Correcting An Uneven Bite

How our range of orthodontic treatments can help you have a more attractive smile as well as healthier teeth

Despite the advances of orthodontics over the years, it is still not uncommon to see people who have crooked teeth. There may be many reasons for this. Perhaps they aren’t too concerned with their appearance or think that having their teeth straightened wouldn’t significantly improve it? Perhaps too, they are from a generation that just accepted this as ‘normal’. In many cases though, it will be because they simply don’t wish to wear what they perceive to be ugly and cumbersome dental braces.

Thankfully, attitudes are changing, and younger people especially are more conscious of their appearance and are prepared to undergo some short term inconvenience for the sake of a more attractive smile. In fact, with the modern orthodontics that we have available at Alexandra Dental Care, there is significantly less inconvenience when it comes to having your teeth straightened.

Why should you aim for even teeth?

The most obvious reason why people choose to have their teeth straightened is, as mentioned above, to have a more attractive smile. Having crooked teeth can make some people very self conscious, and the fact that a smile is one of the first things that we notice in others means that even relatively minor crookedness is very noticeable. There is little doubt that straighter teeth means a more pleasant and confident smile and that this is the main reason that most people have them straightened.

What is perhaps less well known but is also a good reason to have your teeth straightened is that uneven teeth can cause an uneven bite. By this we mean that your teeth don’t meet as they should. This can put undue stress on some of these teeth and can cause them to weaken and wear away prematurely. This could lead to eventual breaking of the teeth. Where teeth overlap or press tightly together, they can also be very difficult to keep clean, yet bacteria will almost certainly find a way into the tightest of spots. Left uncleaned, these areas are likely to see tooth decay eventually, and gum disease may be a problem too.

Are there alternatives to dental braces?

The simple answer to this question that we have heard a number of times is ‘no’. The fact is that to straighten uneven teeth, you have to put pressure on them to ‘coax’ them back to their correct position. This has to be done gently and slowly so as not to damage the teeth or the bone structure in which they are secured. To date, dental braces are the only way to do this effectively.

Orthodontic progress

Despite more discreet orthodontics having been available for some time now, many people still think of the highly visible metal type of braces when their use is mentioned to correct a patient’s uneven bite. It is fair to say that it comes as a big relief to them when we show them the range of aesthetically pleasing orthodontics that are now available to our Burton, Swadlincote and Ashby patients.

Some of these modern braces work in a similar way to traditional metal ones but are made of more discreet materials. This usually means both finer wiring and smaller brackets but also that they are made of materials that blend in with the teeth and are not easily seen. Generally speaking, this type of orthodontic is used where just a few teeth at the front need to be straightened and can usually be worn for a relatively short period of time. For example, the Inman Aligner may only have to be worn for just a few weeks to correct teeth that are only mildly crooked.

This isn’t always the case though and some patients will need more general correction of their teeth and this is where the other type of orthodontic system comes into play. Treatments like Invisalign use an entirely different system altogether, dispensing entirely with wires and brackets. This system uses transparent trays, modelled from impressions that we take of your teeth. These fit directly over the teeth and are virtually invisible to most people. You will receive a series of these trays, each of which is worn for a short period of time before being replaced by the next in the series. Each tray gradually moves your teeth a little further towards their desired position.

Whilst Invisalign may have to be worn for a year or more to straighten your teeth; not only are they very discreet but they can also be removed for eating and cleaning your teeth, making them much more convenient than traditional braces. No more worries about whether the food you are eating will get trapped in your braces!

If you have ever considered having a straighter smile but dismissed the idea because you didn’t want to have to wear unsightly braces, we can help you. Discreet and comfortable orthodontic treatments are now available for our Burton and Ashby patients and we will be pleased to see you for an initial consultation about this, or indeed any other dental problem that you have. To arrange your consultation, please call the reception team at Alexandra Dental Care on 01283 216347. We look forward to seeing you!

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