Do I need braces?

First things first. You have to answer this to yourself: Do you cover your mouth when you smile? Do you close your lips in pictures, so none sees your teeth? If any of these answers are a yes – keep reading, we can not wait to help you uncover your smile. With newest orthodontic technologies we will get you smiling from ear to ear in no time!

Braces are more up and coming as more people are looking up to people on the TV with their beautifully white and straight teeth.

There are many reasons why you might benefit from having braces, but before I dive into that, let me tell you my story.

There are many reasons why you might benefit from having braces, these are most common examples:

– if you have gaps between your teeth
– if your teeth are crooked or crowded
– if it is hard for you to floss between your teeth
– if you struggle to chew your food or you keep biting on your cheeks
– if your teeth don’t close when your mouth is at rest
– if yoy find it hard to pronounce certain sounds
– if your jaws feel stressed or fatigue after chewing food

If any of the above apply to you or you are worried about anything else, you might benefit from having braces.

How do I know if my child needs braces?

It is a little more difficult to know if your child needs braces, however if your their baby teeth are crowded that might be a sign that they may need braces in the future. If your child baby teeth have gaps between them, that is beneficial, as baby teeth are smaller than adult teeth, however it depends how big the gaps are.
Some more aligns that your child may need braces:
– they breath through their mouth
– if they loose their baby teeth early or quite late
– if they bite their cheek tongue, or roof of the mouth
– if they still suck their thumb or pacifier after the age of 2 years old
– if their teeth don’t come together when their mouth is shut
– if their teeth are crooked or crowded

It is especially important to have good nutrition during the infant and toddle stage as poor nutrition can lead to poor oral hygiene.

Genetics is also a major factor why your child may need braces, as they may inherit the parents spaced or crooked/crowded teeth. Tackling these issues early may be beneficial and prevent the need of more invasive treatment

So how early is early you may ask? When does my wild need to see the dentist? And here is the answer.

In our clinic, we see children of any age, babies of up to a year benefit from a free check up if their parent are patients of ours. This way if there is anything to be done, we can spot it early.

Children start loosing their baby teeth at around 5-6 years old and the adult teeth coming through. The British Orthodontic Society do not specify when it is advisable to see the Orthodontist for the first time, however the American Academy of Orthodontics advise the first visit to the Orthodontist should be at around the age of 7 years old. Usually the treatment commences between the age 12-13, with some cases earlier if early intervention is needed.

There is no best age to start the treatment as it varies from person to person.
Let’s be honest, some parents can face some difficulties i.e. financial, lack of diagnostics, inconvenience or simply lack of education. However, it is important to know, that when you are ready, there is no age limit on who can have braces, but you shouldn’t put the treatment off.

The way our bodies age, our face, jaw and teeth age as well. As we grow older, the crowded teeth become more crowded, the bite worsens.

There is no harm in booking a consultation to see your options and you might be surprised how much Orthodontics changed in the last years (in a good way).

What are my braces options?

Nowadays, not only the metal braces have improved majorly, but there are other bracket types which are much more discreet.
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1. The “old fashioned”, but much improved “train track” metal braces – it is the least expensive, but most noticeable option. They are the easiest to look after and they are quite small.
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2. Ceramic, tooth colored braces – much less noticeable than metal ones, but they are more expensive. The brace system that we use doesn’t stain, so you don’t have to worry about that aspect. They are slightly bigger than the metal ones and need more care.
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3. Invisalign – liked by a lot of people as it is almost invisible and you can eat and drink anything you want(as you remove them for eating). It is case selective, meaning it doesn’t work in more difficult cases and relies on patients’ compliance – it needs to be worn at least 20-22 hours a day.
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4. Last but not least – Lingual braces. The “Rolls Royce” of the braces options. They are not visible from the outside at all, however they can be quite uncomfortable for the tongue to begin with. It is also the most expensive option and it is trickier to clean around them since they are on the inside (regular hygienist visits will help) Definitively a great option for it’s invisibility.