Having awareness about the treatment that you are looking for yourself or your child is a good thing. However with awareness sometimes you get to know few things which may be myths. So, Knightshill Dental Practice tackles some of the most common orthodontics myths:

Myth-1: There is no point of having braces for an adult:

Some treatments take more time for an adult than they do for children because adult’s facial bones are no longer growing and certain corrections may not be accomplished with braces alone. While its true that approach to crooked teeth may be different for adults compared to children, but you’re never too old for orthodontic treatment. Moreover a healthy beautiful smile is equally important at the age of 40 as it is at age of 14. Nowadays there are many orthodontic treatment options available for adults. Today’s braces do not draw as much attention of people as you may believe.

Myth-2: The tighter, the better:

Many people insist to orthodontist to keep their braces tight. People believe if braces are too tight they will get their braces off faster! Its true that braces should have certain level of force to move the teeth, but the force level which is too high can certainly damage the bone and surrounding tissues. Orthodontic treatment is an art of maintaining delicate level of force by making sure teeth do not move in the wrong direction and the force does not damage teeth bone and surrounding tissues.

Myth-3: Only braces can straighten my teeth:

Not necessary, with technology advancement its now possible to straighten your teeth without having to wear braces. Products such as Invisalign Clear Aligners are one of the options that offer teeth straightening without having to wear braces. However Invisalign Clear Aligners may not be the best option for fixing bite problems if there are many crooked teeth. Its best to visit Knightshill Dental Practice for an initial consultation and let us find-out what kind of treatment option can suit you best.

Myth-4: After removing braces my teeth will stay straight forever:

Getting your teeth straight with the help of braces is just half work done. After removing braces we may recommend you to wear retainers to make sure your teeth stay in place.

Myth-5: Orthodontic treatment is painful:

With the help of technology advancement braces have become far less irritating. Braces do not hurt at all after they are applied to teeth. In some cases patient may feel mild soreness or discomfort, which disappears after few days. Remember, “It does not have to hurt to work!”

Myth-6: The length of treatment is guaranteed:

An orthodontist can only do a rough estimation about length of the treatment. At the same time you cannot compare length of treatment with anyone else. This is because there are many factors affecting length of treatment such how your teeth respond to braces, breaking down of braces during the treatment, not brushing well, not coming in for regular appointments, having dense bone etc.

 If you have any unanswered questions about orthodontic treatment talk to our dentist. call us on 020 86704666.