A Step-by-Step Guide to the Six Month Smiles Process
If you’re living with misaligned teeth, you may be weighing up whether to spend a long time straightening your teeth to enjoy a healthier and more confident smile or to skip the treatment and live with how it looks now, along with the potential oral health issues.
Six Month Smiles may be the perfect solution for you if you’ve been considering straightening your teeth but are hesitant about committing to years of traditional braces. This innovative treatment is a quicker, more discreet way to achieve the smile you’ve always wanted.
So what is Six Month Smiles, and how does it achieve so much in such little time?
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the entire process, from the initial consultation to the treatment’s completion approximately six months later.
How Six Month Smiles Works
Like other orthodontic appliances, Six Month Smiles uses constant force to gently move your teeth into a more favourable position.
This system uses brackets and wires just like traditional braces. Six Month Smiles differs by only focusing on the most visible teeth at the front of your mouth. This means you will only wear the discreet braces at the front of your smile, reducing your treatment duration.
Six Month Smiles is ideal for mild aesthetic orthodontic issues like crowded, crooked, or gappy teeth.
Your Initial Consultation
The first step in your Six Month Smiles journey is the initial consultation. This is where we take the time to understand your concerns, goals, and the changes you hope to see in your smile.
During this appointment, we’ll thoroughly examine your teeth and gums to ensure that Six Month Smiles is the right treatment for you.
You’ll also have the opportunity to ask us any questions you may have about the treatment. We’ll discuss your expectations and outline the treatment plan that best fits your needs.
At this stage, we may also take X-rays of your teeth, which help us design a tailored treatment plan. This allows us to plan the precise movement of your teeth.
Fitting Your Braces
Once you’ve agreed on a plan, we’ll fit your Six Month Smiles braces.
We thoroughly clean your teeth to ensure the braces stick securely. Then, we’ll apply an adhesive to your teeth before attaching the brackets and wires. These brackets are made of transparent materials, blending with your natural teeth and providing a more discreet appearance than traditional metal braces.
Getting Used to Your Braces
After your braces are fitted, you may feel pressure in the first few days. However, this is entirely normal and should subside within a few days. Over-the-counter pain relievers can help manage any discomfort, and orthodontic wax can help prevent irritation on the insides of your cheeks.
You might also notice some changes to your speech in the beginning. Your tongue and mouth will take a little time to get used to the presence of the braces, but don’t worry – this usually improves quickly.
Caring for Your Smile During Treatment
Your oral hygiene is more important than ever. Take extra care when brushing around your braces, and consider using interdental brushes, dental floss, or a water flosser to remove food debris and plaque from between your teeth and around the brace’s brackets and wire.
In addition to brushing your teeth every morning and night, consider cleaning your teeth after every meal.
Regular Check-Ups and Adjustments
You’ll need to visit us for checkups and adjustments roughly every four to six weeks. These are essential for monitoring your progress and making adjustments.
We’ll examine your teeth to ensure they’re moving as expected and adjust the pressure along the brace’s wire.
Completing the Treatment
We'll remove your braces once your teeth have moved into their new, improved positions.
During your final appointment, we’ll remove the brackets and wires. The process is quick and painless. Your teeth may feel slightly sensitive afterwards, but this should pass within a day or two.
At this stage, we’ll take impressions of your teeth for a set of retainers. Retainers are essential to maintaining your new smile, as they help prevent your teeth from shifting back to their original positions.
We’ll give you detailed instructions on how to wear your retainers – typically, you’ll need to wear them full-time for a few months and then only at night once your teeth have stabilised.
Maintaining Your New Smile
Proper aftercare is crucial to maintaining your new smile for years to come. We recommend regular check-ups to monitor the long-term results of your treatment. These visits allow us to ensure your teeth stay in their new positions.
Maintain good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing regularly. Brushing your teeth after meals is especially important to keep your teeth and gums healthy and avoid any plaque build-up around your retainer.
Six Month Smiles in Leeds
Six Month Smiles offers a fast, effective, and discreet way to transform your smile. With a step-by-step approach that includes an initial consultation, personalised treatment plan, and regular check-ups, we’ll be there to guide you through the entire process.
If you’re ready to begin your journey with Six Month Smiles, contact us today to schedule your initial consultation and take the first step towards a brand-new smile.