Braces

INVISIBLE BRACES

Clear Step^TM is a breakthrough in orthodontics and here at Village Dentalcare in Langley, Berkshire we offer a range of orthodontic solutions (clearstep, and Inman aligners) for our patients to give them choice. Clearstep straightens teeth using a series of 'clear' easy to wear positioners, like thin rugby or sports guards. Clear positioners have been utilised worldwide by thousands of dentists and orthodontists. Many of our patients have completed clearstep treatments and are currently undergoing treatment.

If you are concerned about the alignment of your teeth, would like to improve the appearance of unwanted gaps and spaces between your teeth with orthodontic treatment or require teeth straightening treatment in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hillingdon then contact us today by filling out the contact form above or calling the practice on 01753 543742 for a FREE orthodontic consultation during which we can discuss the most suitable orthodontic options for your needs and to suite your budget.

WHAT IS CLEARSTEP
FAQs
PATIENT COOPERATION
TREATMENT COSTS

WHAT IS CLEARSTEP

What is Clearstep?
Clearstep is an exciting new, invisible, easy to wear, comfortable, and above all affordable orthodontic system. The system is used in thousands of clinics in the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, South Africa, Israel, and across Europe. Its popularity is growing at an incredible rate. All you have to do is wear a series of clear wafer thin transparent mouth guard like petitioners, which gently guide your teeth from their present to the desired position.

No-one will ever know you are wearing a brace!!

We pride ourselves on being a very caring and professional Company. We are dedicated to providing a high quality product and service to every patient. We will do everything we can to ensure that you get that perfect smile.

Who does it work for?
Clearstep is the only system of clear positioners in the world that can treat young children and adults alike. The system has been designed to be infinitely flexible and can deal with the loss of baby teeth, the eruption of new teeth and pretty much any variable.

CLEARSTEP Works For You

CLEARSTEP treats:
• Crowding - teeth are too close together
• Spacing - gaps between teeth
• Overbite - teeth overlap too much vertically
• Overjet - front teeth stick out
• Underbite - lower teeth stick out/lower jaw too big
• Crossbite - upper and lower teeth bite on the wrong side of each other
• Openbite - your teeth do not meet when you bite
• Misplaced midline - centre lines of upper and lower teeth don't align
So why is orthodontics so important? Why do I need it?
Never underestimate the power of a nice smile. A nice smile is not only beautiful, it also promotes good health:
• Teeth that are straight and evenly spaced are easier to keep clean. So that means better oral health. Better oral health can reduce the incidence of heart disease, gastrointestinal disease, and other health conditions.
• You need your teeth to eat and chew and teeth are designed to meet in a certain way that makes chewing more efficient which helps in proper digestion.
• A well balanced and even bite also reduces the risks of excessive stress, headaches, and strain on your supporting bone and tissue.
And the social benefits of a beautiful smile are also important. Lets face it we all love beautiful smiles. They do light up the face and give you more:
• Confidence- in job interviews, public speaking and personal relationships.
• Clearer speech - teeth play an important role in your ability to speak.

Our system allows the orthodontist and you to keep a track of how your treatment is progressing. Your own models at each stage. Your orthodontist or dentist can MONITOR your treatment progress and has the ability to change direction at any stage. This treatment offers flexibility and is unique to each case.

So, why Clearstep?
Clearstep is wire free and does away with the need to bond metal onto the teeth. It is invisible, and removable, allowing you, the wearer, to eat that steak dinner, give that public speech, meet that client without embarrassment or discomfort. You simply remove, brush, floss, rinse and reinsert: Clearstep will do the rest.

Discoloured or stained teeth?
Clearstep's specially formulated whitening gel can be used in conjunction with our positioners to effectively remove stains and discolouration. This system really can give you that White Bright and Straight smile. You just have to apply the Hydrogen Peroxide gel twice a day for 30 mins and your teeth will brighten and lighten over a period of days.

How do I find out more?
It's simple! You can contact your nearest Village Dentalcare and ask for details of our products or email info@villagedental.co.uk.

FAQS

ClearStep FAQs

Effectiveness

Does ClearStep really work?
Yes. Orthodontists and dentists have been using invisible orthodontics to straighten teeth for decades.

How does ClearStep work?
ClearStep uses proprietary technology to produce positioners customized for each patient's teeth. The patient wears one set of positioners for TWO weeks and then moves to another set if necessary. By the end of treatment, the teeth have will have moved from an untreated to a treated, beautiful smile.

What are the benefits of ClearStep?
ClearStep has a number of important benefits:
• ClearStep positioners are so clear, they're almost invisible. So no one will know you're straightening your teeth, unless you tell them.
• ClearStep's customized positioners are more comfortable than other forms of orthodontic treatment. There are no wires to tighten and no braces to scrape against the inside of your mouth.
• ClearStep is removable, so you can floss and brush your teeth normally during treatment.
• ClearStep positioners are easy to maintain and clean during treatment, which makes them more hygienic.

How does ClearStep move teeth?
ClearStep uses clear, polymer positioners to move teeth in small increments. Each positioner is designed to apply controlled force on the patient's teeth. The specific teeth to be moved and the amount of movement will depend on the patient, and will be determined by the treating dentist.

Technology

What are ClearStep positioners made of?
Clear, medical grade polymers. The positioners are so clear; it's likely that no one will be able to tell you're wearing them.

What do the positioners look like?
Positioners are clear, polymer appliances that are almost completely transparent. Some patients have commented that positioners look similar to tooth whitening trays, others think of them as "contact lenses for your teeth".

How long has ClearStep been on the market?
The technology behind invisible orthodontics has been on the market for decades. ClearStep has developed an advanced system of invisible orthodontics that has unique aesthetic and hygienic benefits. Many orthodontists and dentists consider the ClearStep product to be the next generation in invisible orthodontics.

Getting started

How do I get started with ClearStep?
Simply make an appointment with one of the dentists at Village Dentalcare.

While in treatment

How long does ClearStep treatment take?
As with traditional braces, treatment times vary depending on the patient and how much movement is required. However, treatment time is generally about the same as traditional braces, between 9 and 18 months. Often patients find that treatment with positioners is faster than treatment with braces.

Is there anything I can't eat while in treatment?
No, during treatment you can eat anything you would normally eat. This is because positioners are removed for eating, drinking and flossing.

Will smoking stain the positioners?
We recommend that patients do not smoke while wearing positioners, as positioners may become discoloured.

How often do I need to wear my positioners during treatment?
Positioners should be worn all day, except when eating, brushing and flossing. The closer to 24 hours a day positioners are worn, the better the results of treatment.

How often must I see the dentist during treatment?
On average about once every six weeks.

Will my teeth move again after treatment?
Your dentist will provide retainers to help prevent your teeth from moving again after treatment. A retainer may be a clear, plastic aligner similar ClearStep, or may be a permanent retainer attached to the inside surface of your teeth. Your orthodontist/dentist will discuss the options with you.

Is ClearStep treatment painful?
For some people there will be temporary discomfort at the beginning of each stage of treatment. This means that ClearStep is effectively moving your teeth. Any discomfort typically lasts only a couple of days, and is at the beginning of each stage of treatment.

Is ClearStep right for me?

If I'm currently wearing braces, can I switch into ClearStep?
Many patients have switched to invisible orthodontics after wearing traditional braces for a period of time. We recommend that you consult your orthodontist or dentist to determine if you can switch.

Other FAQs

How does ClearStep compare to Invisalign®?
ClearStep and Invisalign® are both part of the invisible orthodontics category, so there are similarities between the two products and they are used to treat similar types of cases. However, one of the key differences between the two systems is the appearance of the ClearStep aligner. ClearStep positioners are smooth and have no ridges, making them more hygienic and very easy to clean.

PATIENT COOPERATION

Patient Co-operation
Straight white teeth and a nice smile are the results of good planning and good treatment by your orthodontist, and good co-operation from you.

Good co-operation during fixed application treatments involves:

Diet control
Do not eat sweets or biscuits between meals. Only have fizzy drinks and fruit juices at meal-times. Do not eat hard or sticky foods that can damage your brace. Cut fruit, especially apples and pears, and raw vegetables, into small pieces before eating them. Do not bite into crusty bread or hard rolls. Broken braces will result in your treatment lasting longer and may make your treatment time longer and more time consuming with visits. It may more importantly affect the quality of the result.

Cleaning
You must spend enough time brushing your teeth, gums and braces, on average 5 minutes every morning and every night. Ideally you should have a travel toothbrush to clean your teeth after meals.

Mouth-rinse
You should use a fluoride mouth rinse every evening.

Mouth-guards
It is important that you protect your smile during contact sports.

Appointments
You must keep all of your appointments and attend on time. If you arrive late there will not be enough time to complete all your treatment. Missed appointments will make your treatment last longer.

Instructions
You must follow your orthodontist's advice if you need to wear headgear or elastics as part of your treatment. Removable appliances and functional appliances must be worn all of the time and you must continue to wear your retainers so that your teeth stay straight when your orthodontic treatment is completed.

TREATMENT COSTS

Private Treatments

Treatment Costs - Adults and Children
Comprehensive initial consultations last about thirty minutes with a Dentist and are followed by a written report, treatment plan and proposed cost. £110

INMAN ALIGNERS

Inman Aligner treatment in Berkshire

Inman Aligner from £1150

This is a relatively new orthodontic appliance in the UK and offers a faster solution to correcting tooth alignment problems. It is more effective at correcting problems with front teeth and is hybrid between the Invisalign invisible braces system and traditional metal braces.
Village Dentalcare provides Inman Aligner.

The Inman aligner is not as "invisible" as invisalign but has many of the advantages that the invsialign system has over traditional braces in that it is removable so that is doesn't disturb your eating and oral hygiene. In additional all movements are achieved with a single aligner so there is no need to change your aligners every week.

A faster solution
The Inman aligner can also achieve rapid orthodontics with some treatments being possible in as little as 6 weeks!

A cheaper solution

The Inman aligner is also considerably cheaper than treatment with fixed orthodontics and the Invisalign system.

If you require orthodontic treatment and are looking for a clinic in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hillingdon that offers the Inman aligner then contact us by filling out the contact form above or give us a call on 01753 543742 for a FREE consultation.

On occasions, it may be more appropriate to treat individual cases with traditional braces.
Find out more

Other types of braces:

METAL BRACES

Metal braces are the most popular with kids and teenagers. They love to have different colours of the small elastic ties to match different occasions. The modern braces are much smaller than before.

CERAMIC BRACES

Tooth coloured braces

LINGUAL BRACES

The ultimate in invisible braces. The brackets are individually tailor made to the contours of each tooth of the patient and are fitted to the inner surface of the teeth. The advantage is that it is totally invisible from the outside. The disadvantages are that they are more expensive, treatment tend to take longer and there is greater discomfort to the tongue and sometimes the speech can be affected.