If you need braces, the perfect smile doesn’t have to come at the expense of a lengthy or uncomfortable treatment process. SureSmile® is an easy clear aligner system designed to straighten your teeth with a more inconspicuous treatment than metal braces. While treatment with traditional braces is often known for gum irritation, eating restrictions, and difficulty cleaning your teeth, SureSmile® is meant to eliminate many (if not all) of these inconveniences. Dr Clarence Tam, our skilled cosmetic dentist, and her team of associates would be happy to evaluate your teeth and gums to develop the best possible orthodontic plan for your unique needs and goals.
How Does SureSmile® Work?
SureSmile® gradually straightens your smile by applying gentle pressure to the teeth via clear, custom-fit aligners. This not only addresses gaps, misalignments, and spacing concerns, but also corrects malocclusion (bad bites) for improved jaw function overall. If you’re a good candidate for SureSmile®, our friendly dentists will digitally scan your teeth and bite. This eliminates the need for messy impression materials and putties, offering patients a more comfortable experience at our office.
These measurements will be sent to an advanced dental lab, where your digital model will be modified until perfected before aligners are manufactured to gradually move your teeth into the desired positioning. You will wear one set of aligners for a number of weeks before moving on to the next set, only removing the aligners when eating and cleaning your teeth. Through periodic check-ins at our Auckland office, results can be very predictable and allow you to obtain the beautiful, healthy smile you’ve been dreaming of.
Benefits Beyond Straightening Your Smile
With the SureSmile® system, the discomfort and inconveniences associated with metal braces are often completely erased. There’s no need to restrict your diet with SureSmile® and cleaning your aligners is easier than ever. Best of all, SureSmile® clear aligners do not obstruct your smile or hide your teeth throughout the course of treatment. Patients usually appreciate the many benefits of having clear, removable aligners, including:
- No metal wires and brackets irritating the gum tissue
- Fewer office visits when compared to traditional braces
- Straightens your smile in the same time (if not faster) than braces
- Ability to enjoy an unrestricted diet
- Ability to floss and brush your teeth as normal
- Ability to whiten your teeth through custom-designed trays, offering additional benefits for your smile
- Reduces amount of tooth preparation and drilling necessary before treatment
In addition, living with a crooked smile or misaligned bite can be debilitating for your general health. Poor occlusion (bad bite) is commonly associated with jaw joint dysfunction, difficulty chewing and speaking, and periodontal disease, among other potential health issues. Therefore, treatment with SureSmile® can often improve your overall quality of life on top of your self-confidence and smile.
Are Suresmile® Clear Braces Right For Me?
SureSmile® clear aligners are designed to be as unobtrusive to your daily life as possible. If you’re looking for a more discreet teeth-straightening system, SureSmile® may be an ideal treatment for your needs. Similar to Invisalign®, SureSmile® can correct orthodontic concerns such as:
Overcrowding
Underbites
Overbites
Crossbites
Open bites
Gaps and spacing issues
Misalignments and general crookedness
Simultaneous teeth whitening
Dr Tam and our team can listen to your goals and help determine whether SureSmile® or another orthodontic treatment option is the best solution for your concerns.
What Can I Expect From the SureSmile® Treatment Process?
Your smile journey starts with an initial consultation, where Dr Tam and our highly skilled dental team will evaluate your teeth and bite and listen to your treatment goals. If you both decide that your concerns would best be treated with SureSmile®, the next step involves using 3D imaging and digital scans to establish your bite measurements. Rather than using messy impression materials, our team will take digital x-rays and intraoral scans of your mouth. These tools allow for the creation of your SureSmile® aligners in a more efficient and comfortable treatment experience.
Using advanced SureSmile® software, Dr Tam will use a 3D model to create an optimal treatment plan to bring your teeth into the desired alignment. This helps make the outcome of your treatment more accurate and predictable. During the treatment phase, you will have to commit to wearing your SureSmile® aligners for 20 to 22 hours a day — only removing them to eat, drink, and clean your teeth. You will wear each tray for the amount of time prescribed by Dr Tam before graduating to the next set. Through regular check-up appointments, your treatment plan will be adjusted and updated accordingly. Dr Tam will give you detailed instructions on your individual SureSmile® treatment.
How Long Does Treatment With Suresmile® Take?
The average length of treatment for SureSmile® ranges from 12 to 15 months, but this timeframe varies from patient to patient. Generally speaking, treatment time depends on how consistently you wear your aligners; therefore, wearing your aligners as much as possible can help accelerate the teeth-straightening process. For many individuals, SureSmile® can achieve dental goals in less time than the treatment period typically associated with metal braces. In general, more complex orthodontic concerns, such as biting issues, may take longer to correct than straightening minor misalignments/crookedness. Your dentist will give you a better understanding of what you can expect after examining your concerns.
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After
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After
Do SureSmile® Aligners Require Any Aftercare?
The process of maintaining SureSmile® aligners is much more simple and convenient than brushing and flossing with traditional braces. Patients can simply remove their aligners prior to cleaning their teeth, brushing and flossing as they normally would. The aligners themselves can be gently cleaned using a soft-bristled toothbrush and lukewarm water. In general, most patients clean their aligners on a daily basis to minimize bacteria buildup. SureSmile® usually doesn’t require much maintenance beyond the normal dental hygiene it takes to keep your natural teeth in good condition, but Dr Tam and our dental team will go over any necessary aftercare with you during your appointment.
We encourage you to keep up with your aligner check appointments so our team can better ensure you stay on track with your treatment plan. Missed appointments can prolong the time it takes you to achieve your smile goals, potentially delaying the completion of your SureSmile® treatment.
Once you achieve your new smile, you will have to continue wearing a retainer to maintain proper alignment of your jaw and dental arches. Fortunately, patients typically only have to wear their retainers at night while asleep.
How Much Does Suresmile® Cost?
The cost of SureSmile® ranges from $8,500 to $10,000 at our Auckland offices, although this depends on the extent of your concerns and your overall goals. Other factors that may affect your cost estimate include:
- The number of aligners required to achieve your goals
- How consistently you wear your aligners
- The unique details of your individual treatment plan
If desired, we encourage you to ask our friendly office team about dental financing to learn about your payment options.
Do DIY Braces Work?
Although mail-order braces and “do-it-yourself” (DIY) teeth straightening systems are marketed as an alternative to getting braces at the dentist, the truth is these treatments can be ineffective and potentially harmful to your oral health. Since the goal of orthodontics is to realign your jaws and straighten your bite, these treatments should only be undertaken when under the care of a qualified dentist.
Unlike DIY systems, a dentist is able to personally develop your orthodontic plan based on x-rays and imaging technology showing the exact state of your jaw structure. Unfortunately, mail-order braces lack the technology to provide the same custom-tailored service, and many patients are left without options in the event that their teledentistry company goes out of business. In fact, many former patients of SmileDirectClub — a popular option for mail-order braces — were left abandoned right in the middle of their treatment following the company’s bankruptcy. Due to the risks posed by DIY braces, it’s in a patient’s best interest to ensure they’re under the care of a skilled and experienced dental team.
Complements to SureSmile®
By straightening teeth in the upper and lower dental arches, SureSmile® can bring the jaw into a healthier alignment. If there are other cosmetic or functional concerns detracting from your smile, you may consider adding complementary treatments to achieve multiple goals in the same treatment plan. Combination treatment options include:
- Smile Makeover: Incorporating SureSmile® into a comprehensive Smile Makeover can be a strategic way to align and enhance the foundation of the smile before completing other cosmetic or restorative dental treatments. By alleviating crowding and creating more space within the dental arches, there is typically more room for the placement of restorations like crowns and veneers.
- Full Mouth Rehabilitation: Correction of a poor bite (malocclusion) can also be achieved alongside other smile goals — such as tooth replacement and the reparation of damage — in a full mouth rehabilitation. Similar to a Smile Makeover, full mouth reconstruction combines different treatments like dental implants, implant dentures, All-on-4®, dental crowns, bridges, veneers, and/or cosmetic services to restore both form and function. Full mouth reconstruction is typically recommended when patients have extensive damage to their smile, or if they’re experiencing pain/difficulty biting.
Rest assured that our team will speak with you thoroughly about what you hope to achieve with your treatment. If desired, we can help curate a personalized treatment plan to bring the results you envision to fruition.
Are There Alternatives to SureSmile®?
While SureSmile® can be a very effective treatment to straighten teeth, patients who are bothered by minor misalignments in a single tooth may benefit from a porcelain veneer. A custom porcelain veneer can be placed to hide common aesthetic imperfections like discoloration, gaps, chips, and misalignments. While a veneer cannot address extensive crookedness, biting issues, or functional concerns, it can be a simple and convenient solution to conceal a mild tooth misalignment, giving patients the ability to gain a more symmetrical smile in up to two in-office visits. Dr Tam can speak with you about the full breadth of your treatment options after evaluating your needs in person.
Additional SureSmile® FAQs
Can I eat and drink while wearing SureSmile® aligners?
One of the major benefits of SureSmile® is that the system allows patients to eat their favorite foods without interfering with their treatment! However, it’s essential to take out your aligners before consuming any food or drink to avoid damaging them, as well as to prevent the clear material from becoming stained and discolored. If your SureSmile® aligners become warped as a result of eating while they’re in place, this can further prolong your treatment.
Do SureSmile® aligners stain?
While they’re transparent, SureSmile® aligners can become discolored when exposed to staining agents like coffee, wine, tea, blueberries, and pasta sauce. For this reason, it’s very important to remove your aligners before eating and drinking. We also recommend brushing your teeth after meals to further reduce your aligners’ exposure to food particles.
Can I only straighten one row of teeth?
Our dentists do not recommend only treating one row of teeth. Repositioning teeth in one dental arch typically requires adjustments to be made in the adjacent row of teeth to ensure harmonious alignment of your upper and lower jaw. Remember — the lower jaw fits within the confines of the upper jaw. For this reason, we recommend straightening your entire smile at the same time to help facilitate a proper bite and optimal function of your jaw.
Do results from SureSmile® orthodontics last forever?
SureSmile® is designed to correct your smile for the long-term future. Results should last forever as long as you continue to wear your retainer after treatment in prescribed stages. Wearing a retainer helps your teeth remain in a healthy alignment following braces; unfortunately, the teeth can revert back (partially or fully) to their original positioning without a retainer to keep your smile in place.
Does wearing SureSmile® aligners hurt?
While it’s normal to experience an acclimation period at the start of treatment, patients do not usually report pain wearing SureSmile® aligners. As you become used to wearing your aligners, a sensation of light pressure on your teeth is normal — this is typically an indication that your treatment is working. This feeling should resolve as you become accustomed to your aligners.