Find yourself covering your mouth when you smile? Avoiding looking at your pearly whites when you look in the mirror? Many of us are insecure when it comes to our teeth, but just because you’re an adult it doesn’t mean the time to sort your teeth out has passed.
Clear aligners are becoming increasingly more popular amongst adults who would prefer to avoid the discomfort and upkeep of traditional braces.
We’ll talk about the most popular three options for you to choose from, what one you decide to go for may vary depending on your lifestyle and inclinations.
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Invisalign
The most popular of the three techniques is Invisalign, which will be the option that most people will choose because of their discreet nature and quick results in as little as 12 weeks.
Invisalign is also the only treatment that, using 3D technology, you’ll see how your teeth will look before you even start the treatment. Each aligner will be worn for 1-2 weeks depending on how fast your teeth move, once that time is up, you’ll receive a new aligner for the next 1-2 weeks. This will be repeated until your teeth are beautifully straight.
If subtlety is your preference when it comes to aligners then this may also be for you, the clear aligners are almost invisible when you show your teeth so people in passing won’t be able to see that you have anything on your teeth at all, which makes it easier to wear them for the required time throughout the treatment – around 22 hours a day.
The benefit of being completely removable is that not only are they easy to clean, but they can completely fit around your lifestyle. Going out for a special occasion? Simply leave them at home, just remember to pop them back in when you get home, though.
Inman Aligner
The second teeth straightening option is a removable aligner that is specifically for crowded and protruding front teeth, so if your four front teeth are the ones causing you the most issues then this may be the solution that you’ve been looking for.
The Inman Aligner is the least intrusive and only requires you to wear them between 16 and 20 hours per day, meaning you could go to work without them and only wear them at home. Great for those who want their teeth straightened without drawing attention to it. These aligners will softly guide your teeth into a straight position in between 6 and 16 weeks, depending on how much you wear them.
This works through a nickel titanium coil spring that powers two small bows attached to the aligner. The inner bow works solely on pushing your teeth forward, while the outer bow focuses on pulling back on your front teeth. Together they work to gently squeeze your teeth into a straight line.
The only downside to this option is that you’ll be making more regular trips to your dentist – every 2-3 weeks throughout the entire process.
Six Month Smiles
As the name suggests, this final approach is the fastest of the 3 techniques. Perfect for those who want results in a short amount of time – braces can take years to get the results that you want, but this can take between four and nine months to see the full results, with most patients completing their treatment in around 6 months.
This method focuses on the teeth that show when you smile, rather than your whole mouth, which is why the results are so quick.
Much less intrusive than typical braces, the six-month smiles use clear braces which use absolutely no metal. Only clear braces, and teeth coloured wires. This also requires the least amount of upkeep, only requiring you to visit your dentist once a month for any adjustments needed.
All three methods have their pros and cons depending on the level of upkeep that you prefer and how long you can wait before you have the teeth that you’ve always desired. The approach you decide on will depend entirely on your lifestyle, how visible you wish your aligner to be and how much time per day you want to wear your aligner. But no matter which approach you choose, you’ll be sure to see results within the year, which is far quicker than standard braces. Go forward and enjoy your new smile!
Read also: How to Care for Your Dental Health