The Clear Alternative to Braces
At Smilecare we offer Invisalign or Clearstep systems which uses a series of clear, virtually invisible aligners that are custom-moulded to your teeth and help reposition them gradually over time. The advantages of these aligners is that they can be removed to eat and clean and it is not obvious to others that you are having treatment or wearing braces.
How long does the treatment take with the nearly invisible positioners?
As with normal braces, treatment times vary depending on the patient and how much movement is required. However, treatment time is generally about the same as traditional braces, between 6 and 24 months. Often patients find that treatment with positioners is faster than treatment with braces.
Is there anything I can’t eat while in treatment?
No, during treatment you can eat anything you would normally eat. This is because positioiners are removed for eating, drinking and when cleaning teeth.
Will smoking stain the positioners?
We recommend that patients do not smoke while wearing positioners, as the positioners can become discoloured.
How often do I need to wear my positioners during treatment?
The minimum requirement is 20 hours a day, this allows for eating, brushing and flossing. On occasions you may have a special party when you don't want to wear the postioners. For the best results though we ask patients to wear their positioners all day for as near to 24 hours as possible
How often must I see the dentist during the treatment?
On average about once every six weeks.
Will anything have to be stuck onto the teeth?
Sometimes, small, white, attachments will be stuck to the teeth during treatment to help move them in certain directions. These are rarely visible and are removed at the end of treatment.
Will my teeth move again after treatment?
Your dentist will provide retainers to help prevent your teeth from moving again after treatment. A retainer may be a clear, plastic aligner similar to the positioner or may be a permanent retainer attached to the inside surface of your teeth. Your dentist will discuss the options with you.
Is the treatment painful?
For some people there will be temporary discomfort at the beginning of each stage of treatment. This means that the positioner is effectively moving your teeth. Any discomfort typically lasts only a couple of days and it is at the beginning of each stage of treatment.
How long do I wear each positioner for?
On average each positioner is worn for 2 weeks. If it is still tight at the end of this period, then we recommend you wear it for 3 weeks. If you have had any teeth taken out, then this period may be longer.
Will the positioner affect my speech?
For the first 48 hours, the positioner may mildly affect your speech. After this period any change is negligible.
Can you treat children?
We treat children from the age of 14 years where they have all of their adult teeth, and with mild to moderate misalignment. For more severe cases and with younger children we would refer to a specialist orthodontist.
What will the treatment cost and how does it compare to orthodontic brace work?
We use two comparable systems, ClearStep and Invisalign. Both systems require specialist laboratory fabrication of the positioners. Including all the laboratory fees the following fees are involved:
The initial consultation is £250, this will then be deducted if the treatment is taken up.
A mild case of misalignment per arch starts at £2000
A moderate case of misalignment per arch starts at £2500
The overall cost of the treatment will usually work out to be about two thirds of the cost of conventional orthodontic work with fixed braces. Following our quote and consultation we do encourage you to consider all of your options and where appropriate to seek advice from an orthodontist.
For more information please visit: The British Dental Health Foundation website www.dentalhealth.org.uk
For more information on Clearstep or Invisalign please click on the following links to go to their websites: www.Invisalign.com www.Clearstep.co.uk