Braces are a very effective way to help treat more severe cases of misalignment for teens and adults. But those same patients often worry about how treatment will alter their smile. To help address this concern, your Fort Worth, TX, orthodontist can offer cosmetic braces using tooth-colored brackets.
Fixing Uneven Smiles with Braces
Braces help shift teeth into proper position, improving not only the beauty of the smile, but the overall oral health and function as well. Misalignment is linked to increased risks of tooth decay, dental infection, gingivitis, and gum disease, as well as TMJ disorder and bruxism (chronic teeth grinding). The process involves placing brackets onto the front-facing side of each tooth. We then connect a portion of a thin arch wire to each individual bracket, holding them in place with bands. During regular visits, we will adjust the tension in the wire to begin shifting the teeth into proper position. The process could take around two years, and sometimes we can use Propel® Accelerated Orthodontics to reduce this overall treatment time!
Tooth-Colored Ceramic Brackets
The brackets are usually made of metal, but we could also craft some from ceramic, a durable material that is translucent just like tooth enamel. This material is often used by dentists to create crowns and lifelike prosthetics, such as braces and implant restorations. We can color-match it to blend with the rest of the tooth, custom-making them using the iTero® digital imaging system to ensure a proper fit and lifelike appearance. This helps teens and adults receiving braces feel a little less self-conscious during their treatment period.
Invisalign®
For less severe cases of misalignment in adulthood and the teen years, we could prescribe Invisalign®. Another cosmetic orthodontic system, this one will use clear aligners that fit over the teeth to gently shift them into proper position, usually in about a year for adults or up to 18 months for teens. They are removable, which makes caring for them (and your smile) much easier, and also means no complications with mealtime. If you have any questions about our cosmetic orthodontic systems, or if you would like to schedule a consultation to see which one is right for your smile, then please contact our team today to schedule your next visit. We would love to help you or a member of your family start a path toward an even and healthy smile in 2022.
Interested in Cosmetic Orthodontics?
We want to correct your smile without having a major impact on your appearance. If you have any questions about our lifelike approach to orthodontics, or if you would like to schedule an appointment soon, please call Lake Country Orthodontics in Fort Worth, TX at (817) 236-7846. Our office proudly serves patients who live in Springtown, Rome, and all surrounding communities.
