Nowadays, more and more people are having braces to make their teeth straighter. Being able to smile with confidence is great. Also, crooked, crowded teeth can be more tricky to clean which could make you more prone to tooth decay and gum disease. Teeth that don’t come together correctly can make it difficult to chew properly or cause problems with your speaking.

Braces are cool these days – loads of kids want them. Although “train-tracks”, let’s face it, are a bit ugly, your teeth will look great for life after you have had them taken off. Also, there are new braces that aren’t so obvious. Usually braces are done when you are a teenager (see the teenage section for special notes on this) because the jaw bones are growing but you can still get them done as an adult – it just takes longer.

If you have braces on your teeth, it will be more difficult to clean them properly - so you will need to spend a bit longer doing it. You may need to use special brushes to get into the nooks and crannies. It is really important you use Fluoride toothpaste.

Braces are usually taken care of by an orthodontist – your dentist can refer you to them.
Braces are not always available on the NHS – only usually the worse cases – but speak to your orthodontist. If you don’t know one, see if our find a dentist section can help you.