Table of Contents
1. The Benefits of Teeth Straightening
1.2. Have a Better Time Eating
1.3. Keep Your Teeth in Good Health
2. What Age Should You Straighten Your Teeth?
3. Your Teeth Straightening Options
4. Why Clear Braces Are the Way to Go
5. Order Some Invisible Aligners Today
61% of Americans wish they could change something about their teeth. While yellow teeth tops the list, crooked teeth closely follow.
In most cases, first impressions mean everything, and for many of us, imperfect teeth can ruin it. Whether it is at a first date or a job interview, our crooked teeth might not allow us to put our best foot forward.
But thankfully, there are many options out there for teeth straightening that will give you the pearly whites you have always wanted and deserve.
In this article, we’ll give you a complete guide on how to straighten teeth, as well as some information on the benefits that come with it, and more.
The Benefits of Teeth Straightening
When people think of teeth straightening, they only think of cosmetic benefits.
Yes, teeth straightening can restore your smile and enable to you to smile and laugh without worry. As a result, your self-esteem and confidence can soar, leading to new opportunities you would’ve never considered before. This benefit alone is worth it for most people to straighten their teeth.
However, there are many more benefits of teeth straightening that you may not realize. Read on to find out more about them.
Speak More Clearly
If the crookedness of your teeth isn’t too bad, you may not have any issues with speech. But for those who have serious crookedness, it may be so bad that they can’t speak clearly.
Not having the ability to enunciate your words and communicate clearly can have a huge toll on all your relationships. Having to repeat yourself multiple times or people misunderstand what you’re saying can add up and really wear you down. It may be so bad that you’re passed up for better positions at work, in favour of those who can communicate flawlessly.
Once you get your teeth straightened, the aesthetic results combined with better speech will make your confidence skyrocket, leading to a better quality of life and opportunities.
Have a Better Time Eating
Obviously, your teeth have the main function of helping you properly chew your food so you can digest it better. Many of us don’t give it a second thought; it’s second nature to chew your food a few times and swallow.
But for people with misaligned teeth, it can be a pain whenever mealtime comes around. Depending on your teeth, the crookedness can make chewing painful and/or inefficient. What once was a pleasurable experience is now something you rush through just to sustain yourself.
Not only can it be painful, but it can also lead to other health issues, like muscle strains and damage to your teeth. Having the right bite when you eat can significantly improve your pain levels and health.
Keep Your Teeth in Good Health
With even a little bit of misalignment, it can make it much more difficult for you to take good care of your teeth. For example, brushing and flossing can be hard to do because all your teeth are uneven.
So even if you try to practice the best oral hygiene possible, it may not be feasible, especially with a higher degree of crookedness. This can result in quicker tooth decay and gum issues.
Once you correct the positioning of your teeth, you’ll have a much easier time brushing and flossing. You’ll decrease the chance of plaque buildup and decay, which means you’ll see a noticeable improvement in your oral health.
What Age Should You Straighten Your Teeth?
The best time to get your teeth straightened is as a teenager since you’re still developing and your bones aren’t set yet. This allows for an easier time to get your teeth into position, as they’re probably shifting with puberty anyway.
However, this doesn’t mean that’s the only time you can straighten your teeth. It’s simply the best time to do it, but the fact is, you can do teeth straightening at any point in your life.
For example, adult teeth straightening is often done. Some people who had braces as a child may need to re-straighten their teeth because their teeth have shifted since then. Or maybe they never got braces in their early life and wish to pursue teeth straightening now.
Whatever the reason, have peace of mind knowing that you can get your teeth straightened at any age. In fact, braces are even popular with senior citizens!
Your Teeth Straightening Options
Now you know the benefits of teeth straightening and what age you can get this treatment. The next step is exploring your options. Find out more about them below.
Metal Braces
Metal braces are what started modern-day orthodontics. The first wire crib was invented in 1819 by Christophe-Francoise Delabarre, and this was the basis for the metal braces we know today.
You may be quite familiar with them, as they’re commonly used. There are metal brackets on each tooth with a thin wire running through all of them. Elastic bands hold the wire in place, and usually, patients like choosing different colours for personal flair.
Metal bracket braces are one of the cheapest teeth straightening options available but are one of the most conspicuous as well. So if you’re self-conscious about your teeth, these might draw even more attention to them, making them less than ideal for you.
They’re also painful for many patients. The monthly adjustments can make the teeth feel sore, and the metal parts may dig into the insides of cheeks.
You also need to take extra care when it comes to what you eat and drink, as well as how you clean your teeth. If you’re not careful, you can end up with stains on your teeth after the brackets are removed.
However, if you want to use state-funded insurance, this might be the only choice you have when it comes to teeth straightening options.
Ceramic Braces
Ceramic braces are a step up from metal braces. They look very similar, but instead of metal brackets, you have ceramic ones. Because they’re of a similar colour to your teeth, this offers a more inconspicuous way to straighten your teeth.
They do take a little longer to complete treatment than with metal braces and are more expensive. Ceramic braces are also not as durable as metal ones, and because of their larger brackets, you may experience gum sensitivity.
Like with metal braces, if you aren’t careful, you might be left with some staining because of the elastic bands. So you’ll need to be mindful of what you eat and drink, and also be more vigilant about cleaning your teeth.
Lingual Braces
These are also known as “hidden braces.” They look and function very similarly to how metal bracket braces do, but they have one key difference.
Instead of the brackets being in front of your teeth, they’re in the back. This is where the word “lingual” comes in; it means “tongue,” and the brackets are found next to your tongue.
This makes lingual braces a very discreet way to straighten your teeth. The only way someone will see the brackets is if you stretch your mouth wide open.
You may not know very many people who have gotten lingual braces, if at all any. This is because they’re one of the most expensive options available for teeth straightening. For that reason, you may want to consider other choices on this list.
Invisible Braces
Invisible braces are the hottest teeth straightening option today because they don’t use painful brackets. Instead, they use aligners, which are little trays that fit over your teeth. As you may have guessed, these aligners are clear, which makes these braces practically invisible, hence the name.
Over a period of time, you’d wear different aligners that are specifically made to fit your teeth as they straighten up. This means the invisible braces are made
While previously, patients would visit their orthodontists for invisible braces, this was a process that was very costly in both time and money. As a result, we now have many companies that allow you to request at-home kits. These direct-to-customer aligners allow you to straighten your teeth without a single visit to the orthodontist’s office.
Dental Veneers
Dental veneers aren’t technically a teeth-straightening method, but they can certainly give off the appearance of perfectly aligned teeth. They’re considered a cosmetic procedure, which means many dental insurance plans won’t cover them.
With dental veneers, your imperfect teeth are covered with thin shells made of either porcelain or resin composite. As a result, you can cover up teeth that are discoloured, misshapen, broken or chipped.
Dental veneers are a cheaper option when compared to other types of braces. They’re also quicker to get, as they only take one appointment to do.
This is an easy way to hide imperfections in just a few teeth. But as you can see, it’s not the optimal solution for crookedness in the majority of your teeth.
Mewing
This method may sound very strange just by the name alone. You may have heard of people straightening teeth at home without any outside help. This is mewing, which is done by pushing your tongue against the roof of your mouth to change the positions of both your teeth and jawline.
To see proper results, it may take years of mewing to accomplish them. In addition, it’s not recommended by dental professionals. Yes, it can help you expand your palate, but mewing cannot be a be-all and end-all solution.
To ensure you straighten your teeth in an effective way, you need to explore the above methods instead of using mewing.
Why Clear Braces Are the Way to Go
Clear braces are the clear winners when it comes to teeth straightening options. You won’t have to deal with painful brackets throughout the course of treatment. Plus, you get aligners custom made for your teeth.
When you can straighten your teeth with such a discreet and convenient method that is also unobtrusive to your life, it’s evident that invisible braces are the best choice. The fact that you can take these aligners out whenever you want should be a huge plus point.
Other teeth straightening options are “permanent” for the duration of treatment, which means if you ever feel uncomfortable, you just have to endure it. In addition, you can take out these aligners whenever you eat or drink, which means you’ll significantly decrease the chance of staining on your teeth.
The greatest thing about picking invisible braces is you no longer have to visit the orthodontist to get them. With fantastic at-home kits available, you can make dental impressions at home, send them into the lab, and receive all of your custom aligners in the mail.
You won’t have to set aside time in your day to drive to the orthodontist for multiple trips anymore. Clear braces offer you a much more cost and time-efficient way to straighten your teeth.
Order Some Invisible Aligners Today
Out of all your teeth straightening options, invisible aligners are the best choice, especially at-home kits. Not only can you enjoy all the benefits of this technology, but you also don’t have to visit the orthodontist’s office at all. In addition, it’s much cheaper than in-office clear aligners.
With all these wonderful benefits, you have practically nothing to lose with at-home invisible aligners. So what are you waiting for? It’s time you felt proud of your teeth and aren’t afraid to show them off!
Are you ready to get started on your teeth straightening journey? Then fill out our free assessment now. Our On-Go Smile Advantage includes the impression kit, smile projection, aligner treatment and retainers for one upfront payment. We offer monthly installments plans for easy payments as well.
