Invisible Braces – The New Way Of Smiling

Have you considered invisible braces for teeth alignment? Whether you’re a teenager, parent of a teenager, young adult or older working professional businessman or woman, the opportunities for effective teeth alignment have recently been opened up wide thanks to the development of clear braces, more commonly referred to as invisible braces. But what are invisible braces, how do they work, and what should you know about them?

Until fairly recently if you felt that your teeth needed straightening up then you really had only one choice. Traditional metal wire braces are well known and instantly recognised. There is certainly no getting away from the fact that you are wearing a set of braces, with them almost becoming a cliché in many sitcoms, movies and cartoons when defining a teenager. This is unfair because not only does it make young people feel even more self conscious about wearing braces, but it almost inevitably precludes many other people from choosing to have their teeth aligned through the use of braces.

Many adult professionals have chosen not to undergo any teeth alignment process because they feel that wearing metal braces will not only detract from their professional clean cut and smart image, but that somehow it will undermine their authority and respectable position, since they will be instantly associated with something normally considered to be worn during teenage years.

The fact that anyone of any age can undergo teeth alignment through the use of traditional metal braces is neither here nor there – it’s the image that counts, and it’s the image which has stopped a lot of people of all ages and walks of life from enjoying the confidence which comes from having a smile you can be proud of showing off.

So with this in mind, the idea of being able to have your teeth straightened and your smile improved through the use of invisible braces, or clear braces, is clearly an attractive one for many people, both young and older. The first thing to be aware of is that invisible braces don’t look or work like traditional wire braces. To begin with they are made from a transparent gel like material, and slide over the teeth a little like a very thin gum shield worn during sports. Because the material is both thin and transparent it is not easy to see, and most people won’t be aware that someone is even wearing a brace at all.

Traditional braces cannot generally be removed by the wearer, meaning that everyday tasks such as brushing teeth, flossing, and eating certain foods becomes impossible. Invisible braces can be slid off and on at any time, although it’s important to be very aware that anyone choosing to wear clear braces must wear them for a minimum of 23 hours out of every 24 hour period. For those who have less willpower than others, and less self discipline, this might pose a problem since they may be tempted to remove the braces completely for longer periods of time, in which case the process clearly won’t work. However, the clear braces can be removed for things such as close up professional photographs, eating food and brushing teeth, massively improving oral hygiene.

It’s also important to be aware of another difference between metal braces and invisible braces. The teeth alignment process has always been in the order of several years – on average about three. With the new invisible braces the process is often completed in under a year, but this does require the wearer to visit their dentist every two weeks. At the fortnightly appointments they’ll be provided with a replacement set of clear braces to wear, with each subsequent pair of invisible braces nudging their teeth closer towards the final goal. This commitment can put some people off, but if you’re still thinking that this sounds like a good option for you, then why not find out more?

For free, impartial and professional advice on invisible braces and teeth alignment visit The Invisalign Guide.