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Frequently asked questions

The Midlands Orthodontic Specialists in Birmingham

If you can’t find the answer you are looking for here, please contact our team.

How can we help you?

Fixed Standard Braces

No, having braces fitted shouldn’t hurt. We brush the surfaces of the teeth and stick the brackets onto them. However, The braces will start to ache over the following 24 hours as the wires start pulling at the teeth. The aching builds a little over a few days and then settles down. The feel of the brace takes more time to get used to, but most people are fine after a few weeks and become fully comfortable with the feel of the braces in their mouth.

Yes, ask. The colour relates to the elastics that we use to tie the wire into the brace. The brace itself can be metal or ceramic, so silver or clear. You can still have coloured elastics whether you are having metal or ceramic braces.

The two main factors with foods are what could break the brace and what could damage the teeth, but there are foods that can change the colour of the elastics as well. Hard foods can damage the brace because when clenching your teeth you can produce as much as 70kg of force (brushing your teeth will not break the brace but you might notice a breakage when brushing if not checking the brace after meals).

Foods which are hard, chewy, crunchy or crispy can create large forces as your teeth bite together and can break the brackets. Most foods can be cut up into small pieces and you can choose softer foods such as pasta, mash, soups and banana. Meats can be cut up into small pieces. Chocolate and toffee can be a particular problem because they will break the brace but can also cause holes to develop in the teeth.

Acids such as fruit juice and fizzy drinks can damage the teeth and leave marks on the teeth. Most wines are less acid but still should be considered with some caution. If you have a curry or anything with a lot of colour in it then the brace can go a little yellow in colour. We can always change the elastics for you but also some whitening mouth washes can help reduce the colour a little. Let us know if this becomes a problem and we can help you.

Most braces will not affect speech very much. A slight lisp can develop after having a fixed brace, this is not very noticeable but can be more so with lingual braces. With lingual braces, speech settles down in most cases within three months of having the brace fitted. We use low-profile braces to keep these issues to a minimum and there are other parts of the treatment that can be adapted to help. Removable braces have the greatest effect on speech but these are only used in very specific circumstances.

At first, having something new in your mouth will feel strange, but because everyone is different, everyone gets used to the feel of the braces in different ways. Some find the feel of the brace difficult for a few weeks but most people feel absolutely fine after three weeks. If there is anything sharp or difficult to cope with, we can provide wax which can be used to cover the sharp areas, or we could see you to cut wires shorter.

We can also change the shape of the brace in some circumstances if there is a discomfort issue. Many people worry before the brace is fitted, and it is most likely that any problems will appear in the first few weeks, but most people are quite happy once they have adapted to the feel of their new brace.

Digital Scanning

At the moment we do need to take impressions of your teeth at the end of treatment to make your retainers, but we are hoping to change this in the near future.

Impressions are taken with a material that sets and can be pulled out of the mouth to be sent for casting in a stone. They are used as a record of your teeth and can also be used to make braces. Scanning is more like a 3D camera which builds up a computer image in three dimensions of your teeth and gums. The file can be used to make braces as well and also jigs to help fit your braces. We are hoping to be able to print retainers in the near future, which will also reduce the number of impressions that we take.

We may stretch your mouth a little but impressions and scans should not normally hurt at all.

Impressions can feel strange and are more uncomfortable than having scans. Impressions can make you feel that you want to wretch and you may find it difficult breathing. There are techniques that we use to help with this. Scans are much easier but can stretch your mouth a little and the tip of the scanner can sometimes feel warm.

Removable Braces

We use removable braces to help change your bite temporarily to allow tooth movements to work better. If a tooth is trapped behind the bite a removable brace is useful to deal with this. Sometimes we can expand your teeth to help widen them and make more space, or push teeth backwards in your mouth more effectively.

Removable braces are difficult to speak with at first and swallowing and eating are also difficult. With full-time wear, you will adapt but normally speech is distorted while the removable brace is in place.

Anything new in your mouth will feel strange but at first, that is the only difference. The brace should not be painful when fitted but will start to ache as your teeth begin to move. Normal pain relief is all that is needed. Sometimes a part of the brace becomes more uncomfortable and if so you can come and see us for it to be adjusted. Eating, speaking and swallowing are more difficult at first, but all of these things improve hugely, as long as the brace is kept in your mouth full time. Full-time means at night and during the day. It won’t work in your pocket.

Normally removable braces are only used for about six months or less. We may fit the lower fixed brace (if you need one) during that time. We will monitor your bite and let you know when you will be ready to have your fixed brace. In younger patients who still have baby teeth, we may have to wait until more of the adult teeth are through to be able to start the fixed brace phase of treatment.

No it will not hurt to have it fitted.

Retainers

Retainers are what you wear after orthodontic treatment has finished to reduce the chances of your teeth moving. Quite literally, they are designed to retain the teeth in their new position. There are many different types of retainer but we use two main types, removable and fixed retainers. The first is removable, and the second is stuck to the inside surface of the teeth.

No, they are designed to hold them in the same position only.

The simple answer to this is as long as you want to keep your teeth straight. Our teeth move throughout life and this was noticed by an orthodontist called Horowitz in the 1920s and he described these new movements as physiological change. New movements can occur even if you have not had braces, and so retaining the result is very important for most people.

We endeavour to fit your retainers within 15 minutes of removing your braces. Sometimes fixed retainers require time to construct, it depends upon the type of fixed retainer that you need.

Fixed retainers can be fitted either immediately or we may need to take an impression and have a lab make one which may take a week. We are proud of the fact that we can fit removable retainers in 15 minutes after the braces have been removed.

Functional Braces

A functional appliance is very good for changing the relationship between your upper and lower teeth. Most are used to reduce prominent upper front teeth and if they work well they can reduce the need for the extraction of teeth.

Removable braces are difficult to speak with at first and swallowing and eating are also difficult. With full time wear you will adapt but normally speech is distorted while the removable brace is in place.

Anything new in your mouth will feel strange but at first that is the only difference. The brace should not be painful when fitted but will start to ache as your teeth begin to move. Normal pain relief is all that is needed. Sometimes a part of the brace becomes more uncomfortable and if so you can come and see us for it to be adjusted. Eating, speaking and swallowing are more difficult at first, but all of these things improve hugely, as long as the brace is kept in your mouth full time. Full time means at night and during the day. It won’t work in your pocket…

Normally removable braces are only used for about six months or less but with functional appliances we may continue for up to a year. We may fit part of the upper fixed brace (if you need one) during that time. We will monitor your bite and let you know when you will be ready to have your fixed brace. In younger patients who still have baby teeth we may have to wait until more of the adult teeth are through to be able to start the fixed brace phase of treatment.

No, it should not hurt to have the brace fitted.

Invisalign

Not necessarily because they do not have the metal components in the way that fixed braces do. Some people find that the aligners covering the whole of the teeth including the biting surface is difficult to get used to. Most people get used to this though.

They can do and sometimes more than lingual braces, just because of the increased coverage of the teeth. Most people get used to this and can speak well with them in.

If one looks closely it is possible to see them as there is a thin coating of plastic aligner covering the surface of the teeth. They are quite difficult for most people to see though.

Compared to fixed braces on the outside of the teeth, they are more expensive because of the laboratory process and the monitoring and fitting of attachments to the teeth.

Most people will need attachments on the outside of the teeth but they are tooth coloured. The failure rate was far higher with aligners until people realised that attachments would help support a more efficient movement of the teeth.

Lingual Braces

This is not always the case but while braces on the outside of the teeth can cause discomfort to the lips and cheeks, lingual braces tend to cause more discomfort to the tongue.

Yes, in the first few days, but most people recover from this and very few people have an issue three months after the braces have been fitted. People who speak a lot in their job tend to improve their speech far quicker.

Not really, unless you show them off.

Yes, lingual braces tend to be more expensive, due to the extra laboratory costs, the difficulty of access to the brace and the time taken to carry out adjustments.

It is not uncommon to do this but most are temporary and tooth coloured and so very difficult to see.

Clear Aligners

Not necessarily because they do not have the metal components in the way that fixed braces do. Some people find that the aligners covering the whole of the teeth including the biting surface is difficult to get used to. Most people get used to this though.

They can do and sometimes more than lingual braces, just because of the increased coverage of the teeth. Most people get used to this and can speak well with them in.

If one looks closely it is possible to see them as there is a thin coating of plastic aligner covering the surface of the teeth. They are quite difficult for most people to see though.

Compared to fixed braces on the outside of the teeth, they are more expensive because of the laboratory process and the monitoring and fitting of attachments to the teeth.

Most people will need attachments on the outside of the teeth but they are tooth coloured. The failure rate was far higher with aligners until people realised that attachments would help support a more efficient movement of the teeth.

Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening involves a process where substances, primarily peroxides, are used to lighten the shade of the teeth. These substances penetrate the enamel of your teeth, breaking apart the stains and discolorations that have built up over time. The depth of whitening can vary depending on the severity of the stains and the strength of the whitening product.

Yes, teeth whitening is generally considered safe. However, it should be performed under the supervision of a dental professional like those at One Devonshire Place in Birmingham. Misuse or overuse of whitening products can potentially cause harm to your teeth and gums.

Some people may experience temporary side effects from teeth whitening such as tooth sensitivity or gum irritation. This can happen when the whitening solution is too strong or is left on the teeth for too long. To minimise these risks, always follow the instructions provided by your orthodontist at One Devonshire Place.

The longevity of teeth whitening can vary significantly between individuals, typically lasting from a few months to a few years. Factors that affect this include the type of stain that was present, your diet, and your oral hygiene habits. Regular dental check-ups at One Devonshire Place can help monitor the colour of your teeth and maintain the results for as long as possible.

When used correctly, teeth whitening procedures should not damage the enamel. Enamel damage typically occurs from misuse or overuse of whitening products. Always follow the directions provided by your orthodontist to ensure a safe and effective whitening process.

Ceramic Braces

Ceramic braces are a type of orthodontic treatment used to correct malocclusions or misalignments of the teeth. They consist of clear or tooth-coloured ceramic brackets that are attached to the teeth, with archwires running through them to shift your teeth into the correct position.

The cost of ceramic braces varies depending on the complexity of the treatment needed. At One Devonshire Place in Birmingham, the cost typically ranges from £2000 to £6000. It's best to consult with your orthodontist for an accurate quote as your personal treatment plan might involve additional costs.

The primary advantage of ceramic braces is their aesthetic appeal - they are less noticeable than metal braces, making them popular among adults. They are also less likely to irritate your gums. However, ceramic braces can be slightly more expensive than metal braces and are more prone to staining if not properly cared for.

Functionally, ceramic braces work in much the same way as metal braces to correct misaligned teeth. The main difference lies in their appearance: ceramic braces are less noticeable due to their clear or tooth-coloured brackets. However, they can be a bit more fragile than metal braces and require diligent care.

The discomfort experienced during orthodontic treatment tends to be more related to the adjustment of the braces rather than the type of braces used. Some patients may feel slight discomfort when ceramic braces are initially fitted or adjusted at One Devonshire Place, but this usually subsides within a few days.