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Writer's pictureSheen Dental

A guide to the braces our dentist can offer

At Sheen Dental, we are aware that having a straight smile is more than just an aesthetic advantage. We know that it can help with better eating habits, improved hygiene maintenance and of course, delivering health benefits. So let's take a look at the different types of braces and aligners that our dentist Richmond can offer you at our clinic.

Standard braces


If you are an adult who needs to have some more complex dental realignments performed, our team may decide to fit you with a standard or orthodontic brace.


This brace will usually be made of metal, will have an archwire and will require a tightening or adjusting session to be performed every 6-8 weeks by our dentist Richmond.


We will only usually fit someone with an orthodontic brace if they have a complex misalignment, or require their molar teeth to be moved or adjusted for a better meshing bite.


Damon System


Technically, the Damon System brace is a fitted brace but, as the archwires are thinner than standard brace and the brackets are not usually metal (they are typically made from clear plastic), our dentist Richmond would describe them as a clear brace.


Like a fitted brace, they need adjusting to move the teeth, but due to the thinner materials which are used to create them, the teeth do not need to be moved extensively, meaning that adjustments tend to be more minor.


If you have a fitted brace, you will probably need to wear it for anything between 3-18 months, depending on the complexity of your misalignment.


Incognito


Another fitted brace that is also called a lingual brace, the Incognito brace is affixed to the inner sides of the teeth and like the aforementioned braces, will require tightening.


But unlike the other braces, the attachments for this brace are made from gold and as they are visually discreet, they have been used by many celebrities, including Prince William.


With an Incognito brace, the treatment time can vary from 6 months to 36 months.


Invisalign


This famous aligner has made its way to our surgery and we are happy to be able to use it on our suitable adult patients!


This is an aligner that is made from clear plastic, and slots over your teeth to create movement. We will typically use a 3D scanner to take an image of your teeth (or a mould) and will then be able to plot how many aligners will be needed for you to reach your aesthetic goals.


As this aligner is usually only used for patients who have mild to moderate misalignments of their front teeth, the treatment time is much faster; around 3-6 months. But you will need to keep the aligners in for at least 22 hours per day to stay on target with your treatment.


If you have any questions about the braces, aligners or other orthodontic tools that we can offer you at our practice, then please feel free to contact our team. We are also able to offer financing options to help you afford orthodontic treatments, so please, feel free to contact our clinic about this if you have any questions.

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