While you may have considered getting veneers to change how your teeth look, that is not the only option open to you. Teeth can be straightened at any age and may be quicker and easier than you think. With short-term and traditional orthodontics from Smith Family and Cosmetic Dentistry with branches in Sneads Ferry, Goldsboro, Jacksonville, Surf City, Porters Neck, and Hampstead, NC, we can give you the smile that you’ve always dreamed of.
Short-Term vs Traditional Orthodontics: What’s Right for You
What Are Short-Term Orthodontics?
Short-Term Orthodontics (or STO) are orthodontic appliances aimed mainly at adults who would like to improve the appearance of their smile without having to undergo comprehensive orthodontic treatment. These types of orthodontics aim to move your front 6 to 8 teeth and align them levelly to improve their appearance in the same way as conventional aligners. It is usually suitable for those with mild to moderate crowding or misalignment.
The treatment can be completed by using clear fixed brackets and wires on the teeth or by using clear aligners to move the teeth. This treatment has significant benefits for patients with healthy teeth and no need for tooth restoration. Both these options are much less visible than traditional orthodontics as they are clear or tooth-colored.
What Are Traditional Orthodontics?
These are what typically come to mind when you think of orthodontics; braces with metal brackets on the teeth connected by a wire. While they are more visible than some other treatment options, they are also able to effect a much greater change in the mouth.
Choosing between orthodontic options depends on various factors, including your specific orthodontic needs, treatment goals, and personal preferences. Both approaches have their advantages and considerations. Here’s a comparison to help you decide what’s right for you:
Short-Term Orthodontics
Treatment Duration
Short-term orthodontic treatments typically focus on addressing mild to moderate cosmetic concerns, such as minor misalignment or spacing issues, and aim to achieve results in a shorter timeframe compared to traditional braces. Treatment duration can range from a few months to around a year.
Visibility
Short-term orthodontic options, such as clear aligners (e.g., Invisalign) or clear braces, are designed to be less noticeable than traditional metal braces. They offer a more discreet treatment option for individuals who are concerned about the appearance of braces.
Comfort
Clear aligners are custom-made to fit snugly over your teeth and are generally more comfortable to wear than traditional braces. They do not have wires or brackets that may cause irritation or discomfort to the mouth and gums.
Convenience
Clear aligners are removable, allowing you to take them out for eating, brushing, and special occasions. This flexibility can make it easier to maintain oral hygiene and dietary habits during treatment. Clear aligners may also be the right choice for you if you play a lot of contact sports, or some kind of wind or brass instrument, as you will be able to remove them while you are practicing. However, you should be careful to make sure that you wear the aligners for the recommended number of hours each day to avoid delays in seeing your final results.
Limitations
Short-term orthodontic treatments may not be suitable for complex orthodontic issues or cases requiring significant bite correction. They are primarily focused on improving the alignment and appearance of the front teeth rather than comprehensive orthodontic adjustments.
Traditional Orthodontics
Comprehensive Treatment
Traditional braces are capable of addressing a wide range of orthodontic issues, including severe misalignment, bite problems, and jaw discrepancies. They offer comprehensive treatment that can achieve precise and predictable results.
Effectiveness
Traditional braces use brackets, wires, and bands to apply consistent pressure to move teeth gradually into their correct positions. This method has been proven effective in correcting various orthodontic problems and achieving stable, long-lasting results.
Customization
Traditional braces are custom-fitted and adjusted by an orthodontist to meet each patient’s unique orthodontic needs. We can tailor the treatment plan to address specific concerns and achieve optimal outcomes.
Monitoring
Traditional orthodontic treatment involves regular appointments with your orthodontist for adjustments and progress monitoring. This hands-on approach allows for close supervision of treatment progress and timely adjustments as needed.
Cost
The cost of traditional braces may vary depending on factors such as treatment duration, complexity, and geographic location. They may be more affordable than some short-term orthodontic options, and it is also essential to consider the long-term value and benefits of comprehensive orthodontic treatment.
When Might I Need Traditional Orthodontics?
There are three levels of orthodontic need. They are:
Level 1: Appearance
This is the most basic level of orthodontics; the appearance of straightness of your teeth. If you have only minor orthodontic needs, such as minor misalignment issues, then minor orthodontics are likely to be able to fix the problem. This level of issue is ideal for treatment with short-term orthodontics.
Level 2: Appearance and Bite
If the issue with your teeth is one of more than just appearance, but one also affecting the way that your teeth meet, then you may or may not be a suitable candidate for short-term orthodontics. The bite may not seem like a very important thing, but having a correct and balanced bite lessens your chances of tooth erosion, bone atrophy, gum recession, bruxism (grinding your teeth), and TMJ.
In order to correct a problem with the bite, more teeth may need to be moved than just the ones in the front of the mouth. If this is the case, then traditional braces may be a better option to obtain optimal results.
Level 3: Appearance, Bite, and Jaw Alignment
In some cases, the misalignment of teeth in the mouth is not the only orthodontic issue that faces a patient. Sometimes the whole alignment of the jaw needs to be altered to help patients to chew, speak, and swallow comfortably. This is often achieved with methods such as elastics designed to bring the lower and upper jaws into alignment and retrain the muscles of the jaw into this new pattern. When this sort of change needs to be made, it cannot be done with short-term orthodontics, and so traditional orthodontics will be needed.
Consultation
Ultimately, the decision between short-term and traditional orthodontics should be based on a thorough evaluation by an orthodontic professional. It is difficult to know just how much alignment work your teeth need before you come to a consultation with us.
During your initial consultation, you will have a chance to discuss your teeth with one of our orthodontists, and they will be able to assess your orthodontic needs, discuss treatment options, and help you choose the approach that aligns best with your goals, lifestyle, and budget. Whether you opt for short-term or traditional orthodontics, the goal is to achieve a healthy, functional bite and a confident smile that lasts a lifetime.
Get in Touch Today
We are dedicated to making sure that all our patients receive the very best in dental and orthodontic treatment, so if you have crowded or misaligned teeth and would like to explore the possibility of orthodontic treatment with traditional orthodontics or a short-term option, get in touch with us at Smith Family and Cosmetic Dentistry with branches in Sneads Ferry, Goldsboro, Jacksonville, Surf City, Porters Neck, and Hampstead, NC.