Category: Clear Braces Direct

We are an Invisalign Diamond Provider which means that we partner with Invisalign and offer our patients every treatment they’ve ever invented for maximum results time and time again. This is all that we do, our dentists are not distracted by other patients who need root canals or implants, all we do is focus on orthodontics and Invisalign because it is the best, most discreet option for all patients that want results quickly and with over 5000 successful cases and counting, all you need ask is how Clear Braces Direct London can help you?

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment that uses clear aligners to treat just about any orthodontic issue, it offers a comprehensive treatment plan directly through Clear Braces Direct London which means that you are getting first-hand knowledge of the system through years of wide orthodontic experience from our dentists.

What can we fix?

There is a list of orthodontic issues that Invisalign can fix:

Gapped teeth – whether there are gaps in your top or bottom arches or both, this often occurs when the teeth are too small for the dental arch and grow with spaces between this. This is most commonly found in the front teeth and Invisalign can be used to reposition all the teeth so that they fit snugly next to one another without any gaps.

Overcrowded teeth – overcrowding occurs when the dental arch is too small to fit all the teeth next to one another, in this case, our highly trained and experienced dentists will be able to file tiny gaps between the teeth to remove very small parts of the enamel away so that the teeth can be gently pushed into place by the clear aligner and fit neatly next to one another.

Malocclusions – a malocclusion is a problem with the bite, this can be overbite or underbites. Crossbites or open bites, by using special hooks and buttons on the teeth (Completely unnoticeable) our dentists are able to position the clear aligners in such a way that they pull your jaw into the correct position.

What can’t we fix?

While Invisalign can help the majority of orthodontic cases, there are some which may need traditional braces first before moving onto clear aligners:

Skew tooth – if a tooth has grown out facing the wrong way, it may be impossible for Invisalign to turn it in its position, this will first need to be done with brackets and wires before moving onto Invisalign for the rest of the teeth.

Supernumerary teeth – adults should not have more than 32 permanent teeth, but in some cases, people may grow extra teeth behind or in front of their permanent teeth or even in the pallet. Invisalign cannot pull these teeth into position as they do not fit in the dental arch nor can it successfully correct the other teeth as there is no space to shift them. Patients with this issue may need extractions before orthodontics care is administered at Clear Braces Direct London.

Yes, you read that correctly, at Clear Braces Direct London, we incorporate the use of apps on your mobile in order to help you take control of your own orthodontic care. Our aim is to give you the tools to do so in order for you to get the most out of your personal treatment plan as well as life without being hindered by multiple in practice appointments which are time consuming and inconvenient. Whether you’re a working professional or a student, it is always easier to just pick up your phone when you need something and now you can do that for your orthodontic care as well.

What the Dental Monitoring App does

This is your access to an innovative monitoring solution that will take care of all your orthodontic Invisalign treatments. It gives you access to a new path for improving dental care and practices which allows us to accurately monitor your oral care outside of the practice thus offering you a more convenient solution to regular orthodontic checkups at Clear Braces Direct London.

What you get

Once you have been deemed suitable for Invisalign and got your first pack of aligners our dentist will give you a dedicated access code to use the app, giving you a direct line to us throughout your treatment period. You will also receive a special cheek retractor to help you take good photos of your teeth and the in-app tutorial guide will teach you how to do it all correctly.

What functions does the app perform?

The Dental Monitoring app serves more than one purpose:

Reminders – we understand that most people are too busy to stay on top of remembering a small thing like changing a retainer every week, our app has dedicated reminders to help keep you on track with your next clear aligner in the treatment and the direct line so staff can follow up on these reminders to ensure you are keeping on track.

Monitoring – this is the main purpose of the Dental Monitoring app, it allows us to keep an eye on the movement of your teeth each week with helpful photographs taken by yourself in order to avoid unnecessary in house appointments. If we see that something is not moving as it should (which is not often the case if you are using your aligners correctly) then we can schedule you an appointment if necessary.

Keeping in contact – any questions or concerns you have during treatment can be sent through the app directly to our staff and dentists who are able to assist you remotely wherever possible, which means that we can determine how necessary it is for you to come in for concern or whether or not we can walk you through your experience without a face to face visit at Clear Braces Direct London.

Benefits

The Dental Monitoring apps main benefit is to provide you with convenience in your orthodontic care but further than that it provides our dentists with the ability to monitor your teeth movements remotely.

Everyone is talking about the revolutionary orthodontic treatment you can find at Clear Braces Direct London with Invisalign and it’s easy to see why; perfectly discreet, fast-acting, and effective, clear aligners are the smart choice when it comes to fixing your teeth and transforming your smile. But is that it? After everything is said and done is your beautiful smile finally complete or is there a little more you can do to ensure perfection? Well, yes. Your smile will, of course, be fixed but that isn’t the end of the road, is it white? Is it bright? And will it last? These are some of the questions we will be answering in this article.

The ultimate transformation

So you’re about to finish your Invisalign treatment with Clear Braces Direct London or you have just taken out your final aligner and your teeth are exactly where you want them to be, straight with no gaps or overcrowding, but is this exactly how you want them, or is there something missing that you can’t figure out? While the biggest part of a smile transformation is straightening crooked teeth, the next step is whitening and brightening, what’s the point in a perfect grin if it’s dull and yellow?

If you truly want to reach peak confidence in your smile then we advise a whitening treatment to lift stains and brighten your teeth and this is done in the same way that we set up the clear aligner treatment; a 3D scan will be taken of your new perfect smile and a tooth-shaped tray will be printed in order for you to inject it with our whitening treatment and clip over your teeth so that the whitening gel with perfectly enhance your now wonderfully straight teeth and complete the transformation process.

The longevity of straight teeth

By getting the Invisalign treatment at Clear Braces Direct London you have made a particular investment in your image and we know that you want to maintain that investment for as long as possible, which is why we have a program for you to sign up to that will provide you with retainers for life because, unfortunately, your new straight teeth are going to want to shift back to their old positions. This is just the natural way of the body which we can’t switch off, however we can maintain your straight smile for life with a custom retainer that ensures your teeth stay where they are supposed to. Created in exactly the same way your whitening trays and aligners were made, retainers will be replaced once a year and if you wear them for the recommended amount of hours per day (usually while you are sleeping) then we can guarantee the longevity of your smile.

Monthly payment plans are available to get annual retainers and we also offer a smile guarantee insurance plan that will help you get your straight smile back should you have spent too long without wearing your retainer.

With over 5400 successful cases and counting, we at Clear Braces Direct London have the numbers to prove that Invisalign can absolutely work for you. Whether you are wanting to close gaps, fix overcrowding, reposition teeth or even fix malocclusion, there is a treatment plan that fits into your lifestyle so seamlessly that the only change you will notice is the stunning results at the end. With a free first consultation and scan, as well as payment plan options, there is no reason to hold back on getting this treatment to fix your teeth and get the smile you deserve. Genetics aren’t always kind to us but now there is actually something you can do about it.

The need for orthodontics

The reason behind why you may need to undergo orthodontic treatment could be down to one of a few different things:

Malocclusions – this is when your bite doesn’t quite line up; you may have a crossbite, overbite or underbite which means there is uneven pressure on different points in your tooth arches. This can lead to some serious jaw issues if not properly addressed. Malocclusions can be genetic disorders but they can also stem from bad habits in early childhood like thumbsucking or even serious injuries you may have sustained at some point in your life.

Injury – crooked teeth can be the result of serious facial trauma, maybe you were enjoying some extreme sports and fell on your face which resulted in pushing a tooth out of place but not quite knocking it, no matter the circumstances, a hard enough knock could jar your teeth out of their proper position.

Genetics – as unavoidable as the nose on your face, our tooth genetics can be defined by our parents, often those with gaps or overcrowding can see the same issues in their biological make-up, either way, it can be fixed at Clear Braces Direct London.

Traditional braces vs. Clear aligners

Traditional braces are fast becoming a thing of the past, preferred by young teens who still have a lot of growing to do and not adults with busy professional lives. While traditional metal braces pull the teeth into position over the course for 2 years, Invisalign at Clear Braces Direct London gently pushes them into place in 4-6 months giving you a natural and beautiful smile quickly without the unsightly metal on your teeth. It is believed that clear aligners are far more comfortable than traditional braces, almost completely removing the discomfort that comes with antiquated orthodontic treatments and because these appliances are removable for short periods of time, you can eat all the foods you normally would as well as taking part in any leisure and sporting activities without concern of personal oral injury or damage to the appliance.

The initial scan of your teeth, which will be used to calculate how your teeth are expected to shift with treatment, is pain and hassle-free and it is used to create your custom 3D printed aligners which you will use over the course of your treatment.

If you are an adult with a misaligned smile, you may feel that you are too old to undertake corrective orthodontic treatment. Or, you may believe that if you are suitable for orthodontic options, you will more than likely have to wear the good old fashioned orthodontic (or metal) brace.

Luckily, this is not the only option available for adults who wish to straighten their teeth. A range of clear and invisible braces are now able to achieve many of the effects of metal braces,

without the hassle of the large brackets and wires. Depending on your unique clinical issues, you may be more suited to either a more targeted brace, like the Inman Aligner or you may be able to undertake treatment with the famous Invisalign brace.

When you come to Clear Braces Direct in London, our team will be able to help you with every stage of Invisalign treatment to enable you to achieve that perfect smile that you have always wanted. Our team has helped thousands of patients using Invisalign and can answer any questions or concerns that you may have about using this brace.

But, just to save some time, our team at Clear Braces Direct in London have answered some of the most commonly asked questions from patients about Invisalign. Enjoy!

Does Invisalign treatment take longer?

In a word, no.

On average, realignments with clear or invisible braces offer accelerated treatments for patients, with the average treatment being around 6 months.

However, depending on your clinical situation, you may have to wear the brace for a slightly longer period or even a shorter one!

Will it impact my speech?

The Invisalign brace is thin by design, but when you have your first retainer put on by our team at Clear Braces Direct in London, it will take some getting used to.

So, we advise that you try to speak more frequently in the first few days of having the brace, so you can get used to talking while they are in.

Do I need to avoid certain foods while wearing the brace?

One key difference between Invisalign and traditional braces is that you are free to eat as you were before, without having to avoid certain foods.

However, it is advised that you invest in a small toothbrush to carry with you; although you will remove your brace while you eat, your teeth will need brushing before you put it back in.

How exactly does the brace work?

Invisalign is custom-fitted to your mouth and, depending on the severity of the initial misalignment, you will have a variable number of aligners to straighten your teeth. Using gentle pressure, these aligners will move your misaligned teeth into the desired position, without tightening or adjustments.

Which conditions can it treat?

Invisalign can treat excess spacing, crowding, overlapping and certain types of over, under and crossbites. It is also used to treat misalignments of varying degrees, correct issues with symmetry and to straighten teeth of uneven lengths. Brilliant!

When you decide to undertake adult orthodontic treatment, it is likely that you will have questions.

While a quick internet search can provide you with answers in relation to things like the fitting, the aftercare and even how to handle the discomfort that may arise, there are few articles which address how wearing an invisible brace will impact on your day-to-day life. And, as any former Invisalign patient will tell you, it will.

Having a removable brace in your mouth may seem ideal to many people, but with this additional convenient feature comes a whole array of tricks and tips that you will need to help you adapt and cope throughout the treatment. Indeed, you cannot expect to simply pop the braces in as and when and expect them to work, so when you are given the all green for treatment with Invisalign, you need to know some tricks to make the process go smoothly.

At Clear Braces Direct in London, our team specialises in treating patients with Invisalign and can, therefore, answer any questions that you may have which relate to the treatment, the wearing and of course, the aftercare. Our team has helped over 5,000 patients get through the Invisalign treatment to get their desired smile, so we know a few things that will keep the process simple!

So, what are some hints to make those first 2 weeks wearing Invisalign easier? Our team at Clear Braces Direct in London has the following tips.

Carry a toothbrush

OK, so tip number one from our team at Clear Braces Direct in London is to invest in a travel-sized toothbrush.

When you wear Invisalign, you will need to remove the brace when you eat food and, if you travel a lot, you will need to remove any residue before you pop the brace back in. Enter the travel toothbrush!

This will stop food being pressed against your teeth and gums, which in turn, will prevent inflammatory issues like gum disease and tooth decay.

No hot water

Cleaning your braces is important for their upkeep.

Even if you have a stubborn stain on the retainer, do not use hot water to remove it! As these retainers are made from plastic, soaking them in hot water may cause their customised shape to warp, which will obviously render them useless and waste money.

Keep them in the case

When you begin treatment, you will be given a carry case. If the braces are not in your mouth, keep them in the case to prevent them from getting broken.

Dental wax

Sore spots on your tongue caused by frequent rubbing? Ask our team for some dental wax to smooth the sharper edges and invest in anti-inflammatory mouthwash.

Stick with it

Many patients are initially shocked by how complicated this brace seems to be to maintain. Our team’s advice is to stick with it; once you make it past the first few weeks, the process will be second nature and the benefits will begin to show. Brilliant!

Since the invention of clear and invisible braces, the world of adult orthodontics has changed.

Correcting anything from minor misalignment to complex crowding is now achievable without a metal brace and, understandably, many dental patients are happier to wear a brace that is discreet and painless.

But, like most things in life, treatment with invisible braces such as Invisalign is not for everyone. And do be aware, when you type in ‘Invisalign treatments’ into any internet search engine, you are likely to come across some stories of this brace failing to correct dental issues or even making them worse!

However, before you decide that treatment with Invisalign is not for you, it is important to differentiate between the facts about this aligner and the myths that you find online.

At Clear Braces Direct in London, treating patients with Invisalign is our team’s speciality! We know everything there is to know about this brace and can accurately assess whether or not you will benefit from undertaking treatment with it. We will guide you through every step and ensure that once that invisible aligner is off, that you will be beaming with pride at the final result.

So, what are the most common online myths that our team at Clear Braces Direct in London hears about Invisalign?

Invisalign requires your teeth to be filed down

No, it doesn’t.

While this practice may be seen in some cases of traditional braces being fitted, our team at Clear Braces Direct in London do not actively file down teeth prior to Invisalign braces being placed.

Any dentist can use Invisalign on their patients

Although Invisalign does not require an orthodontist in the same way that regular braces do, it is important to check that the dentist you undertake Invisalign with is trained with using this brace. All of our team at Clear Braces Direct are trained to use Invisalign, so if you choose to undergo treatment with our team, you know you are getting the best!

You need to have teeth removed to fit this brace

Once again, this seems to be a myth that materialised in the world of traditional braces and made its way into cosmetic dentistry.

While each case is unique, it is unlikely that our team will need to remove any of your teeth for Invisalign to work correctly.

Treatment time is shorter than that of metal braces

Both Invisalign and metal braces work at roughly the same speed.

On average, Invisalign treatment can be completed in as little as 6 months, however, for more complex cases of misalignment, you may need to wear the invisible aligner for up to 2 years. It will be worth it, we promise!

Complex cases cannot be treated with Invisalign

Our team has helped many patients who have had complex bites, misalignments, extreme crowding and even spacing issues get the perfect smile that they deserve with the help of Invisalign. Depending on your clinical presentation, you may be surprised at what conditions this brace can reverse.

If you are an adult considering cosmetic braces, you probably don’t have the time to mess around.

Growing up, you may have heard that traditional, metal-based braces caused discomfort and were difficult to eat with. While cosmetic aligners offer somewhat of a reprieve from these issues, you may have been told that even the most famous of invisible braces, Invisalign, has been linked to discomfort whilst being worn. And as an adult, who really has time for that?

While there are many obvious advantages to wearing the Invisalign brace, it would be fool-hardy to assume that it is purely plain sailing. This brace will test your resolve, your determination to achieve a gorgeous, straighter smile and will also impact on your day to day routines. Is it all worth it? Yes, it is.

At Clear Braces Direct in London, our team are experts when it comes to the Invisalign brace and can provide you with tips and advice on how to make your journey with Invisalign a bit less taxing. We have helped thousands of patients achieve a straighter, healthier smile using this aligner and we are certain that we can help you too!

So, what advice and tips do we have to help you as you wear your Invisalign aligners? Read on to find out!

Discomfort

OK, we will start with the most unpleasant one first.

Our team at Clear Braces Direct in London is aware that in the first few days of wear, it is likely that you will be in some discomfort with the Invisalign aligner. As you have to wear it for a minimum of 22 hours per day, it is important that you keep it in your mouth to achieve the desired long-term effects.

At Clear Braces Direct in London, we recommend taking over the counter pain-killers, such as Ibuprofen to help with potential swelling and we also advise that you eat softer foods until the discomfort subsides.

Bad breath

As unpleasant as it sounds, if you are prone to snacking and then putting your aligners back in, you may find that your breath begins to smell a bit off, alongside your mouth tasting bad. This is due to the particles of food being trapped against the gum line.

A way to avoid this is to improve your dental hygiene, and brush your teeth every time after you eat and drink. If you are unable to do so, rinsing your mouth with water will do the trick.

Saliva

With something new in your mouth, your body’s response is to create excess saliva to aid digestion. Of course, as you aren’t going to eat your aligners, this is a rather embarrassing issue, but not often talked about.

Luckily, you can minimise your saliva and associated issues by practising talking when you are alone. How does this help? It will allow you to manage your excess saliva production without discomfort, meaning that you can talk around others without feeling worried about this particular side effect. Trust us, this irritating issue does resolve itself fairly quickly!

When it comes to your cosmetic dentistry, second best simply won’t do!

As the extensive area of cosmetic dental options grows across the country, you could be forgiven for assuming that all dental surgeries are the same in not only what they offer, but in the quality of the work and the results. But this simply isn’t true!

When turning your attention to the aesthetic value of your smile, you want to know that the professionals that will help you are the best around, as your smile is one of the first things that others notice about you and judge you on.

At Clear Braces Direct in London, we will help you get that straighter, whiter smile that you deserve. Our specialist team will use the world-famous Invisalign braces to make that straighter smile a reality; we have helped over 5,000 patients in the UK obtain a smile worthy of the Hollywood elite and you could be next!

But are there any other reasons to choose our team at Clear Braces Direct in London? Of course, there are!

Specialists

As the name of our surgery suggests, at Clear Braces Direct in London, our dentists only use Invisalign braces with our patients and so, we are truly specialists.

Our combined team of Diamond and Platinum Elite Invisalign dentists have improved the smiles of thousands of patients using the world-famous brace and, simply put, we know everything there is to know about this aligner!.

Monitoring applications

With the world of smartphones and applications becoming increasingly popular, when you take on an Invisalign brace with our team, we will be able to offer you a daily monitoring application. This will allow both you and our team to keep an eye on the progress you are making with the brace, provide alerts on when it is time to change your aligners, and will allow you to message us directly, should the need arise.

Adapted for those with a busy lifestyle, our application is the perfect way to keep your treatment as remote as possible. It saves time too; you won’t need to attend our surgery every week, meaning that you can get on with your life and only visit us as and when required. Perfect!

Retainers for life scheme

It is important to note that while Invisalign is a great way to straighten your smile, it is important to consider it as an investment.

Our team is able to offer our patients a ‘retainer for life,’ simply meaning that you will be able to claim a new retainer, should your current one break or become damaged. This will prevent an additional expense in the event of an emergency and will prevent your teeth from relapsing into their old positions.

Financing

Many patients are worried about undertaking an adult based brace due to cost, but our team can help! We can offer suitable patients an interest-free financing option, allowing you to spread the cost of your new smile over 12 months. Now that’s handy!

In the modern world, dentistry has evolved far beyond a biannual check-up or a scale and polish.

Indeed, many adults and even teenagers are becoming aware of the cosmetic advantages of regular visits to the dentist; everything from a simple whitening to having veneers fitted are now commonplace at many dental surgeries. While it may seem odd to categorise braces as a cosmetic dental option, if you have a slightly crooked smile or are fed up with gaps, then there are many cosmetic aligners that can help you get the straighter smile you deserve. Perfect!

However, before you rush in to book a dental appointment, it is worth noting that, like most things in life, some of these braces are not suitable for everyone. While the list of exclusion criteria is short for many adult orthodontic treatments, it is worth having a rough idea of what type of brace is best suited to reverse your misalignment prior to booking a consultation.

At Clear Braces Direct in London, our team of cosmetic dentists is proud to be able to offer our patients one of the most popular invisible braces available, Invisalign. An invisible brace that offers an accelerated treatment time, Invisalign is an effective brace that reverses a wide array of dental misalignments and is discreet enough to not affect your confidence. Brilliant!

So, what are some of the inclusion criteria for Invisalign at Clear Braces Direct in London? Read on to find out!

Oral health

Of course, before you can undertake treatment with this invisible aligner with our team at Clear Braces Direct in London, you will have to have the green light in relation to your dental health. Any underlying issues that you may have, such as tooth decay or gum disease will need to be treated before any cosmetic treatments can take place, so best to make sure that your pearly whites are, well, pearly white!

Clinical presentation

While Invisalign can help reverse the majority of minor to moderate dental issues, it is more suited to treating some over others.

If you have a smile that is full of gaps or is overcrowded, then our team is more likely to suggest Invisalign to correct these issues. Similarly, malocclusions such as over or underbites can be reversed with this brace, but it will depend on the severity of the condition presented.

Commitment

Invisalign is a versatile brace, but in order to benefit from it, you have to be committed to the treatment.

Invisalign braces are removable, so you can remove them as and when you desire. If our team is concerned that you are unlikely to wear it for the required time per day, then you may not be suited to them; this is a primary reason why this particular brace is not recommended for children.

Of course, the only way to know for certain if you are suitable for treatment with Invisalign is to undertake a consultation with our team. We have helped thousands of patients straighten their smile with Invisalign, and your smile could be next!