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Discreet and Speedier methods of straightening your teeth
If you have been avoiding orthodontic treatment because the thought of wearing metal brackets on your teeth for a few years doesn’t sound too appealing, then perhaps you haven’t known about all the available options. With rapid advances in orthodontic technology and techniques, many people today are enjoying the comfort and aesthetic appeal of modern orthodontic appliances that are not only effective but also promise faster results.
While traditional straightening techniques remain and have their rightful place in orthodontic treatment, it is also not surprising that many people are embracing the newer innovations because they offer more cosmetic options and shorter treatment times.
Let’s take a look at two of these modern innovations that will give you straight and beautiful teeth, while offering noteworthy strengths in terms of discreet treatment and speedy results.
Invisalign – “Invisible” aligners promise Discreet Treatment
Invisalign makes use of a 3D digital imaging system that helps to plan the dental treatment, by projecting the desired position of the teeth to achieve the best straightening results. The customised aligners are placed over the teeth to exert small gradual forces to move the teeth to its desired position. The aligners are prescribed in a series, each designed to provide the necessary forces at different positional stages of your teeth. You replace a new one every two weeks until you complete the series. Compared to traditional braces that require frequent adjustments, this represents a fuss-free method of straightening your pearlies.
Further, the Invisalign method produces faster results when compared to traditional straightening techniques. While it may take metal bands, brackets and wires two to three years to correct misalignment issues, it is possible, depending on the individual case, for Invisalign aligners to take less than a year to do the job.
One of the best features of Invisalign is that the aligners look almost invisible. The clear plastic aligners are so transparent that you would not notice someone wearing them even when you are speaking to them. Their custom-fitted design also means that the aligners conform to the shape, size and contours of your teeth, making it more comfortable to wear and aesthetically appealing. With Invisalign, it is now possible to undergo orthodontic treatment discreetly. You no longer have to worry about the “metal teeth” appearance of orthodontic treatment yet the dental device is working day and night, helping to manipulate your teeth to the desired position.
Fastbraces
As the name suggests, Fastbraces is an innovative straightening system that achieves straightening results with less teeth sensitivity and shorter time. Traditional braces align your teeth in two stages; first by moving the crown of your tooth, then followed by a second stage in which they address the position of the root of the tooth. Working on a different mechanical principle, Fastbraces uses a unique brace-and-wire design to correct the position of the root of your tooth from the start of the treatment. This combination effectively allows the system to simultaneously correct the position of your root and tooth. These changes also drastically reduce treatment time – taking between 3 months to a year to complete the straightening process.
Patients opting for a more discreet method of treatment can take advantage of Fastbraces Clear - ceramic braces that offer the same speedy technology in a more aesthetically pleasing option.
Whether you are considering Invisalign or Fastbraces as an option for straight and beautiful teeth, you may speak to a dentist at Dentistry@Ballarat. We offer these techniques – and other orthodontic treatment – as part of our all-encompassing Cosmetic Dentistry services to meet your individual needs. For more info on Dentistry at Ballarat, call +61(3) 53649599 or visit dentistryatballarat.com.au
FAQs
Why do you take an hour for the first exam, when other dentists don’t? There are many problems that a patient can present with on their first appointment. Sometimes the health of your teeth and all the structures that surround your teeth are perfect. But we don’t know what we will find when we’re seeing a patient for the first time. So before we can give you the “all clear” we feel that we have to set aside enough time to explore all your presenting issues (and not just the obvious ones that are quick to spot.) You can rest assured that our standard fee is charged for this comprehensive 1 hour appointment.Comprehensive Exam Why do I need to see a hygienist? Can’t the dentist just clean my teeth? Will they cost more? Hygienists’ training is dedicated to caring for gums, whereas dentists cover a much wider field of diagnosis. A narrower, more detailed focus generally means that more problems can be diagnosed at an earlier stage when treatment is easier, cheaper and with a better prognosis
Hygienists usually spend more time with you, thoroughly cleaning your teeth. They also can provide you with advice on how to take really great care of your smile. And, it doesn’t cost any more to see a hygienist!
Gum health requires more regular checking than the teeth. The hygienist is an economic way for you to have your teeth cleaned regularly without having to see the dentist every time—similar to seeing your GP when you have the flu, rather than getting an appointment with a specialist surgeon.
Maintaining Healthy Gums I haven’t been to a dentist in years & I’m worried about what they might find. At Dentistry @ Ballarat our team understands that fixing dental problems that may have been brewing for years can see the bills mount. That is why we’ll make certain that you get a treatment plan that allows you to be aware upfront of indicative costs and time. We also offer GE credit to assist with payment plans so that you can rest assured that you can budget accordingly.
We always focus on preserving teeth as much as possible and practicable. Dental problems compound if left untreated and that generally means the optimal time to start is straightaway. While the prospect of getting a number of procedures to fix your dental problems can be worrying, the best place to start is with a roadmap that will let you know where we need to go.
Services What’s the difference between a porcelain filling
and a cheaper one? Porcelain fillings are incredibly strong. A porcelain filling gives the tooth back its strength. Research has shown that the strength of the tooth is restored by porcelain to between 80–100% of its original strength. A usual (composite) filling comes nowhere close to that. Amalgam (silver) fillings are even worse—actually sometime causing teeth to fracture.
Porcelain fillings are more compatible with natural teeth than any basic filling material. Composite wears much faster than enamel and can break down base of the tooth, allowing decay to get into the tooth. No filling carries a 100% guarantee, but porcelain fillings come closer than any other basic filling material.
Cosmetic Dentistry How do our dentists look
aftertheir own teeth? You can read about Dr Ian Harper’s personal experience here. Why do I need X-rays?
Do they do me any harm? The fear of X-rays is understandable. However, the dosage of dental X-rays is very low compared to medical X-rays. In fact, X-rays surround us constantly whether we are at the dentist or not, in the form of background radiation, something which is given off by every object. You would need to take nearly 100,000 dental X-rays to equal the dosage of background radiation you experience over an average lifetime. Our digital X-ray system makes them even safer, reducing dosage by 50%.
We cannot always see where decay has managed to enter the tooth. X-rays prevent unnecessary fillings and allow us to do only the fillings that need to be done. Early diagnosis of decay also prevents the need for root-fillings into the future. If it isn’t currently broken,
do I need to get it fixed? A “stitch in time saves nine” describes our approach perfectly.
Our teeth have to serve us from when we are 6 to 106, and while the rest of the body can repair itself after being damaged, our teeth depend on us to be fixed.
Sometimes a tooth can be fixed after it has fractured; then again, sometimes the fracture is catastrophic and the only alternative is to extract it. No matter how easily it can be fixed, the prognosis for the tooth is always better if there is more of the tooth left to fix. That implies that the dentist and any assisting team members should use their experience and knowledge to identify those teeth which are heading in the direction of catastrophic failure and advise the patient accordingly.
The same preventive principles also apply to the other two most common causes of tooth loss: decay causing abscess and gum disease.
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