Frequently Asked Questions

Your dentist would like specialist advice about the position of your teeth. As orthodontists, we will advise on this and whether you would benefit from orthodontic treatment.

Yes! You’re never too old for braces!

Adults can have orthodontic treatment at any age. In fact, in certain circumstances it can be a much better choice to avoid having other complex and expensive conventional dental treatments such as cosmetic crowns and veneers on the front teeth.

We offer adult patients a great choice of cosmetic appliances that would have minimal impact on their busy social lives. Please refer to our Private Treatment page to view our range of cosmetic orthodontic appliances suitable for adult patients.

Fixed braces will not affect your speech. Removable braces can initially affect your speech but this will soon improve and return to normal. Lingual fixed braces may also need a period of adjustment.

Generally, orthodontic treatment lasts between 18 months and 2 years. Difficult cases may take longer and some simpler treatments may only take 6 months to one year. We will give you a rough idea, but remember you can influence the length of treatment and the quality of the result by closely following the instructions given for the care of your brace.

This will depend on:

• For the younger patients, how many of your adult teeth have come through. Most treatments are best left until the adult teeth have replaced the baby teeth. This may not be completed until 15 years of age in some patients.
• Problems with tooth brushing or tooth decay, which may have to be dealt with before any commitment is made towards orthodontic treatment.
• The length of any NHS waiting list for the particular orthodontic treatment you need.
• The degree of urgency for your particular case. For example, certain types of bite are best treated while you are growing fast and would be given priority. Other types of treatment may need to be delayed until growth of the face has almost stopped.

At the end of treatment we provide you with retainers to support your newly straight teeth as they settle and firm up in their new position. We advise that this support should be continued at a lower level on a longer term basis. If you don’t wear your retainers as instructed, your teeth might not stay straight. No one, regardless of technique, can give absolute guarantees that teeth will stay exactly as they are after treatment, but treatments are undertaken on the basis that a worthwhile long term improvement should be possible.

Yes, this is very important. Although we are seeing you regularly, your own dentist needs to monitor the health of the teeth and gums throughout treatment.