Brace yourself for a new smile

My wife Linda shows off her braces with a nice cayenne flower

My wife Linda shows off her braces with a nice cayenne flower

Published Sep 26, 2014

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Johannesburg - Have you noticed how many adults are wearing dental braces of late? This is because braces are no longer synonymous with being a teenager, but are a fast-growing trend among adults.

In fact, a Parkview orthodontist says half his braces patients are adults.

Despite the belief misconceptions of some that braces only work only on a growing jaw, this is not so. They can be used on a person of any age, even elderly people, with just as much success.

“I had them in for almost two years, and I’m very happy. They not only aligned my teeth beautifully but took care of an overbite that I’ve had my whole life,” says 47-year-old Casey*, whose medical aid covered the entire cost. A big advantage of living today is the fact that

Orthodontic braces have come a long way since the “metal mouth” era. Sure, eating won’t ever feel quiteas incidental as it did without them, but nowadays you have a range of options, from the traditional braces (individual brackets cemented to each tooth) to near-invisible braces that you can remove at night.

Most adults who opt for braces have decided they want a great smile, and have the money to afford them, whereas perhaps their parents didn’t have the money for braces when they were children. And it wasn’t so long ago that braces were quite unusual, even in children.

Tshwane orthodontist Dr Willem Kearney says most of his adult patients want a white, healthy-looking smile, “but not an unnatural one”.

“People often go a life time with unattractive teeth. but never have the time or money to do something about it. Sometimes older adults in their 50s have lost a partner or divorced, and are out looking for a new relationship. So they want to improve their smiles,” he says.

Adult teeth do move a little more slowly than younger people’s teeth, says Kearney, “but that isn’t a problem.”. “The dentist may take a different approach, or the patient may need to make a bit of a compromise due to the molar teeth being worn into a certain bite. The front teeth often need to be slightly reduced in size to create space for the alignment on the underlying boney arch,” he says.

The average length of time for adults to wear braces is similar to children – between four and to 12 months. “Sometimes the treatment may take longer due to movement being a bit slower, but usually it’s shorter due to the creation of space by making the teeth smaller,” says Dr Kearney.

Depending on the state of your teeth and gums, braces can also be the start of a dental make-over involving gum re-contouring, dental implants to replace missing teeth, and ceramic crowns or veneers.

Nonette Burger started with braces for six months, then had two implants, followed by a set of veneers on her front teeth.

“I had really short teeth, so that’s why after the braces had repositioned them, they were lengthened with veneers,” she says. The entire procedure cost her R104 000. “I had only a hospital plan so it wasn’t covered by medical aid, but it was the best 40th I could ever have wished for,” she says.

Dental professionals say that aside from the aesthetic appeal of a good smile, proper tooth alignment and the correct bite can prevent a host of other problems, such as like gum disease, excess plaque, tooth decay, and wear and tear on the jaw.

Before recommending specific orthodontic treatment, the orthodontist should attend to any gum disease or tooth decay, as braces can exacerbate these conditions.

There are three main types of braces – traditional braces, which are generally metal but are also available in clear, synthetic material or “tooth-coloured” ceramic; Invisalign aligners, favoured by adults but more costly, which are clear trays worn for a certain \[glynis.horning\]amount of time each day; and lingual braces, which are fixed to the inside of the teeth.

“Each case is unique so the orthodontist will recommend the best braces and the length of time you can expect to have them in. It’s important to be vigilant in following the orthodontist’s instructions and have regular check-ups to ensure everything’s on track,” says Dr Jackson.

As for medical aid coverage, each policy varies, with some covering the whole procedure and others none, so check covering any of it, so you need to check.

Just one word of caution: Make sure you see a well qualified orthodontist. “There are far too many people getting quick fixes, done by dentists doing half-baked jobs. You won’t get good or lasting results if this is the case,” says Dr Jackson.

l Dr Willem Kearney – 012- 663 8810.

l Dr Mike Jackson - 011 646-6363, or For more visit www.st8teeth.co.za.

 

Whiten your teeth while you sleep

Teeth whitening can be a bit of an ordeal, and if you go for the professional BriteSmile treatment – where a dentist applies hydrogen peroxide gel which is activated by a blue wavelength light – it costs nearly R5 000.

Yes, it is pretty effective. Some people see their teeth whitening up by up to 10 shades with BriteSmile, but it takes up to two hours in the dentist’s rooms and some patients feel uncomfortable with the brace that pulls your lips back.

Time being of the essence, and your smile being one of your business tools, you may be interested to hear of a new home-use product out there called Liquid Smile, a teeth whitening pen that twists a layer of gel on to your teeth, which you just leave to work overnight.

The gel contains 12 percent hydrogen peroxide, the most powerful paint-on formulation on the market. You just apply a thin layer of the gel on your teeth after brushing and then go to bed.

By morning, after you brush your teeth, you should already see a difference. After nightly applications for two weeks, the difference should be dramatic.

One convert is 33-year-old Luzanne Kruger, who says that after three nightly applications of Liquid Smile, her teeth whitened about three shades. “It made a noticeable difference, and my clients also commented.

It’s easy and painless, like using your cosmetics at night. The gel sort of dries on your teeth. Then you leave it on overnight and it works while it dissolves as you sleep,” she says.

The gel works on any natural tooth, bleaching the stain on both the outside and inside of teeth.

The colour of your teeth will determine how well they respond to Liquid Smile gel.

“Teeth that are dark gray or dark brown will take longer to get results than teeth with yellow or orange hues,” says Sean Pettit, brand manager at Melrose Aesthetic Centre.

“Still, I think it’s ideal for smokers and red wine drinkers. I use it myself,” he says.

This is not a permanent solution to your discoloured teeth woes, however. Once you’ve finished the gel in the pen, your teeth will eventually re-stain, especially if you smoke, and like coffee, tea, chocolate, berries or soy sauce. “You’ll need to rewhiten every six to 12 months,” says Pettit.

• The average retail price for a Liquid Smile pen is R1 300. Find a stockist on liquidsmile.co.za

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