In today’s world, more and more of us are concerned about our health and well-being. We watch the food we eat more responsibly, we play sports, we try to include in our routines habits that help us take care of ourselves and this also includes taking care of our physical appearance and oral and dental health.
For this reason, more and more adult patients attend dental offices in search of a solution to improve the position of their teeth, to be able to perform a correct daily hygiene and, in turn, improve the conditions to preserve their teeth for as long as possible.
In addition, it is accompanied by a noticeable improvement in your smile and therefore the aesthetics of your face, thus increasing self-esteem and performance in their environment. However, adult patients demand more demanding esthetics and shorter treatment times so that their day-to-day life is interfered with as little as possible.
What types of esthetic orthodontics are there?
Basically, we can divide it into two types: fixed and removable. Within fixed orthodontics we can find ceramic or sapphire brackets and lingual brackets that would go on the inside of the teeth.
In removable orthodontics we find transparent aligners, which are splint-like devices or sleeves that help us to improve the position of the teeth.
What are the benefits of cosmetic orthodontics?
Aesthetic orthodontics helps us to improve the position of the teeth in a more discreet way, without interfering with the development of our professional and personal life during treatment.
What guidelines should patients follow after cosmetic orthodontic treatment to preserve their oral health?
At the end of orthodontic treatment, the use of retainers is of utmost importance. The doctor will place fixed retainers behind the front teeth and will additionally indicate the use of sleeves to sleep in.
The first year of retention is crucial for the maintenance of the new position of the teeth, for this reason it is recommended to attend the retention control visits (usually performed at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months post treatment). If the patient presents any type of problem such as breakage or loss, he/she should attend a consultation as soon as possible.
What alternatives are there to this treatment?
Among the types of aesthetic orthodontics we can find:
- Aesthetic brackets (which can be ceramic or sapphire): these are a more discreet version of conventional orthodontics. The care and mechanics used are exactly the same as the metal version.
- Lingual braces: would be the most esthetic option, since the patient does not wear any attachment on the visible side of their teeth. It is indicated for patients with greater demand for esthetics in their treatment, however, it is still the most expensive esthetic option on the market, as well as the one that requires greater care for hygiene during treatment and the most difficult for the patient to adapt to.
- Clear aligners: this is the most comfortable esthetic option currently available. Its great advances in technique have also helped to significantly reduce treatment times, since all the planning must be done digitally and this makes tooth movements more predictable.