Pros and Cons of the Six Month Smile

When to use this fast working orthodontic method.

Amongst the increasing number of adult orthodontic treatments which are now available, a few stand out from the crowd. Perhaps the most popular of these is the Invisalign method due to its practicality and discreetness. It does though, like many other orthodontic treatments, take a significant amount of time to straighten the teeth and whilst this makes sense, as putting too much stress on the teeth would be counter productive, it can be frustrating and in some cases, not entirely practical.

This is where the Six Month Smile method comes into its own. As the name implies, this method takes around 6 months to work; sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more, depending on the exact nature of the patient’s teeth. Whilst it is not a ‘one size fits all’ solution to misaligned teeth, it can be very useful in certain situations.

What does the procedure involve?

What makes the Six Month Smile procedure different from others, other than the time taken to work, is that this method focuses entirely on the visible teeth of the mouth and not on the rear teeth for example. Because the rear teeth are often more difficult to move, this is what contributes to the longer time taken by many braces.

The Six Month Smile works along similar lines to traditional braces but works only on the visible front teeth and uses both wiring and brackets which are tooth coloured and are also much smaller than traditional ones making them much more discreet. As these braces have to be left in, unlike Invisalign which can be removed when eating, they are arguably not quite as convenient, but this is compensated for by the time factor.

When to Use 6 Month Smile

Because this orthodontic treatment is not used to re-align the rear teeth, it is not always the most practical method when, for example, a patient’s bite needs correcting. It is however, an excellent ‘cosmetic’ method that can improve a person’s appearance over a relatively short period of time. For this reason, whilst some people do use it as a general cosmetic procedure, it is also extremely popular for those who have a specific event coming up in their calendar; the most obvious one of which is a wedding.

Because dates for a wedding are usually set well in advance, this gives the bride (or groom) plenty of time to pop along to our Sutton Coldfield dental practice to discuss this option with our dentist. It is important to do this in advance of the six months if at all possible in case your teeth do need a little longer.

By allowing plenty of time for the Six Month Smile brace to work, you will be able, on your wedding day, to have photographs that you will be happy with for the rest of your life. Close-ups too!

People who are planning a career in the media or other industry where appearance may be important, also find this procedure useful and can improve the chances of employment. Whether right or wrong, the reality is that, especially in industries like the media, appearances do count and you can get yourself a head start by improving the appearance of your teeth.

Topping Up

Many people who use the Six Month Smile procedure for the above two purposes also opt for a tooth whitening procedure afterwards to ensure that their teeth get that extra bit of attention and look great, whether on photographs or on the TV screen. Arthur House Dental Care provides Six Month Smiles and Invisalign in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham – please call us to arrange a consultation.