“Teeth look good when they are straight”

Teeth look good when they are straight.  Crooked teeth are immediately noticeable when we smile.

Some people are born with crooked teeth and some are affected by circumstances such as age, change of structure in the mouth, or tooth loss resulting in movement of the remaining teeth.

The good news is that there are numerous treatment options available which can straighten or mask crooked teeth. At Bondi Dental our cosmetic dentist, Dr. Andrew Sih will advise you the  treatment available that will suit your needs.

Orthodontic Treatment

Orthodontic treatment is a traditional method to straighten and improve the appearance of the teeth. Orthodontic braces (metal wires) are attached to the teeth with brackets. These brackets and wires are progressively tightened over time, applying gentle pressure to the teeth and push them into the correct alignment.

Orthodontic braces are often used to correct occlusion problems such as under-bites, over-bites, cross bites and open bites, or crooked teeth.

Orthodontic treatments are mostly used on children and teenagers.  It could be a very lengthy process ranging from one to three years.  For this reason, orthodontic treatments are not so popular with adults because of the lengthy time involved and the unsightly wires which may affect their career and social life.

Recently another orthodontic treatment called Invisalign is introduced.

Invisalign

Invisalign system is to straighten teeth without using visible wires.  Invisalign is a system of clear aligners that look like transparent gum shields which will direct the teeth to slowly move into their desired position. The aligners are changed every two weeks.

Invisalign can be removed for eating and teeth cleaning. Invisalign is becoming a popular straightening treatment for adult teeth.

However, some cases are not suitable by using this method. The traditional ‘braces’ are still the method to treat these cases.

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers do not actually straighten teeth, but can mask crooked or mis-aligned teeth to make them ‘look’ straight.  Porcelain veneers are wafer thin shells of porcelain bonded onto your teeth to make them look straight. 

In selected cases, this is a preferred method for adults because the whole process will take less than two weeks to complete, unlike orthodontic work which can take months, or years.  Porcelain veneers can also improve the color, shade and shape of teeth. 

The downside is that porcelain veneers do not last forever, they may chip or break and eventually will need replacing, if the teeth are not prepared and bonded properly, porcelain veneers may sometimes fall off, and at the most inconvenient time.

Laminated Composite Veneers

With advance techniques and dental materials, laminated composite veneers have become one of the options for some cosmetic procedures.

Tooth coloured materials, called composite, in various hues, tones and chroma, are ‘applied’ to the teeth to reshape, straighten, brighten and beautify your teeth.  This procedure, in a lot of cases, does not require any cutting or drilling the natural teeth and the whole process will be completed in just a few hours in the dental chair. 

Composite veneers are bonded to the teeth surfaces, layer by layer, and can be easily repaired with composite materials if they chip.

Because this is done ‘free handed’ by the dentist, special care must be taken when you choose a cosmetic dentist to perform this procedure.  Not only should he have the experience and knowledge in all aspects of dentistry, he must have an eye for beauty, harmony and balance, and the skill to ‘sculpt’ the desired smile for his patients.

At Bondi Dental, our cosmetic dentist, Dr. Andrew Sih has become very popular for his skills and experience in laminated composite veneers.  To him, performing a procedure on laminated composite veneers is like sculpturing, and every finished case is a piece of art.

Dr. Andrew Sih has completed this procedure for celebrities such as top singers, performers, TV actors and models with highly satisfactory results.

Dental crowns and bridges

For long term solutions without orthodontic treatments, crowns and bridges are good treatment options to create a straightened look of your teeth.

Case Study:

For all enquiries on teeth straightening or book an appointment with Dr. Andrew Sih, call us now on (02) 9365 3988