Blogs

If your teeth are crooked, you have – basically – four different options in regards to straightening them. All four work very well. Two take several months to deliver their magic while the other two can “straighten” your teeth almost immediately.

Here they are in alphabetical order.

 1. Dental Implants.

These are implants that act as replacements for your tooth roots. Your dentist removes your tooth and its root, implanting a strong foundation/root into your jaw, and then fixing a permanent replacement tooth upon the implant, which is made to look like and act just like your natural tooth. You can eat as well with them – it not better – as you did before.

Implants generally aren’t covered by insurance and they are not inexpensive. Many people, therefore, usually don’t get them in order to fix crooked teeth, but instead to replace chipped, broken or missing teeth.

Dental implants can be implanted into your mouth over one to three appointments.

Dental implants can replace extremely crooked or missing teeth.

 2. Clear and Traditional Braces.

Traditional braces are those metal brackets adhered to your teeth by your dentist and connected to each other by wire. Your dentist must tighten them regularly so that they gradually straighten your teeth and/or align your jaw as necessary.  Teeth straightening can take several months to a few years.

Metal braces are still the most common form of traditional braces, but clear braces (such as Invisalign, see below) and metal braces that have their brackets and wires adhered to the back of the teeth, rendering them “invisible” are making inroads. Ceramic  braces that are created to be the same color of your teeth (again, making them “invisible”) also are becoming increasingly popular.

Many dental insurance plans cover all or part of the cost of braces. Check with your insurance company.

 3. Invisalign

This tooth straightening procedure uses “aligners” that are custom-fitted for your mouth. They are trays that are made of smooth and comfy – and pretty much invisible – plastic that fit over your teeth. There are no wires or metal brackets to tighten. The aligners gently and gradually straighten your teeth and you use a new one every two weeks or so over several months until your treatment is complete.

You must wear the aligners almost all of the time, removing them only to eat and drink (unless you’re drinking water), and then placing them back into your mouth once the meal or snack is over.

Dental insurance plans may cover a good deal of Invisalign’s cost, just as they may cover traditional orthodontia treatment. Check with your dental insurance company.

 4. Porcelain Veneers

These are very thin shells made of ceramic that look incredibly like your natural teeth. Your dentist bonds a veneer to the front surface of a tooth, immediately transforming its color and shape. Your dentist bonds the veneer securely to the tooth, allowing you to eat and chew just about any food your natural teeth could. People noticing your teeth won’t notice that the veneer is even there.

One or more veneers can be placed on your teeth in one to three visits with your dentist. While they are a great way to get a beautiful smile almost instantly, they almost are never covered by dental insurance and can be very expensive, especially if you opt to have porcelain veneers placed on several teeth.

 Image courtesy of Mister GC/FreeDigitalPhotos.net