There are multiple dental services that are available to help straighten your teeth. However, many adult dental patients prefer dental applications that are not easily noticed in the mouth. Here are a couple of discreet dental appliances that can realign the teeth.
Lingual Braces
Lingual braces are fashioned from metal, just as traditional braces are. However, the lingual appliance is not applied to the front of the teeth, where it is easily visible. Instead, lingual braces are attached to the rear side of the teeth that is adjacent to the lingual organ, which is commonly called the tongue. Since the braces are applied to the back side of the teeth, they are not visible when a person speaks or smiles.
Nevertheless, lingual braces straighten the teeth as effectively as traditional braces. Like their conventional counterparts, they consist of brackets, an archwire, and elastic ligatures that attach the wire to the brackets. Thus, lingual braces require periodic adjustments throughout the treatment process. Still, the braces can be used to treat a wide range of dental misalignments, whether the misplacement of the teeth is severe, moderate, or minor.
Clear Aligners
Clear plastic aligners are commonly used to reposition crooked teeth. They are most suitable for older teens and adults since the use of the aligners requires the palate to have completed its growth. In addition, the aligners require a certain level of patient maturity, as they are removable but still depend on their continual use in the mouth for their effectiveness. Clear aligners should be worn around the clock and only removed for the patient to eat or clean their teeth. In fact, the aligners should be left out of the mouth for no more than a couple of hours a day.
Instead of a single set of aligners, the patient receives multiple sets to use throughout their treatment plan. Each set is worn in a specific order, progressively straightening the teeth. The patient dons a set of aligners for a couple of weeks before graduating to the next set. After all of the aligners have been worn properly for the suggested period, the teeth should be in the desired configuration.
Clear plastic aligners are sometimes preferred over other discrete orthodontic appliances because they can be removed, making the brushing and flossing of the teeth less cumbersome. Additionally, the wearer does not have to be concerned about having food or debris caught in the aligners as they eat.
To learn about more dental services, schedule an appointment with a dentist in your local area.
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