When most of us hear the word ‘braces’ we think, ‘awful metal train tracks that blight the life of many an adolescent’. And while traditional braces are still very effective in many cases, especially for children and teens who need to have their jaw realigned, there are other, more discreet options available that will appeal to adults with busy, public lives.
Here at Harley Street Dental Clinic, we offer two different kinds of invisible braces in Harley Street.
Lingual braces
This is a highly discreet option, as lingual braces fit to the underside of the teeth and as such are hidden from view. The only way someone would be able to see them would be if you held your head right back and opened your mouth wide.
Lingual braces are otherwise similar to traditional ones – they are made up of metal brackets and wires and pull the teeth into position. Unlike standard braces, they are custom-made because the profile of the back of the teeth is different for everyone. Lingual invisible braces in Harley Street are usually made of gold alloy and can treat most misalignments of the teeth and jaw.
Invisalign
These are not braces as you may know them, but rather clear aligners. The aligners come in pairs and look like thin, plastic mouth guards. You place one over your upper arch and one over the lower. Unlike metal braces, they don’t pull the teeth into position, they use pressure points inside the aligners to nudge the teeth forward.
Invisalign isn’t truly invisible – if someone was right up close and looking at your teeth they would be able to spot the aligners, but from further away they can’t be seen. They are also removable and so you take them out for eating and cleaning. This means no food getting caught causing bacteria and bad breath, as can happen with metal braces. Invisalign treats mild to moderate misalignments of the teeth.
We also use clear braces, which, while not strictly invisible braces in Harley Street, they are very discreet. They use ceramic brackets and tooth-coloured wires and so blend into the teeth, rather than stand out from them.