When You Only Have A Few Troublesome Teeth That Need Alignment

Dentist Blog

Many people associate orthodontic treatment with having a full set of dental braces, but it should also be remembered that an orthodontist can assist with a wide variety of minor issues. Sometimes it might be that you want a small adjustment to the way your teeth look when you smile — so minor in fact, that the only teeth you may feel need modification are your four upper incisors, as these are the teeth that are most prominent when you smile.

A Slight Protrusion

In such cases where a minor adjustment might be desired, it's unlikely that you have any major orthodontic issues to begin with. In fact, treatment can be optional when it's been professionally determined that the placement of your teeth is unlikely to adversely impact your overall dental health. Still, the slight protrusion of these upper incisors can indicate an issue with overcrowding in your mouth, even if your main area of concern is the way these upper teeth look when you smile.

A Localized Approach

A full set of braces isn't the only way to align teeth and is not the preferred option when treatment is to focus on a specific area of your mouth that only requires a small readjustment. Your orthodontist may offer a localized aligner system that features a transparent acrylic shielding that covers the teeth to be treated. There's a coiled nickel titanium spring (usually at the back of the aligner) that applies consistent pressure to align these particular teeth.

Brief Treatment

The coiled spring will require periodic adjustments, meaning you will need to visit your orthodontist for this to happen, which also allows them to chart your progress. This localized alignment is designed for quick progress, and treatment should only take several weeks to a few months, depending on your needs. This is noticeably quicker than braces or full-mouth aligner treatments. 

Following Instructions

The localized aligner itself should be worn to the schedule set by your orthodontist. Like Invisalign and comparable systems, this means you will only take the aligner out for a few hours each day in order to eat and sleep. It's important not to deviate from these instructions; since the treatment is so brief, every hour matters. In addition to aligning specific teeth in your smile, any secondary orthodontic issues may also be rectified during your brief treatment period. Aligning certain teeth can relieve any overcrowding in the rest of the dental arch, for example.

When you really only want to address a few teeth out of your smile, consider talking to an orthodontist about localized alignment, since the treatment can be completed with surprising speed.

Reach out to an orthodontist today to learn more.

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