Can Mouthguards Straighten Teeth?
Tooth straightening is one of the most common dental procedures in Australia. Millions of children and adults have misaligned teeth, and there are now multiple options for correcting your smile.
Braces and clear aligners are a simple but effective tool for nudging your teeth into the correct position. With modern procedures, a skilled orthodontist can correct serious misalignment, which is great for building your confidence and improving oral health!
The only challenge is that straightening teeth can be a long process. Depending on the state of your smile, it could take years to get your teeth back in line, and patients often wonder if there are alternatives. In this article we’ll explore teeth straightening in more detail and find out what you can do to reduce the time your treatment takes.
How to Straighten Teeth Without Braces
Tooth alignment and oral health can be a major point of stress for some people. If you’re unhappy with the appearance of your teeth, your dentist may be able to recommend treatments that correct misalignment, such as braces.
Getting braces is a big commitment. It often takes up to two years for braces to completely straighten your teeth, and you may need to use follow up treatments like a retainer for several years afterwards.
If you don’t want to put up with braces for two years then clear aligners are a great alternative. Products like Invisalign allow you to straighten teeth without the need for braces. Like the name suggests, clear aligners are a clear, form-fitting orthodontic treatment that can be used to adjust teeth.
Opting for a clear aligner is a discreet way to correct your smile with minimal adjustment and discomfort.
Can Mouthguards Straighten Teeth?
The short answer is no. Mouthguards won’t straighten your teeth.
Mouthguards are only intended to protect your teeth from being damaged by things like playing sports. Wearing a mouthguard helps your teeth and gums absorb impact damage to reduce the chance of injury.
To do this, mouthguards need to be form-fitting. They’re typically made by using vacuum technology that takes a fitted impression of your teeth and gums. This means your mouthguard will be designed to fit over your teeth as they are – including any imperfections.
Comparing Mouthguards and Clear Aligners
When patients ask whether mouthguards can straighten teeth, it’s often because they’ve seen how clear aligners work. While it’s easy to look at a set of clear aligners and assume they’re the same as a mouthguard, the two technologies are very different.
Where mouthguards are designed to fit over your teeth perfectly, clear aligners provide a fit that puts gentle pressure on your teeth. This gradually forces your teeth to shift. The pressure will eventually correct misalignment and straighten your smile.
Unlike mouthguards, clear aligners don’t provide any protection when playing sport. If you’re playing a contact sport then you’ll usually need to swap your clear aligner for a mouthguard during the game. Invisalign only needs to be worn for 20-22 hours a day. That means switching to a mouthguard temporarily won’t interfere with the treatment.
How to Speed Up the Teeth Straightening Process
We understand that wearing braces for years can seem like an uphill battle. Adult patients are especially prone to being embarrassed by straightening treatments.
The good news is there’s nothing to be embarrassed about! Only about 35% of adults have well-aligned teeth, and most people won’t look twice if you’re using braces to correct your smile. But, if you want to speed the process up, you should follow your dentist’s advice to the letter. You can also decrease the amount of time you need to wear braces by:
- Wearing your elastic bands
- Keeping your teeth and gums clean and healthy
- Staying away from food and drinks that can damage your teeth
- Avoiding hard or sticky foods that may get stuck in your braces or damage the wires
- Visiting your dentist regularly to check progress and the condition of your teeth
Doing these simple things can improve your oral health, which accelerates the alignment process. Speak to your orthodontist about your goals for your teeth – they’ll be able to design a treatment program that suits your lifestyle needs.
Straighten Your Teeth and Get the Smile You Want with Camira Dental!
Tooth and smile alignment is one of the most important parts of feeling comfortable in your own skin. If you are unhappy with how your smile looks, or if you are concerned about tooth misalignment, come and visit the team at Camira Dental.
Camira Dental is a family dentist Ipswich clinic. We provide a huge range of dental services and treatments. From regular check ups to teeth whitening, custom mouthguards and cosmetic dentistry, our professional team can help you achieve a smile you’ll love.
We tailor our treatments to suit your teeth and oral health. Our dental team uses the latest technologies to make treatments such as teeth whitening Ipswich wide safe and gentle, so we can have you looking your best without the pain or stress. Get in touch with us to make a booking, or talk to our team if you’d like more information!