For those wanting a quick fix for their crooked smile, the revolutionary 6-Month Smile treatment takes the pain out of wearing braces.
Six-Month Smiles can be used to treat a wide variety of orthodontic complaints, including:
What does the treatment involve?
During your first visit, you will be fully assessed and your dentist will take some photographs, X-rays and examine your smile. Your dentist will also give you an indication as to whether the 6-Month Smiles treatment is suitable for you and the likely treatment time and costs involved.
Following this, you will be fitted with the special 6-Month Smiles braces, which are small, white brackets, and special wires that come directly from the 6-Month Smiles laboratory in the United States.
After your first fitting, you will visit your dentist every 4-5 weeks for short 10-15 minute appointments for regular adjustments of your braces until the end of your treatment.
How do I know it will work?
In the UK, 6-Month Smiles is a new technique, but in the US, 100s of patients have undergone the 6-Month Smile programme of treatment with fantastic success.
This is an exciting new treatment in the UK, which could be a perfect solution to correcting crooked teeth before a wedding, for example.
How is it possible for teeth to be straightened in six months?
6-Month Smiles utilises the latest technology and techniques in orthodontic dentistry to move your teeth in a manner that is both quick and safe.
The treatment focuses on moving the teeth that show when you smile rather than all of your teeth, and it uses special nickel titanium wires to achieve this.
Will 6-Month Smiles wires show like train-track braces?
The 6-Month Smiles system uses tooth-coloured braces and wires that are only visible when close-up.
They are not like train-track braces; however, they are more visible than clear braces like the invisible braces system - but the benefits of completing treatment in a fraction of the time outweigh this.
Is treatment painful?
Like any orthodontic treatment, there will be some discomfort when you start the treatment, but over time you will become accustomed to it.
What sets the 6-Month Smiles braces apart is that they use low force to move teeth more comfortably.
6-Month Braces utilise standard orthodontic mechanics, but with an emphasis on the cosmetic appearance of your teeth rather than the position of your bite.
It may be advisable to take some mild painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol during the first few days of your treatment.
Will 6-Month braces affect my speech?
During the first week or so after having your braces fitted, your speech may be affected and you may salivate a little more than usual, but it should soon return to normal.
Will I have to wear a retainer after treatment with 6-Month Smiles braces?
All orthodontic treatment requires retention afterwards to reduce the risk of relapse. Your teeth have a tendency to move back to their natural position and retention will prevent this.
Your dentist will either provide you with a night-time removable retainer to wear, or you can be fitted with a permanent bonded retainer on the back surfaces of your teeth.
