Short-term orthodontic braces purportedly straighten problematic teeth in just six months. According to their proponents, they do this at a far cheaper cost than regular braces. As a result, the demand for these products has been huge largely because on the surface they offer patients what they want and at seemingly shorter treatment time for less money. But is this all true? Read to find out
Do short-term braces really move teeth faster?
To start with, there is nothing really new about six month treatment orthodontic products. However, the best orthodontists in downtown Toronto use ordinary tooth colored or clear braces. A number of them offer short-term treatment using good old fashioned silver brackets. Braces used by dentists offering shorter treatment time are precisely the same as those utilized by the standard orthodontists.
Simply put, there is nothing in design of these braces that moves teeth any faster. The rate at which teeth move is usually limited by natural processes in the ligaments and bones surrounding the teeth. Moreover, all dentists or orthodontists, play by the same biological rules.
If the rate of teeth movement is the same, how then can dentists that offer short-term treatment claim better results in six months? The answer to this question lays in the phrase ‘same orthodontic results’. Providers of short-term orthodontics will tell you the reason their treatment is shorter is because they are shooting for a different end results.
However, dentists are trained not only to align the front teeth, but also to correct issues such as missing teeth, extra teeth, impacted teeth, under bites, overbites, cross bites, deep bites, open bites, protrusions, crowding, and much more.
What about front teeth straightening treatment
Straightening the front teeth generally is achievable within the first six months of treatment regardless of who provides the treatment. However, correction of the above mentioned bite issues needs additional time. Braces are on the teeth a shorter duration of time with short-term orthodontics because the dentist merely aligned to front teeth and didn’t address any other issues. In simple terms, the treatment is not any faster than the normal – it is just shorter because it was deliberately terminated prior to its completion.
Is short-term treatment approach really healthy?
Every smile is different, meaning that there are some patients that can be treated in only six months or less, while others take longer. But no matter the length of the treatment, the results are normally the same. Some patients begin with only mild spacing or crowding. Since these patients have a bite that is fairly normal, six months is plenty of time, and the charges are lower as is reflected by the shorter treatment time.
If the patient has issues such as an over bite, deep bite, open bite or severe crowding in the back, then merely aligning the front teeth in six months will leave him or her feeling worse after the treatment than they were before. Open bites might open further while small overbites bigger overbites. Crowded teeth on the other had will flare forward if merely aligned. Moreover, issues with occlusion might actually get worse if the short-term braces change the bite and then the teeth are left in the same position. The key to successfully treat these issues is to have the right training and experience to recognize if a case really is simple.
Are short-term braces really cheaper?
The quote for six months treatment is normally around 30-percent less of what is quoted for full treatments. While this might sound cheaper, it is actually expensive in the long run as it takes care of only the front teeth. A full treatment takes approximately 12-18 months and fixes everything, meaning that if a dentist quotes 80% to have only the front teeth straightened, it is actually more expensive. Plus if the patient is not happy with the final results, then he or she will have to pay a real orthodontist to put back the braces on to finish the treatment.
