Teeth Straightening Treatments

Perfectly aligned teeth not only deliver a captivating smile and high self-confidence, but the correct biting pattern evenly deploys pressure when eating, thus reducing the stress on the jaw. Teeth misalignment (malocclusion)  is a relatively common health problem and can take many forms.

Besides aesthetic reasons, getting your teeth properly straightened protects them from grinding wear and tear, overstressed temporomandibular joint and most importantly, a correct biting pattern.

Teeth straightening (orthodontic treatment) can alleviate and prevent future dental problems as straight teeth are easier to clean, thus reducing the risk of cavities and periodontitis.

Orthodontics (also referred to as dentofacial orthopedics) is a specialized form of dentistry which focuses on diagnosing, treating and preventing dental and facial abnormalities. The dental specialists in this field are called orthodontists.

Ideally, teeth straightening treatment starts around the age of 12 when the primary teeth are replaced with permanent ones. However, adults can also benefit and have their teeth straightened later in life, especially when the wisdom teeth erupt.

With regular dental checkups, the dentist can identify if there’s a problem with the position of the teeth inside the child’s jaw and recommend adequate treatment options.

Our teeth straightening services provide you with several options for braces:

• Invisible braces (Invisalign and lingual braces),
• Removable fast braces (Inman aligner),
• Tooth-coloured traditional braces.

In neutral occlusion, the teeth are well aligned, with the lower teeth being only 1-2mm behind the upper teeth. All teeth have contact with each other. Neutral occlusion can occur in combination with crowding, with gaps or a protrusion of the teeth and all of this kind of inaccuracy can be corrected.

This occurs when your jawbone is too small for all of your teeth be properly positioned. Overcrowding is the most common type of malocclusion. It occurs when there is a discrepancy between the size of the teeth and the available space for proper alignment, or because of premature extraction of a primary tooth. Sometimes, it can occur later in life, when the wisdom teeth begin to erupt. It’s the most common reason for orthodontic treatment among adults.

Possible consequences: There’s an increased risk of dental cavities since it is very difficult to clean the teeth as well as inflammation of the gums and gum recession.

An overjet is where your top teeth extend past your bottom teeth horizontally (not to be confused with an overbite). Protruding teeth can risk damage and cause problems with eating and speech.

 

Overbite is a very common type of malocclusion. In this case, the lower jaw is too far back (or too narrow), creating a large gap between the upper and the lower teeth.

Possible consequences: The incisors of the lower jaw can grow into the gums and injure the palatal mucosa; the risk of injury to the incisors (e.g. during physical activity) is significant, as the lips are not in a position to protect the teeth.

Additionally, the dental arches collapse because they do not support each other.  In case of an overbite, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is subject to excessive stress. The result can be considerable pain, clicking, and reduced function.

A crossbite can occur on either side (left or right), or even in the front teeth. In this case of malocclusion, you could experience bone loss, excessive tooth wearing, and periodontitis. In a lateral crossbite, the lower molars protrude over the upper molars.

Possible consequences: Crossbite can lead to asymmetrical facial development. If left untreated over the years, a one-sided crossbite can lead to a deformed growth of the lower jaw toward the crossbite side while overstressing the TMJ – resulting in considerable pain, diminished function and other oral health problems like inflammation of the periodontal tissues.

A crossbite that affects the front teeth is known as an anterior crossbite, or perhaps more commonly as an underbite.

In the case of underbite malocclusion, the lower front teeth that protrude beyond the upper teeth, which can cause stress on the lower teeth and TMJ-related problems.

Possible consequences: The edges of the front teeth close together, edge on edge. This malocclusion leads to considerable attrition and erosion of the tooth enamel. As with overbites, underbites cause excessive stress to the TMJ. This can result in considerable pain, clicking and TMJ function, gaps between the teeth and gum recession.

Spacing can occur between two or more teeth. Some of the causes can include missing teeth, small teeth or a wider jaw, tongue thrusting and thumb sucking.

Sometimes, these gaps can be camouflaged with aesthetic fillings, but in most cases, orthodontic treatment is required before aesthetic restorations can be made.

A diastema is a space between two teeth, usually the front teeth. This type of malocclusion is very popular at present-day. Eddie Murphy, Samuel L. Jackson, Madonna, Georgia May Jagger, Brigitte Bardot and many other celebrities have it.

An impacted tooth is one that’s unable to erupt through the gum normally.

Possible treatments include removing the tooth, or exposing it so that a brace can be fitted.

Missing teeth, or hypodontia, can occur as a result of teeth not developing properly or through trauma.

Gaps due to tooth loss should be promptly restored, since otherwise the adjacent teeth may tilt into the gap, and also the antagonist tooth can elongate into the empty space.

Open bite malocclusion occurs when some of the upper and lower teeth cannot make contact when your mouth is closed. This can lead to significant problems with chewing.

Possible consequences: Due to the vertical growth of the lower jaw the face may appear elongated. An open bite can cause a considerable amount of stress on the TMJ which can result in moderate to severe pain, clicking and TMJ function. Moreover, the chewing ability is significantly hindered.

Invisalign – Discreet and invisible. Invisalign allows you to straighten your teeth with a series of removable clear retainers. Treatment times range from 1 year to 2 years.

Tooth coloured braces – The majority of our braces options for adults are now metal-free. We use ceramic braces and bone coloured wires to make the braces seamlessly blend in with your smile.

Invisible lingual braces – Our lingual braces are totally invisible and are fixed to the back of your upper and lower front teeth. No one, except your dentist, will even suspect that you are undergoing teeth straightening treatment.