The traditional way to straighten teeth and align bites is with metal braces. But what if there were a way to straighten your smile while avoiding uncomfortable and obvious metal in your mouth? At Aesthetic Dental, we offer alternatives to metal braces that use clear and comfortable plastic. With our clear aligners, you can straighten your smile without worrying about metal scraping against your cheeks or poking out when you smile. Book a free consultation with us in Southfield, MI, to learn if you’re eligible for clear aligner treatment.
Clear Aligners: Your Braces Alternative
Metal braces are made of both brackets and wires.
Brackets are the square parts we glue to your teeth, and the wire attaches to these brackets, stretching across your smile. To shift your teeth, we tighten and loosen the wire on either end of your smile to apply gentle pressure. Over time, this pressure moves your teeth into their ideal position.
In general, metal braces take around 2 years to complete. And throughout that time, you can never take your braces off. Most often, patients with metal braces complain about discomfort, embarrassment, and dietary restrictions.
Metal braces are notorious for scraping against your cheeks or gums, and for being incredibly noticeable. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, many of our older braces patients prefer to straighten their smiles discreetly. Also, with metal braces, things like popcorn and gum may be off the table for the duration of your treatment.
In contrast, clear aligners are an incredible alternative to metal braces. We shape these clear plastic trays to fit your smile perfectly. By creating a sequence of trays that slowly shape into the ideal formation, we carefully shift each tooth into place.
Clear aligner treatment comes with several advantages, including:
More comfortable: Aligners are made of clear, smooth plastic. This plastic is formed to your smile, avoiding scraping against your gums or cheeks.- More discreet: Clear aligners are also clear, blending in seamlessly with your smile. In most cases, other people can’t even tell you’re wearing aligners until you take them out!
- More convenient: Unlike metal braces, clear aligners are removable. While you still need to wear them most of the time, you can remove aligners to eat and brush your teeth, making meals and oral care easier.
Are Clear Aligners Just as Effective as Metal Braces?
For many patients, clear aligners sound like the ideal method to straighten teeth. But some patients worry they’re not as effective as metal braces.
In most cases, clear aligners are just as effective as metal braces and may even speed up your process! However, clear aligners work best for mild to moderate misalignments. Once we make your series of trays, you’ll switch to the next tray at the regular intervals we outline in your treatment plan.
During your treatment, you’ll need to wear your clear aligners for about 22 hours a day. While we do encourage you to remove them to eat and to clean your teeth, wearing them the rest of the time is essential to your treatment. Patients who fail to wear their clear aligners enough typically end up delaying their treatment.
In most cases, clear aligners take anywhere from 6 to 18 months to straighten your teeth. To learn how much time your treatment will take, we encourage you to book a free consultation with us. There, we’ll determine whether your case is suitable for clear aligner treatment, create a custom plan, and start your journey to a straighter smile.
Looking for Braces Alternatives? Visit Our Office in Southfield, MI
Traditional braces aren’t the only option. If you’re looking for braces alternatives that straighten your smile more discreetly and comfortably, visit our office in Southfield, MI! We offer clear aligner treatment that is discreet, comfortable, and convenient for patients like you.
Book a free consultation to learn if clear aligners are right for you!
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