Do you need Braces?

Esthetic Orthodontic Appliances

Dr.C Lun WangOrthodontic treatment is no longer viewed as a treatment for children and teenagers.  On average, one in five patients is an adult in an orthodontic practice.  Reasons for adults to seek treatment are:

  • Esthetics – they have never liked the way their teeth looked but never gotten the opportunity to have orthodontic treatment when they were young.
  • Dental health – overlapped and crooked teeth have caused them much trouble in maintaining good oral hygiene over the years.  They notice that their dental health has deteriorated over the years due to difficulty in brushing and flossing.
  • Bad bite – the way of eating and speaking is altered because the bite is not proper.
  • Dentist’s recommendation – the dentist has recommended they have a consultation with a certified orthodontist because dental restorations cannot be done properly due to misaligned teeth and/or poor bite.  This is a common situation where bridges or implants cannot be made properly to replace missing teeth because neighboring teeth have shifted.

Although the idea of getting a beautiful smile with proper oral function is great, the thought of having metal braces on their teeth for an extended period is off-putting.  Thanks to recent technological advances in orthodontics, metal braces in Surrey are only one of the many options that patients can have in terms of orthodontic appliances.

Clear BracesCeramic bracket appliances, also known as “clear braces”, have become a very popular choice among adults and teenagers.  Even though they are placed on the front surfaces of the teeth, the quality of the brackets is high so that they blend with many shades of teeth and do not stain.  The comfort level and the adjustment period are very close to metal brackets.

InvisalignFor those patients who do not want braces in Vancouver to be attached to their teeth, clear aligner appliances, such as Invisalign, can be an option.  These aligners are clear and easy to use.  They give the patients some flexibility in their daily lives since they are removable.

 

 

lingual 2The lingual appliance is a truly invisible system because the brackets are mounted on the back of the teeth (lingual = tongue side).  The teeth will move as they do with traditional labial braces (labial = lip side) but no one will see the braces.

The adjustment period is longer because the brackets are closer to the tongue, which will affect speech and eating, but it is a great option for those individuals who would like highly esthetic orthodontic treatment.

Lastly, a combination of these appliances can be used to customize your needs.  For more information or to see if you are a good candidate for treatment, please connect with us today.

 

 

 

Dr Wang

Dr. Wang, DDS, MSc, FRCD(C)

ORTHODONTIST

Orthodontic specialist, founder of PacificWest Dental Group. Helping people get the perfect smile since 1994!

Dr Kevin

Dr. Kevin Lee, DMD, MSc, FRCD(C)

ORTHODONTIST

Specialist in Orthodontics, UBC alumni. Love helping patients get a beautiful smile. Part-time clinical instructor at UBC. 

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