Parrock Dental and Implant Centre can offer patients several different types of orthodontic braces. Having straighter teeth is great, and can be a huge boost to confidence, but it is still a big step for many people to take. Most of our patients have lots of questions about straightening their teeth, so we have put together a few of the most popular.
- How long will orthodontic treatment take? This is a tricky one, and it is impossible to give an exact answer before you have seen Dr Rik Trivedi, or another dentist at our Gravesend surgery. Some systems are quicker than others, so if you are relatively happy with the way your teeth look, but are just looking to perfect your smile, then your treatment could take six months or even less. This is because systems such as Six Month Smiles concentrate on moving the teeth that are visible when smiling. If your orthodontic needs are more complex then you may need more traditional orthodontics in Kent, which can take anywhere from a year or more to complete.
- Will orthodontic treatment hurt? You might find your braces feel uncomfortable when they are first fitted, but this discomfort should be easy to control with over-the-counter painkillers. The degree of discomfort can also depend on how far your teeth have to move. Some of the more modern and cosmetically oriented brace systems use very low forces to move the teeth, and will give minimal levels of discomfort.
- Will I be able to talk properly with braces? Some people may find it takes them a few days to adapt to wearing braces, and that they do initially affect their speech, but this should soon pass.
- Will I be able to eat normally with my braces? If you have removable aligners, such as Invisalign, then you will be able to take them out when eating and drinking and you will be able to enjoy all your usual foods. If your braces are fixed in position then you may need to avoid certain chewy or particularly hard foods that could damage your braces, or which will get stuck around the wires and brackets.
We’re sure you have many other questions, and you will find our dentist in Kent more than willing to answer them. We give all our orthodontic patients lots of advice on what to expect during treatment, and how to care for their braces. You will also need to come and see us at regular intervals during orthodontic treatment.
Ready to book your braces consultation? Call us on 01474 537191, or you can email us on info@parrockdental.co.uk.