As an adult, you know that appearances are everything.
And, if you have misaligned teeth, this can make a substantial impact on your confidence. On the one hand, you want to have a straighter smile to show off, but on the other hand, you remember being told that as an adult the only way to guarantee this via a brace is to wear the traditional, orthodontic option. Far from discreet!
Therefore, if you have a more complex case of misalignment, protrusion or spacing, you may feel intimidated about asking your dentist for a solution. However, there is now a myriad of ways that your dentist can get you the straighter smile you want, and this can include the use of clear or invisible braces.
As our name suggests, at Winchester Orthodontics, we know all there is to know about braces. Our orthodontist Hampshire will assess your dental alignment and offer a solution targeted to your unique needs. And, as there is now a wider range of braces available, you may be eligible for a more discreet aligner. Brilliant!
In this article, one of the braces that our orthodontist Hampshire offers, the lingual brace will be explored, answering your top 5 questions about this aligner.
Do lingual braces affect your speech?
As the word lingual means tongue-side, it is likely that for the first few weeks of wearing a lingual brace, your speech will be affected.
However, this will be temporary and our orthodontist Hampshire will be able to suggest multiple exercises to perform to ensure that your speech pattern does not change drastically. While this may involve some singing, it will all be worth it to adapt to your new brace.
Do they hurt?
While lingual braces are more comfortable than traditional metal braces, it is likely that you will experience some discomfort while wearing them.
Just like regular braces, they will require adjusting and for a couple of days after each tightening, there may be a heightened feeling of discomfort. Any discomfort should be manageable with over the counter pain relief; if it isn’t, contact our team for an assessment!
How long do they take to realign teeth?
This will depend on the severity of the misalignment that you have.
While some patients are able to complete their treatment in a matter of months, in some instances it can take up to 2 years to straighten your teeth completely.
Are they discreet?
Oh yes!
As mentioned previously, these braces are placed on the inside of your teeth (tongue side), so it would be very hard to detect them just by glancing. This will help you to keep your confidence high throughout your treatment.
How do I clean them?
To ensure that your oral health remains in top shape while you wear these braces, you will need to brush your teeth after every meal. Luckily, lingual braces can be cleaned using just toothpaste and water! However, to promote good dental hygiene long-term, you will need to visit our hygienist for regular cleanings!