Orthodontics

Clear aligners and braces in Crewe

Straightening teeth that have crowded, drifted or spaced out, at our practice on Hungerford Road. Your dentist can use clear aligners that you take out to eat, or a fixed brace that stays on until the work is done.

Request an appointment 01270 581024

It starts with an assessment, £99.99 if you are new to the practice or £59.99 if you already come to us. Your dentist will tell you which option would work for your teeth before you decide anything.

A young woman wearing fixed braces smiles while a dentist checks her teeth

Who it helps

What teeth straightening can help with

These are the things people most often ask us to change.

  • Crowded teeth

    Teeth that overlap or have turned because there is not quite enough room for them.

  • Gaps

    Spaces between teeth, including a gap between the two front teeth, can be closed by moving the teeth together.

  • Teeth that have moved

    Teeth often shift over the years, after a tooth is lost or once a retainer from childhood braces is no longer worn.

  • A bite that does not meet

    When upper and lower teeth do not fit together well, they can wear unevenly. Moving them can bring the bite into a better position.

Straighter teeth are also easier to clean, because there are fewer tight corners for plaque to collect in. If it is the shape of your teeth that bothers you rather than where they sit, composite bonding is often the quicker answer.

The options

Clear aligners or fixed braces

Which one suits you depends mostly on how far your teeth need to move. Your dentist will explain the choice at your assessment.

Clear aligners

You take them out

A series of thin, clear plastic trays made to fit your teeth. Each set moves them a little further, and you change to the next set as you go.

You take them out to eat and to clean your teeth. They only work while they are in, so they need to be worn for at least 22 hours a day.

Aligners suit many cases of crowding and spacing. They are less suited to teeth that need to turn a long way, or a bite that needs a lot of change.

Fixed braces

They stay on

Small brackets fixed to the front of your teeth, joined by a thin wire that guides them into place.

Because the brace stays on, there is nothing to remember to wear. It can make movements that aligners cannot, which is why it is often the choice for more complex cases.

Your dentist will show you how to clean around it and which foods to avoid while it is on.

Not sure which you would prefer? Tell your dentist what matters most to you, whether that is how it looks, the cost, or not having to remember to wear something. Your dentist will check it suits you at the assessment. Results vary from person to person.

What happens

From first visit to straight teeth

The first appointment is for looking and planning. You go home with the facts and decide in your own time.

  1. Your assessment

    Your dentist examines your teeth, gums and bite, and asks what you would like to change. X-rays are taken if they are needed.

  2. Planning the moves

    Photographs and digital models of your teeth are used to plan how each tooth needs to move, and which option will move it.

  3. Starting treatment

    Your aligners are handed over or your brace is fitted. Your dentist shows you how to wear it and how to keep your teeth clean.

  4. Regular checks

    You come back at set intervals so your dentist can check progress, adjust the brace or give you your next aligners.

Your teeth can feel tender for a few days at the start, and again after each adjustment or new set of aligners. Soft food and ordinary painkillers usually help, and it settles.

Afterwards

Keeping your teeth straight

Teeth tend to drift back towards where they started, even years after treatment. A retainer holds them in place, so it is part of the treatment rather than an extra.

Two kinds of retainer

  • A clear removable retainer, usually worn at night
  • A thin wire fixed behind the front teeth
  • Either can be replaced if it wears out or breaks

Your dentist will tell you which retainer suits you and how long to wear it. A fixed wire means there is nothing to remember. A removable one is easier to clean around.

Ask at your assessment what your retainer will involve and what it costs.

Common questions

Questions about straightening teeth

Am I too old to have my teeth straightened?

Teeth can be moved at any age. Your dentist checks your gums and any fillings or crowns first, because healthy gums matter more than your age.

How much does it cost?

Orthodontic treatment at our practice is private. The price depends on how far your teeth need to move and which option suits them, so your dentist gives you a price after your assessment. Treatment costing £350 or more may be eligible for finance arranged with Chrysalis Finance. Finance is subject to status and affordability.

How finance works.

How long will it take?

Some cases take a few months. Larger changes take longer, sometimes a year or two. Your dentist will give you an estimate for your own teeth at the assessment.

Will people notice?

Clear aligners are hard to spot when you talk or smile. A fixed brace shows more, because the brackets sit on the front of your teeth.

Can I just have my front teeth straightened?

Often, yes. Moving only the teeth that show can be quicker than a full course. Your dentist will first check that it will not upset the way your teeth bite together.

Can I eat normally?

With aligners, yes, because you take them out to eat. With a fixed brace, you avoid hard and sticky foods such as toffee and crusty bread, which can knock a bracket loose.

Ask whether your teeth can be straightened

Book an assessment and your dentist will tell you which option would work, roughly how long it would take and what it would cost. You get a written plan to take home, with no obligation to go ahead.

01270 581024 Or request an appointment