Express Treatments
Short-term Orthodontics
You may have heard of "Six Month Braces™", "Six Month Smiles®" and "CFast™ Smiles". These are all registered trademarks for short-term limited orthodontics provided by general dentists and non-orthodontic specialists. They all focus on correcting anterior teeth alignment problems in adults and the results they aim for are cosmetic only. The main aim of such limited cosmetic orthodontic procedures is to straighten the front six to eight teeth that show while smiling (what we call the ‘social six’) without changing the bite. This means the treatment is much faster (usually takes 6-8 months) than comprehensive orthodontics, which focuses on all teeth and also fixes the bite.
Alignment of just the front teeth with short-term orthodontics may be an appropriate option for certain adult cases depending on the degree of crowding/spacing, bite and jaw relationships, lip-teeth relationships, facial profile, and other factors. It usually involves interproximal enamel reduction (very small amounts of tooth enamel is removed from the sides of the teeth to make space for the teeth to be straightened) and this has been shown to be completely safe for the health of the teeth. Permanent retention with bonded retainers is usually necessary with this type of treatment.
Limited cosmetic orthodontics is not suitable for everyone and case selection is difficult without specialist education and training. A Specialist Orthodontist is always the best person to confirm if this limited type of treatment will work for you.
Dr. Kostas will only offer this type of treatment as an option in suitable cases. It is very important that the differences between the limited aims of cosmetic orthodontics and comprehensive treatment are clearly explained at the treatment planning session before the patient decides to proceed with this option. If you want to find out if you are a good candidate for limited cosmetic orthodontic treatment, book your initial examination with us.