Author: Clear Braces Direct

If you have been looking for a way to realign your teeth then Clear Braces Direct in London can help you do so in a discreet and more comfortable way. Having misaligned teeth can affect people’s confidence to smile naturally, and we don’t want that; we want you to be able to smile from ear to ear without feeling anything other than confidence that your smile is one to rival a Cheshire Cat’s!

But, how can we help you to achieve a realigned smile if you don’t want to wear metal braces, you may well be thinking. At Clear Braces Direct in London, we offer a solution to realigning mild to moderate alignment issues that don’t involve wires and brackets.

Invisalign

Invisalign is a convenient way to realign your teeth that is virtually invisible when worn, thanks to the clear plastic aligners that you wear over your teeth, rather than having metal fixed braces. The aligners apply pressure to your teeth to gently move them into position over time and they are custom-made to fit your mouth, so they should be far more comfortable to wear. There are lots of positive reasons to wear Invisalign and gain a smile to be proud of.

Why should I choose Invisalign?

There are many reasons why patients are choosing Invisalign. Aside from being able to wear them without other people realising, Invisalign’s clear plastic aligners are removable and they only need to be worn for around 22 hours a day, leaving you with plenty of time to remove them for eating and drinking, or participating in your favourite sports, for example. By removing them when you eat and drink, you don’t have a messy cleanup operation afterwards and you can continue to eat and drink as normal. You won’t just be drinking lots of soup for 6-18 months!

Another benefit of being able to remove the aligners is that you can continue to brush and floss as normal, allowing you to maintain good oral hygiene. You also will only need to visit us every 6 weeks or so, because we will provide you with sets of aligners to change between every couple of weeks as directed by us. You shouldn’t need emergency appointments as the aligners are very difficult to break and don’t consist of small parts as fixed metal braces do, leaving you with less impact on your busy schedule!

How would I get Invisalign?

First thing’s first, if you want to find out if Invisalign is suitable for you, you will need to book in with us for a consultation. We will examine your mouth and possibly take x-rays as well. We will then be able to tell you if Invisalign is the right treatment for you. It is typically used for issues such as gapped teeth, overcrowding, crossbite, under or overbites. Once we have determined if we are recommending Invisalign as a treatment and you have talked this through with us, asking any questions you may have, we would then use iTero technology to take a digital scan of your mouth to get the measurements needed for your bespoke aligners. From this we can also create a 3D animation of what your teeth will look like after treatment – it’s clever stuff and certainly great for helping you to visualise the end result.

So, why not contact us today and our friendly staff will be happy to put a smile on your face.

If you have slightly misaligned front teeth then we at Clear Braces Direct in London could help you become happier when it comes to your smile. Offering our patients the chance to benefit from a discreet, efficient straightening appliance, we want all of them to be proud to show off their smile by the time that they have finished treatment. Invisalign is an innovative treatment that consists of a removable appliance and can straighten peoples’ teeth in as little as four months, depending on individual circumstances. In cases where the misalignment of teeth is more severe, it may take longer than four months to complete treatment, but you will still benefit from the subtle nature of this treatment. A lot of people are reluctant to get traditional braces because they do not like the idea of having a metal appliance permanently fixed into their mouth for years, which is why Invisalign’s clear, plastic aligners offer so many great benefits when compared to a more traditional appliance.

Swapping messy bite impressions for a simple 3D scan

Usually, when people get braces they have to suffer through having an impression taken of their teeth, which normally consists of biting down into a playdough like substance. At Clear Braces Direct in London you will have a 3D scan taken of your mouth instead, so there is no need to undergo any messy impression taking. This scan will form the basis of your treatment, as it will produce a series of images to show your teeth in different positions as they move toward their final straight positions over a period of time. You will have a different set of aligners to wear for each stage of the movement, all custom-made specifically for your teeth. They will be made of thin, clear plastic and should easily fit over the top of your own teeth. They should be comfortable and not impact your ability to speak, and in some cases, people will not even spot that you are undergoing treatment because they are so transparent.

Wear, eat, brush, repeat

Once you have received your aligners from us at Clear Braces Direct in London, it is vital that you wear them correctly to ensure that your treatment works as efficiently as planned. Not wearing them correctly could result in extra time being added to your overall treatment time, or you could need to completely restart it. As well as wearing your aligners in the correct order, you must ensure that each set is being worn for around two weeks at a time. This gives your teeth time to adjust to their new positions. Your aligners will be removable, too, but it is important that you only remove them to eat and brush your teeth. You must always brush your teeth before putting your aligners back in after having something to eat, as this will make sure that there is no plaque build-up and your aligners will not get damaged. Even though they are removable you must be weaning them for twenty-two hours at least every day, otherwise, you risk the chances of your treatment not working properly.

At Clear Braces Direct in London we are well known for helping people to straighten out their smile. However, not a lot of people know that we provide our patients with the ability to whiten their smile too. Having discoloured teeth can leave people feeling incredibly insecure and at Clear Braces Direct we believe that everyone should love their smile. Discolouration can be caused by all sorts of things and may make your teeth seem slightly yellowish, or you may have larger, more noticeable stains that are browner in colour. Either way, we want to help you get rid of your imperfections and leave your insecurities behind. We offer convenient treatment that can be carried out in the comfort of your own home, and our dental practitioners will always be on hand to answer any questions that you might have.

Wishing that your smile was a few shades brighter?

People only get one set of adult teeth, and as people age, these teeth can become stained or appear to have a yellowish tint to them. Having discoloured teeth can age someone, making them appear older than they really are. At Clear Braces Direct in London we offer teeth whitening treatment to keep your smile looking refreshed and youthful. Stains can occur for all sorts of reasons, and teeth will become less bright naturally as they age, but things such as drinking tea and alcohol can increase your chances of having stained teeth. Lifestyle habits such as smoking can also cause yellow or brown stains to appear, but having a good brushing regime where you use both mouthwash and floss could dramatically increase your chances of having a brighter smile too. We can help people to brighten their smile by several shades so they can feel proud to show off their smile in public, without worrying about having stained teeth.

Convenient treatment in your own home

Once you have made the decision to get your teeth whitened with us at Clear Braces Direct in London you will have to send us a photo of your teeth so we can assess what types of stains you have. After this, you will come into the practice so you can have a 3D scan taken of your mouth, and from this, you will have custom made trays created just for you. These trays are easy to put in and take out, and you will also be provided with the bleaching gel that is needed. Once you have your custom made trays and bleaching gel, you are in charge of the rest of your treatment. Your dental practitioner will provide you with instructions on how to put the gel into your tray before use, and they will also explain how you will need to wear them at night whilst you sleep. Being able to carry out your treatment at home means that you can avoid having to interrupt your normal daily routine and undergo your treatment in a comfortable environment. The results teeth whitening treatments produce will always vary in relation to your unique circumstances.

When you are looking for a dentist to provide you with Invisalign, you want to know that you will be taken care of and that the service will be high quality. Here at Clear Braces Direct in London, you get just that, due to us only focusing on and providing Invisalign, which means it is of the highest quality.

Why only Invisalign?

The reason why we only use Invisalign aligners is because they are the world’s leading clear aligner brand, and our patients’ results help prove this. Our team consists of a group of Diamond and Platinum Elite Invisalign dentists and orthodontists, who have helped thousands of people achieve a straighter smile.

What are the benefits?

There are so many great advantages that you can enjoy with our high-quality Invisalign treatment. More people than ever are looking for a way to straighten their teeth without having to deal with any surgeries and this treatment does just that. The ease of the process is such a big part of why Invisalign is growing in popularity. It simply consists of scans and wearing aligners, it is as simple as that.

These aligners are machine-made, which means the precision is next to none. This is due to the use of your x-rays taken in your first appointment, mixed with 3D technology and the modern machine that creates the aligners.

When you come to us here at Clear Braces Direct London, you know you will be in good hands due to our dentists having experience working with Invisalign for over 12 years. They were some of the first dentists in the UK to use this Invisalign system, which shows just how knowledgeable they are.

How does it all work?

When you choose us for your Invisalign journey, we will begin by having a consultation appointment with you. This allows us to discuss the treatment and determine whether you are eligible.

If all goes well, you can book an appointment at one of our scan centres. Our dentists use innovative, high-tech scanners so there is no need for any moulds. Once we have taken the scans, we will then use a program called Invisalign Clincheck, which allows us to show you how your teeth would move week by week with the aligners in, as well as the end result. Our patients love this as it excites them to know what their teeth could look like after the treatment is done.

Once you have received your aligners, your Invisalign journey can truly begin. You will change between the different aligners from the comfort of your own home, usually every week or two. The treatment time varies depending on your needs, but can be as quick as 6 months or 18 months, it all comes down to the severity of your case.

Once you have completed our London Clear Braces Direct Invisalign treatment, it is strongly recommended that you get retainers from us to make sure your smile doesn’t revert back to its original position.

If you are wishing to straighten your teeth, but don’t want to have any invasive surgeries, then Invisalign could be a great option for you. This is a simple process which can bring effective results through the use of plastic aligners. These aligners are thin and clear, and will gradually move your teeth over time.

We are proud to offer our 3-step Invisalign treatment for our patients to enjoy. We take pride in delivering a high-quality service, making you feel comfortable and welcome whilst doing so. This treatment can really make a difference to your smile, so contact us today for an appointment!

How does it work?

The first step is having a consultation appointment with one of our dentists here at Clear Braces Direct London, so we can find out whether or not you’re eligible. We can also answer any questions you may have and discuss the treatment. We use high-tech, 3D scanners to get a perfect look at all of your teeth in a more in-depth way. We then use something called Invisalign Clincheck which allows us to show you the difference the aligners will make week by week and what they should look like at the end of it. If you decide you want to go ahead with the treatment, we will send these scans off so that your custom aligners can be created.

Once you have received your aligners, you can truly start your journey. You will be given multiple aligners, each one being slightly different in order to move your teeth into a straighter position. You will change these from the comfort of your own home, which our patients love. On top of this, we also have a London Clear Braces Direct app where you can send us pictures of your progress and communicate with us, meaning fewer unnecessary appointments. The treatment time varies depending on your needs, but range from 6-18 months.

The final step of our Invisalign treatment is whitening and retaining. We will include whitening gel with your aligners so you can use it to really help to finish off your new look! It is always recommended to use retainers after straightening your teeth, to ensure that they don’t move back to their original position.

The advantages

When you have Invisalign with us here at Clear Braces Direct in London, there are so many great benefits you can enjoy, whether it’s before you start the treatment, during or after.

These aligners are removable, meaning that you won’t have to worry about what foods you eat, our patients love this as they can simply pop the aligner out before they eat. This also means it is easier to clean them, all you have to do is take it out, brush it with your toothbrush, give it a rinse and you’re good to go!

The clear, thin plastic material that is used to make these London Clear Braces Direct aligners means that when you are wearing them, no one will even notice you have them in. This is good if you are a more self-conscious person and don’t want to draw added attention to your teeth.

With Clear Braces Direct London, you can receive treatment with Invisalign direct to your door! The effective yet subtle orthodontic treatment is usually reserved for in-clinic treatment. We have lowered the barrier of entry to allow the greatest number of people to get access to and benefit from Invisalign.

Orthodontic corrections are common in dentistry and an estimated third of all children will need some form of alignment. Invisalign is suitable for any age, as long as you have all of your adult teeth! It is also a great way to receive treatment as an adult conveniently and unobtrusively.

After an assessment with our clinical staff to ascertain your suitability and ensure that clear aligners would be useful in your case, the fitting can begin.

We perform oral scanning at our Clear Braces Direct London treatment rooms, which allows us to capture an extremely accurate record of the starting positions of your teeth, a fundamental step in getting the most from your use of Invisalign. There is no obligation to proceed with treatment at this point if you do not wish to. The use of intra-oral scanning lowers the overall cost and allows you to avoid having to sit for a dental mould, which can take up to 5 minutes to set and can agitate some patients’ gag reflex. It is a lot cleaner too.

What is it like using aligners?

Aligners work by coaxing your teeth into new locations, rotating them and straightening them by constantly applying mild pressure to your teeth. Throughout the treatment, you will wear each aligner for about 2 weeks and when you move on to the next one in the treatment cycle will depend on how compliant your teeth are. At the start of wearing a new aligner, they will fit very snugly and over time, they will become noticeably looser; this is because your teeth have moved to better fit the aligner! That is when it is time to move on to the next aligner in the set, progressively moving your teeth to the final post-treatment positions.

How do they make clear aligners?

The clever bit of aligners is the use of computer-aided design via Invisalign’s ClinCheck software. This provides an interface for an orthodontist to plan your future smile by rearranging the 3D model of your teeth. This gives the final position and ClinCheck creates a smooth transition tracking the movement necessary to rearrange your teeth.

From this, a treatment schedule of aligners can be produced that will push on the teeth when worn, making that final positioning a reality.

Treatment length and check-ups

The total length of the treatment time will be highly variable depending on the severity of each case; it could be from 6 months to several years. After an assessment, an approximation can be made on the treatment length for you. During treatment, we will always be available to provide advice and guidance online and by phone. But you are recommended to visit our Clear Braces Direct London clinic every 8 weeks to monitor progress.

There are multiple orthodontic alternatives in modern-day dental clinics with very different means of suitable and convenient treatments. As older head braces and headgear become almost unheard of in the dental world, clear ceramic braces and clear aligners are fast becoming the norm.

There was always the desire to keep braces as unobtrusive as possible, but with progression in science and computer-aided design, clear aligners have become a practical and effective treatment for many minor orthodontic issues.

But, there are limitations on the use of aligners at Clear Braces Direct London.We have experience of guiding 5900 patients through their orthodontic treatment with aligners and know how to get the most from your Clear Braces Direct London in your home.

We are asked many similar questions from our patients, so here are our top 5 FAQs answered.

Can I get an invisible brace?

It’s very likely that you can, as there are very few restrictions or contraindications attached to them. You need all your adult teeth and if you are under 18 years old, you will need either your parents’ or guardians’ permission. If you have cavities, signs of weakened teeth or gum disease, you will have to resolve those conditions before starting any orthodontic treatment.

Will it hurt?

All orthodontic treatment relies on how mobile teeth are, even if most of the time the movement occurs too slowly for us to notice. The constant pressure on your teeth to make these movements possible is going to cause discomfort. Patients who have used both clear aligners and standard braces are surprised by how comfortable aligners are. By using the minimum effective force to alter the tooth’s positions, aligners also make smaller increments when making adjustments than those performed by an orthodontist using a standard metal brace.

How many aligners will I need?

Every patient is different and how many aligners you will need is going to be highly variable depending on your case. Each aligner will be used for approximately 2 weeks, but this will also vary depending on how often you use your aligner, 20 plus hours a day is recommended to notice the desired results quickly.

When your aligner is no longer a tight fit, it is because your teeth have moved into their new position and the aligner is no longer under tension. During your treatment, our team is always just a call away and we are happy to guide you through the process with advice or tips.

What about the total time of the treatment?

This something that varies on a case by case basis, but an approximation can be made after a clinical assessment. At the end of your treatment with aligners, there will be an assessment comparing the predicted results with the actual outcomes and depending on how it is going, there may be one or two ‘refinement’ aligners to finish your treatment. These aligners will be provided at no additional cost if they are required.

Is it expensive?

There are financing options for spreading the cost of treatment. Clear Braces Direct London are usually seen as adult and cosmetic by the NHS so you will have to cover the costs.

Clear braces, also known as Invisalign, are chosen by our patients as a convenient and relatively easy means of improving the alignment of the teeth. They are used for patients who want to get a better smile without having to go down the route of using traditional metal fixed braces and offer a lot of advantages during the treatment process. We at Clear Braces Direct can help you to find out anything you need to know.

Invisible braces are essentially trays of clear plastic that are soft and malleable to allow a comfortable fit for every patient. We scan the mouth before commencing treatment to allow us to create trays that are tailor-made to the requirements of the individual; allowing confidence in the final results.

Having been provided with aligners, our patients then wear them for around two weeks at a time, before moving to the next set. In this way, the teeth are gradually moved into a better position with minimal discomfort and at a pace that our patients are usually very comfortable with.

For people who are considering Clear Braces Direct in London treatment, here is our guide to ensuring the best possible results at the end of the process and beyond.

Wearing for results

An important factor to bear in mind when opting for orthodontic treatment with aligners is whether or not the patient is able to commit to wearing them almost constantly. If they are worn for 22 hours in every 24-hour period, then good results can be expected. However, if the patient is continuously removing and replacing the trays in order that they may indulge in snacks, drinks, smoke or vape; then they may find that the end result is not quite as impressive as it could be.

Patients can of course still eat and drink, however, the timing of this should be carefully planned: with meals, drinks and snacks being consumed within a total of two hours over any day. The upside of this is that bad habits like overindulging in snacks or drinks can be minimised by undergoing Invisalign treatment: some people may find that it’s not just the smile that sees improvements!

Keeping clean

The success of teeth straightening with aligners is affected by how clean the trays are kept; and also general oral hygiene. The braces should be thoroughly rinsed with cold water and teeth should be cleaned before replacing after meal or snack times. Patients should continue to clean their teeth and gums regularly as well as using floss or interdental brushes. When the straightening process is complete, most people want their teeth to look clean and healthy as part of the package. The onus is on the patient to ensure this, however regular visits to the dentist for check-ups and professional cleaning can make the process easier, and is an important part of maintaining oral health.

Wear a retainer

Here at Clear Braces Direct in London, we offer retainers after the treatment has been completed. Prospective patients can find out more about maintaining the position of the teeth after wearing aligners and learn about how this is an easy way to protect the investment made.

Clear braces, also known as aligners, are chosen by many people as a means of correcting the position of the teeth in a relatively short time period with minimum fuss. Here at Clear Braces Direct in London, we aim to make the process of obtaining and undergoing treatment as easy and convenient as possible; allowing our patients to get on with life while improving their appearance and general confidence. For those wondering what kind of issues aligners can help correct, we have produced this handy guide to give an idea of who might be a good candidate for this treatment.

Overbite

An overbite is a term used to describe the upper front teeth overlapping with the lower front teeth. Most people have an overbite to some extent, but when it is pronounced there can be some issues. Firstly, an overbite can cause issues relating to confidence in the appearance, particularly if it is very noticeable. Secondly, in the long term, it can cause issues such as the teeth becoming worn down and even discomfort in the jaw.

Underbite

An underbite occurs when a person’s lower teeth at the front of the mouth partially cover the upper teeth when the mouth is closed. For people who have an underbite, there may be some difficulty in chewing food in a normal fashion. It can also cause the deterioration of teeth over time, as they are worn down more rapidly by their positioning.

Cross bite

When a person closes their mouth, and some of the upper teeth move inside the lower teeth while the upper and lower jaws are misaligned; this is known as a cross bite. As with an overbite or underbite, this issue can cause the teeth to be eroded more rapidly over time. A cross bite can also cause gum recession that can result in discomfort, possible bone loss and even tooth loss in the long term.

Gap teeth

The term gap teeth is used to describe additional spaces between the teeth. As well as potentially making a person self-conscious, gap teeth can cause difficulties in maintaining oral health. The spaces between the teeth can be damaged by having food stuck in them for long periods of time, as they are difficult to clean. If this continues in the long term, then the person can be at risk of developing gum disease.

Open bite

An open bite occurs when the lower and upper teeth don’t meet when a person closes their mouth. This can cause problems with chewing or biting into some harder foods such as apples.

Crowded teeth

If there isn’t enough space for the teeth, and they become crowded, they can become very difficult to keep clean by brushing and flossing. If this isn’t resolved, then oral health may deteriorate and the person may even suffer from gum disease.

Here at Clear Braces Direct in London, we feature real-life results from our treatments. Have a look to see how we have helped our patients to resolve issues like overbite, crowded teeth and more; then get started on the journey to a better smile!