Six Month Smiles Vs Clear Braces Which One Would You Choose

It used to be that teeth straightening was a treatment purely reserved for teenagers but over the past few years there has been a large increase in the number of adults turning to teeth straightening to improve the appearance of their teeth. Here at West Wickham Dental Practice we are able to offer two different teeth straightening treatments. Six Month Smiles and Clear braces and in this blog we will look at the key benefits to each treatment.

Six Month Smiles	Clear Braces
Six Month Smiles uses the latest technology to move teeth quickly and safely.	Clear braces, also known as invisible aligners are a safe and effective way to straighten your teeth
Six Month Smiles focuses on those teeth visible when you smile means you can see results fast!	Clear braces use a system of retainers to move your teeth. These are almost transparent so should not affect your appearance
Six Month Smiles uses tooth coloured braces and wires which means that the braces should be barely visible	Clear braces have minimal effect on your speech, so no one will know that you are wearing them unless you tell them!
Six Month Smiles focuses on the cosmetic appearance of your teeth rather than the position of your bite, using standard orthodontic mechanisms	Clear braces are removed when you eat so you will still be able to eat a full and varied diet without the worry of getting food stuck in your braces
Six Month Smiles use low force to move teeth more comfortably.	Aligners are changed every 4-6 weeks to allow the teeth to move gradually into their final position causing little or no discomfort
Six Month Smiles can give you the smile you want in a fraction of the time taken with conventional treatments.	Fewer trips to the dentist are required with Clear braces than with other more traditional teeth straightening procedures.
Six Month Smiles are typically less expensive than traditional teeth straightening procedures	Clear braces enable you to still carry out your normal oral hygiene routine without the need to clean around fixed braces

Straightening your teeth can not only help to improve your confidence and self-esteem but can also help to dramatically improve the future health of your teeth and gums. Your oral health is improved following treatment as teeth are properly aligned so can be easily and effectively cleaned. This reduces the need for further dental treatment in the future.

Straighter teeth help the gums fit more securely around teeth and provides the strongest defence against periodontal problems. Properly aligned teeth can also decrease the stress placed on the jaw joints. If left untreated poorly aligned teeth can lead to chronic headaches and discomfort when you eat.

If you would like more help and advice on how teeth straightening can help to improve the appearance of your smile book an appointment online, or call West Wickham Dental Practice today on 0208 776 1188

Dentures vs Dental Implants

There is no longer any need to go through life with missing teeth. There are now a number of different options available to replace a missing tooth, with implants and dentures being the most common options. In this article we compare both options to help you make an informed choice as to whether dentures or implants are the right treatment for you.

Dentures	Implants
Dentures are made by creating either an acrylic (plastic) or chrome (metal) base and onto these composite teeth are added in a shade to match your natural teeth. This means once in place no-one should be able to tell that they are not your own teeth.	Implants are made by inserting a titanium screw into your jaw, which is then used to support a crown, bridge or denture depending on how many teeth need to be replaced.
Dentures can be made to replace either a few teeth or all the teeth on your upper or lower jaw. Dentures have the added advantage of allowing further teeth to be added following future extractions	Implants can be used to replace a few or all teeth. Implants can either be placed for individual teeth or can be used to support dentures replacing all the teeth in your upper or lower jaw
Dentures help to improve your appearance, bite and how you speak	Implants help to improve your appearance, bite and how you speak
Dentures can be fitted immediately after a tooth is extracted so no one will know you are missing a tooth	The base of the implant will be inserted into your jaw. This will then need to be left 3-4 months to heal before a crown, bridge or denture can be placed on top
Dentures can be fitted no matter how healthy your jaw is or whether you have lost the teeth because of damage, wear and tear, decay or periodontal disease	Implants can only be placed if you have sufficient bone in your jaw and it is healthy enough. If not a bone graft will be required prior to treatment starting
Dentures do not support the jaw so you will notice bone loss over time if you wear dentures	Implants help to maintain the bone levels in your jaw and can even help to promote bone growth needed to stabilise and secure the implant
Dentures are suitable for most people	Implants are not suitable if you smoke and if you suffer with gum disease there is a higher risk of the implant failing
Dentures can take time to get used to and will require practice to allow you to speak and eat with confidence	Implants look and feel like your natural teeth so you will be able to speak and eat with complete confidence
Dentures may need to be remade or relined as the shape of your jaw changes overtime	If cared for properly an implant should last as long as your natural teeth
Dentures are less expensive than implants but will only last on average 7 – 8 years before they need to be replaced	Implants are more expensive but once in place they should last a lifetime

If you would like more help and advice on whether dentures or implants are the right treatment for you book an appointment online, or call West Wickham Dental Practice today on 0208 776 1188