Lingual Braces
Lingual braces are placed behind your teeth and are virtually invisible to others. Usually, lingual brackets are made of metal.
Pros:
- Other people can’t see the brackets unless they look inside your mouth.
Cons:
- In the first few weeks, until you’ve adapted fully, the braces may hurt your tongue and make speaking more difficult.
- More expensive than traditional metal or white braces
- It can take a few months longer than conventional braces.
Lingual Braces Treatment Guide
1. Orthodontic assessment
Patient assessment is one of the most important stages of orthodontic treatment and is carried out by one of our lead dentists. This will include:
- Full medical history taking
- Identification of your expectations from orthodontic treatment
- Full assessment of your face and mouth: facial proportions (forehead, nose, lips and chin), examination of your bite, any missing teeth, speech and chewing function
- Smile analysis
- Discussion of proposed changes and outcomes from orthodontic treatment
- Consideration of case suitability for other treatment options may be available
2. Case analysis
This is part of the orthodontic assessment and treatment planning and it is usually carried out by one of our qualified nurses. It is needed to plan your treatment and to monitor progress and results. It includes a full mouth x-ray, models of your teeth, photographs of your face, profile, bite, smile and teeth.
Once this is completed, we will be able to provide you with your treatment options and your custom-made orthodontic treatment plan.
3. Dental health check
A dental health check-up and oral cancer screening are also needed to ensure your teeth and gums are healthy and can undergo orthodontic treatment. They include:
- Checking all your teeth for signs of decay and disease
- Gum health check
- Full oral cancer screening
- Jaw joint exam
- Any necessary x-rays
- A detailed chart of your teeth
- Tailored report which will outline your treatment options in detail
4. Fitting of the braces
After completing your case analyses and designing a treatment plan, you will be ready to have the braces fitted. This is usually carried out in a single appointment.
5. Monthly adjustments
We will tighten and activate your braces monthly while checking your treatment progress. Our orthodontic therapists carry these out. At the critical stages of your treatment, our lead dentist will carry out your monthly adjustment. They will carry out your routine adjustment, review your treatment progress, make any necessary changes to your initial plan, and allow you to discuss any questions relating to your treatment.
6. Keeping your teeth and gums at optimal health during your orthodontic treatment
You must maintain good oral hygiene and clean your teeth regularly, as clean teeth and gums help with treatment progress.
On top of regular brushing, during your treatment, we strongly recommend seeing a hygienist every 3 to 6 months to ensure any buildup of calculus, tartar or hardened dental plaque is removed and doesn’t slow down the movement of your teeth.
During your orthodontic visits, we will not be checking for other dental diseases, such as tooth decay or gum disease, so you must continue to see a general dental practitioner to maintain good oral health, as dental problems can interfere with your orthodontic treatment and overall oral health.
7. Removing your braces
Once you are happy with the treatment results, you will be booked with our orthodontic therapist to remove your braces. At this appointment, we will remove your braces and any attachments.
We will place fixed retainers at the back of your teeth and take impressions for removable retainers, which will be ready after one week.
The retainers are needed to hold your teeth in the new position and prevent them from returning to their original place. They should be worn “FOR LIFE”.
8. Retention phase
You must wear your retainers after we remove your braces to prevent your teeth from moving out of alignment again. Damaged retainers (fixed or removable) should be repaired as quickly as possible to avoid your teeth moving.
Six months after removing your braces, we will ensure that everything is fine with your retainers.
9. Enhancing your orthodontic results
We often provide other cosmetic treatments to enhance the results of orthodontic treatment. Braces will straighten your teeth, and other treatments such as composite bondings, whitening and gum contouring can dramatically improve the appearance of your newly straightened teeth. We offer our existing patients free complimentary assessments and 0% interest on these treatments.