Alternatives to braces – We can do without metal

Why straighten your teeth?

Good reasons to straighten your teeth are, for example, gaps between your teeth, an open bite, an overbite and tipped teeth (usually due to crowding). For children who are still growing, removable braces are often the best solution. But what about adults?

A traditional standard

Jaw growth is already complete and the teeth have reached their final position, right? Wrong! Even with a fully grown jaw, it is possible to shift the teeth by a few millimetres. Our teeth will continue to shift almost throughout our entire life. In the case of adults, many dentists will prescribe fixed braces, which exert strong pressure on the teeth with brackets and a wire.

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Conventional braces

Most people are familiar with fixed braces in the form of the multibracket appliance, which requires to apply small brackets on the outer surface of the teeth. An archwire is pulled through the brackets and additional wires are attached to the molars. The wires exert pressure on the teeth and thus move them bit by bit into the desired position. The wires need to be tightened regularly by the dentist.

Alternatives to braces

Over the past years, major improvements have been made in the field of orthodontics, and braces can now be made much more individually. The following options are valid alternatives and improvements compared to braces:

• Lingual braces
• Mini brackets
• Ceramic brackets
• Transparent aligners

Lingual braces are attached to the inner surface of the teeth and are therefore not directly visible, but they can impact the patient’s pronunciation for several months. Mini and ceramic brackets are slightly less visible compared to conventional metal brackets, but are still firmly attached to the teeth. Aligners are often the best solution for many types of malocclusions. Plastic aligners have a tight fit without wires and clips, are hardly visible, are also removable and have almost no impact on the patient’s pronunciation. And just like other types of braces, they exert pressure on the teeth to move them into a new position.

bestsmile Aligner

Aligners are used to correct mild to moderate tooth displacements and are among the most modern braces available nowadays. While fixed braces have been used since the 1890s, the aligner system has only been around since 1998. The invention from the USA has changed the field of orthodontics (orthodontic treatment) permanently. The plastic aligners are made of transparent PET and PU, making them almost invisible. They do not require any brackets or wires. With the aligner therapy, unpleasant impressions with alginate and plaster models or are also a thing of the past. The patient’s teeth are analysed with a 3D scan and the course of treatment can be visualised in advance with computer graphics. Another advantage is the comfort they offer. In fact, they can easily be removed for eating and doing sport and can also be reinserted by the patients themselves. Depending on the degree of tooth displacement, aligner treatment only takes 3–18 months.*

Book an appointment

Are you interested in an Aligner treatment at bestsmile? Simply book a free appointment for a consultation in a practice of your choice. Our practices are located in numerous cities throughout Switzerland and we look forward to your visit!