What could be more terrifying than having an uneven smile? When you have crooked, crowded, and overlapping teeth, both the appearance and beauty of your smile suffer. But we can help correct the issue with a cosmetic alternative to metal braces! In today’s blog, your Prairie Village, KS, dentist talks about treating the terror or misalignment with orthodontic clear aligners.
The Impact of Your Uneven Smile
How does an uneven smile impact your oral health? Misalignment could make it difficult for people to brush and floss thoroughly leaving particles of food and drink trapped between the teeth. As bacteria consume these particles and create plaque and tartar, this can increase the risk of tooth decay and even gum disease, as well as bad breath and teeth stains. The pressure on your bite balance and jaw joints from poor alignment could also increase the risk of painful complications like TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding), which could further damage your smile. Finally, this could lead to embarrassment and people feeling self-conscious, which impacts their social life and in fact, their overall quality of life. But we can help with clear and comfortable orthodontic clear aligners.
Starting the Clear Aligner Treatment Process
How do we begin the treatment process? Our team will examine your smile to assess the severity of your misalignment, so we can decide if this is the best course for you. If so, we will use digital imaging to gather multiple pictures of your teeth from several angles, a process that is done quickly and comfortably with an intraoral camera fitted in a special wand. The images are combined to create a 3D impression of your bite, one far more accurate than a physical mold. In a lab setting, experts will use the information to design and create custom aligners that are made for your smile specifically. When these are completed, you start the treatment process.
Helping You Achieve a Straighter Smile
The treatment process is a simple one. You will wear a set of aligners from the series we provide for about two weeks, 20 to 23 hours a day on average. With each set, your smile is gradually and gently repositioned, and you come closer to optimal results. For many, treatment is completed in as little as one year, while others may need about 18 months. If you have any questions about how we treat uneven smiles, then contact our team today to learn more.
Do You Want to Try A Clear Alternative?
Our team wants to help you obtain an even smile and avoid the terror of dental malocclusion. To learn more about enjoying a clear and comfortable solution to misalignment, call Dr. Browne in Prairie Village, KS today at (913) 901-8585.