What Is the Fastest Way To Straighten My Teeth?

Quickest Teeth Straightening Options

When most people think of braces, they picture a pimpled teen with a network of metal wires crisscrossing their teeth. It’s hard for some to imagine that metal braces are extremely effective and widely accepted outside of junior high, but it’s true. This dental technique is perfect for people of all ages. It involves elastic ligatures, archwire, brackets, and bonding material and can take anywhere between five months and two years to achieve the desired results.

While metal braces aren’t the fastest teeth straightening option we have here at First Dental Associates, for people with significant gaps, deep bite issues, or rotated teeth, this teeth straightening technique is the most effective. But if you’re short on time and are not really sold on having noticeable wires in your mouth, here are a few other teeth straightening options to consider:

Veneers

If you’re reluctant to get metal braces due to their appearance, then veneers are a good option for a quick smile makeover. Here’s the thing though—veneers don’t actually straighten your teeth. Your dentist places the tooth-colored porcelain shells on your enamel to conceal gaps, holes, or misshapen teeth, creating the appearance that your teeth are properly aligned. This works out great for adults who want fast results and whose teeth aren’t that crooked. But if you have severe misalignment, we often recommend braces or other orthodontic techniques to fix your bite before applying veneers.

Invisible Braces

Just from the name, you’re probably already sold on this teeth straightening technique, right? And you have a good reason. While invisible braces are technically still braces, few people will be able to tell you have them inside your mouth. That’s because they’re either attached to the back side of your teeth or made out of clear materials.

Lingual Braces

With lingual braces, you may feel uncomfortable at first because the wires and brackets are up against the tongue. However, this will get better after wearing them for a period of time. Lingual braces may not be the right fit for people with deep overbites as they might run into some trouble with brackets popping off more frequently. Speech, dental hygiene, and plaque might pose challenges with lingual braces as well.

Ceramic Braces

Ceramic braces work just like their metal counterpart, but instead of metallic-silver brackets, they use clear or tooth-colored brackets with similarly colored wires and rubber bands, which provide more aesthetic appeal. While the clear or white rubber bands can easily stain, it won’t be a problem since they’re changed every time you get an adjustment, which typically happens monthly. However, ceramic braces can take up to three years to achieve the desired result because the material isn’t as sturdy as metal.

Invisalign

Another metal-braces alternative is Invisalign, a series of clear, removable plastic aligners. Each custom-fit aligner gradually moves the teeth into place. You are given new trays every two weeks to provide a virtually irritation-free treatment with minimal adjustment discomfort. Since the aligners are removable, it’s easier to brush and floss. For adults who had braces as children but want a touch-up after not wearing their retainers for a few years, Invisalign treatments often only last a matter of months. Alternatively, adults who never had braces but don’t have severely crooked teeth might also achieve a complete smile makeover in under a year with this teeth straightening technique.

Snap-On Smile

Of all the options listed in this article, none can achieve the instantaneous results of the Snap-On Smile. Your dentist custom-fits an arch of tooth-colored composite resin to fit firmly over your existing teeth. This new arch effectively hides all existing gaps, missing teeth, and stains to give your smile a flawless appearance. A Snap-On Smile is a great noninvasive, painless teeth straightening option.

Get a quick smile makeover today!

We’re certainly not here to convince you that any particular technique is the very best available because the truth is, the best treatment for you depends on your unique situation. By visiting our Reading, Massachusetts, dental office, we can help you find the right balance between a quick timeline and lasting results for your smile makeover. We hope you’ll choose our First Dental Associates team to help you achieve a healthy, beautiful smile that lasts a lifetime!