straighter teeth are healthier teeth. Crooked and crowded teeth don’t only make people embarrassed to smile in public; they are also more difficult to clean effectively, increasing the chances of further dental problems such as decay or gum disease because food particles and bacteria can become trapped between the teeth. This increases the risk of plaque build-up.

To help patients who want to straighten their teeth discreetly, we offer invisible orthodontics at our Hammersmith and Southwark dental practices. Invisible orthodontics comprises a range of devices that can correct many orthodontic problems without anybody knowing you are having treatment.

As well as straightening your teeth and aligning your jaws in a way that is invisible to the untrained eye, many of these discreet orthodontic devices also have quicker treatment times than standard braces – meaning you could be showing off your new smile sooner than you think!

Some of the devices we use are removable, meaning you can take them out to eat and drink, to brush your teeth and to clean. This means that your diet won’t be restricted during treatment, and you won’t have to worry about struggling to brush around your braces.

Others apply the traditional principles of orthodontics, using brackets and wires to move your teeth gently into their new position, with one major difference – the brackets and wires are tooth-coloured or clear, meaning that they blend in to your smile.

Straighter teeth are healthier teeth. A properly aligned bite and straighter teeth mean that there are not so many gaps for food particles to get trapped in. These trapped food particles can increase the build-up of plaque and bacteria on your teeth, leading to decay and gum disease. When teeth are gappy and crooked, these areas can be problematic to clean, even with a prudent dental hygiene regime. That’s why at King’s Dental Clinic we always recommend patients consider straightening their teeth.

We also know that many adult patients who would like to straighten their teeth are put off by the long treatment times associated with traditional orthodontics, as well as with the thought of having to wear conventional metal braces for any length of time.

Orthodontics has evolved somewhat in recent years. Now, in many cases, it is possible to straighten your teeth both quickly and discreetly, with the help of fast orthodontics.

One of the most popular fast orthodontic options at our Southwark and Hammersmith dental practices is Six Month Smiles.

Six Month Smiles are a thoroughly modern type of brace that can be used to correct a wide range of mild to moderate cosmetic orthodontic problems. They are renowned for their quick treatment times – six months is the average, in some cases your treatment may be complete sooner. Six Month Smiles work so quickly because they only focus on the front six to eight teeth – those that are visible when you smile.

They work in a similar way to traditional braces, using wires and brackets to move your teeth gently into a more desirable position. However, they have another advantage over traditional braces: the brackets are clear and the wires are tooth-coloured, which means they blend in with your teeth and will not be immediately obvious.

To find out more about how Six Month Smiles can help you, please get in touch with us today.