A straighter smile is a great way to boost your self-confidence. Straight teeth are a sign of health and they can help you look younger. For these reasons, most people opt to get braces or another orthodontic treatment at some point in their life, usually during adolescence. As you enter into adulthood without orthodontic treatment in your past, or teeth that have shifted out of place due to a neglect of retainer wear, you might yearn for a straighter smile. However, the drawbacks of orthodontic treatment might put you off.
Fortunately, our Rochester dental office offers an alternative to orthodontics but with beautiful results—instant orthodontics. Find out if this alternative treatment is right for you.
The Challenges of Traditional Braces
The first and most recommended option for straightening teeth is orthodontics and in most cases, this means metal braces or Invisalign clear braces. Although there is nothing wrong with either of those treatments, they do come with some sacrifices in your life.
Time Consuming
One of the top challenges of orthodontics is that the treatment results take a long time to achieve. For instance, most orthodontic treatments take one to two years. If you want straight teeth now, waiting two years to see your desired results can make the treatment feel off-putting.
Not to mention, you will need to visit a dental office every four to six weeks for adjustments and even more often if you experience a broken bracket or wire. Additionally, it will take longer to effectively brush and floss your teeth than it does without braces. If you have Invisalign, you will need to brush your teeth and clean your aligners multiple times per day to prevent bacteria build-up and bad breath.
Expect to dedicate a lot of time in your life towards your orthodontic treatment if you move forward with treatment.
Diet Restrictions
In addition to orthodontic treatments taking up a lot of time, if you get traditional metal braces, you will have a series of diet restrictions. For instance, you can’t eat hard bread, chips, popcorn, apples, corn on the cob, nuts, and chewy candy. On the other hand, if you get Invisalign, you can eat whatever you want, but you have to clean your teeth after each meal. This can be discouraging for people who like to snack throughout the day.
Treatment Feels Uncomfortable
We would be lying if we said that you wouldn’t feel some discomfort during orthodontic treatment. Your teeth move through the jaw bone, there’s no way to make this not slightly uncomfortable. Most patients feel some soreness in their mouth after tightening appointments or after switching to new sets of aligners. This soreness can result in headaches.
Additionally, if you get metal braces, the brackets and wires can scrape your lips, cheeks, and tongue which can cause sores and more discomfort.
What is Instant Orthodontics?
Instant orthodontics is a fast way to achieve a beautiful, straight smile without the use of braces. Instead, we use porcelain veneers, dental crowns, and/or dental bonding to reshape your teeth to help them appear straighter.
The Benefits of Instant Orthodontics
When you opt for instant orthodontics instead of traditional braces or Invisalign, you will experience a number of benefits.
Achieve a Straight Smile in Two Appointments
The entire treatment process will only take one to two appointments. During the first appointment, we will discuss your goals and whether veneers, bonding, or crowns are the right solution for you. Your treatment might include a combination of all of the above. If you’re getting veneers, we will prep your teeth by removing a thin layer of enamel. If you’re getting dental crowns, we might also need to prep your teeth a bit. Afterward, we will take impressions of your teeth and send them to the lab.
In the meantime, you will wear a temporary set of veneers and/or crowns. After your permanent veneers and crowns arrive from the lab, we will test the fit, color, and size and bond them to your teeth. We will make any final adjustments and you will be ready to go!
If you’re getting dental bonding, this only takes one appointment to accomplish. Our cosmetic dentists will apply the composite material to your teeth and then carefully shape the material to change the appearance of your teeth. After we harden the material using a curing light, we will polish your teeth and that’s it!
Your Overall Smile Will Improve
One of the best benefits of veneers, crowns, and bonding is that they won’t just help your teeth look straighter, but also improve their overall appearance. We can hide cracks, chips, stains, discoloration, and other minor imperfections. In the end, you will have straight, white, symmetrically shaped teeth.
Easy Care and Long-Lasting Results
Don’t worry about adjusting your diet or oral care routine, bonding, crowns, and veneers are easy to care for! Continue to eat your favorite foods and of course avoid using your teeth for anything besides eating food. With these tips as well as brushing and flossing, you can look forward to enjoying your results for years to come. The best part? You don’t have to wear a retainer!
Are You a Good Candidate?
Not everyone is a good candidate for instant orthodontics. If you have any bite problems, this will immediately disqualify you. Instant orthodontics is the ideal solution for patients who experience mild gaps, crookedness, or misshaped teeth. During a consultation with our cosmetic dentists, we will let you know if you’re a good candidate for instant orthodontics, and if not, we will recommend the best treatment for you to achieve your goals.
Find Your Straighter Smile Today In Rochester, MI
If you like the idea of instant orthodontics and would like to achieve a straighter smile in just two appointments, we encourage you to book an appointment with our Rochester cosmetic dentists by calling (248) 656-2020.
