Weddings are back! From 29th March, small weddings with six attendees can take place, while large scale weddings should be back by June. What’s more, with recent reports suggesting many venues are now booked up for the next two years, it’s time to look ahead.
Award winning Orthodontist Dr Chaw-Su Kyi suggests now is the perfect time for couples to start thinking about their smiles ahead of the big day. “If you want a smile makeover before your wedding, then planning ahead is essential”, says Dr Kyi.
“We have a number of patients who have undergone a smile transformation for their special day”, says Dr Kyi. “Some of our patients are concerned they have left it too late and not enough time left until the big day. It’s never too late to have braces fitted. You can even wear braces on your wedding day – and no-one can know!”
Here Dr Kyi shares her timeline for the perfect smile:
12-18 months before the wedding:
Most of my adult patients opt for Invisalign or lingual braces. Invisalign are a subtle way to straighten your teeth, with removable, transparent ‘aligners’ which are worn over the teeth and provide a wire free alternative to traditional braces. Aligners are removed to eat and drink – perfect for pre-wedding events.
Meanwhile lingual braces are train tracks fitted on the inner surfaces of your teeth. They are invisible, even when you smile. Both Invisalign clear aligners or lingual braces can close gaps or tackle overcrowding.
A full orthodontic treatment can take on average around 12 months, so it’s important to book an appointment with an orthodontist a year before the wedding. However great results can be achieved in as little as three months if time is tighter and the misalignment is relatively minor.
If your treatment is projected to take longer time than you have, both imperceptible lingual braces or removal clear aligners are an effective solution. Some of my patients have even braces removed for the big day, and then re-fitted after their honeymoon. It’s great to come up with a bespoke treatment schedule for my brides and grooms.
6 months before the wedding:
If you’re lucky enough to be getting married this summer, and are worried you haven’t left enough time to transform your smile, take reassurance from a former patient, who I met for the first time five months before her wedding:
“I had lingual braces put on by Dr Chaw Su Kyi 5 months before my wedding. Although my teeth weren’t totally perfect for my big day, they were much straighter and looked great in the photos. Nobody even knew I was wearing braces and I felt much happier about my smile!”
3 months before the wedding:
After your teeth are perfectly in alignment, you might want to think about composite bonding, which I describe as a bit like contouring your teeth. Bonding is usually used to fill chips, fractures or gaps between teeth, or for fixing discolouration. I can help create a natural, uniform smile non-invasively and quickly.
A composite resin (a bit like tooth coloured putty) is attached to a tooth and shaped to restore its original appearance. The colour of the resin is matched to your teeth, so it will appear as though it is a natural part of the tooth. The putty is then hardened using a IV light, meaning the structure of your tooth remains healthy and intact.
1 month before the wedding:
Whitening makes a smile look more dazzling. Have a Philips Zoom chairside tooth whitening treatment a month before the big event, followed by two weeks of home tooth whitening to elevate the colour of your teeth by up to seven shades. Specially made plastic trays are fabricated by the practice to fit your teeth precisely and you place a tiny dot of tooth whitening gel into each section of the tray – one for every tooth. You can wear the trays for an hour or so in the day or overnight so you can lighten up while you sleep.
However, if you haven’t been to the dentist in a while, your treatment may take longer as they will need to make sure there is no underlying gum health problems before whitening, so plan accordingly.
1 week before the wedding
Have a professional dental (hygiene) clean and polish to ensure your mouth is fresh and kissable on your wedding day.
At home tips:
In addition to visiting your orthodontist and dental hygienist before the big day, there are plenty of tweaks you can make to your brushing routine at home to make sure your smile is gleaming.
Don’t brush too hard: Scrubbing the teeth too hard can wear down enamel, not only meaning you have a higher risk of dental decay, but also over time can make your teeth look yellow as the dentine beneath is exposed. Scrubbing can also lead to gum recession, making the teeth look longer (and darker).
Replace your brush:I suggest changing your brush head, or manual toothbrush, every 3-4 months as over time the bristles lose their stiffness and effectiveness at cleaning. Always replace your toothbrush after illness, particularly a strep throat infection. You want to make sure you’re feeling tip top for the wedding.
Reduce staining:Smoking, as well as consuming foods and drinks such as tea (even green teas), coffee, curries, red and white wine, turmeric and colas all can stain the teeth. Try avoid as much as you are able. If you really can’t avoid your favourite tipple, drinking through a straw can help reduce the contact liquids have with your teeth, reducing the staining effect.
If you are consuming staining drinks, don’t linger over them. Try to avoid taking small sips over a long period, or alternatively try drinking sips of water in between sips of staining drink, you’ll stay more hydrated and give your teeth a rinse in between.
Ditch lemon in your water:If you’re on a pre-wedding diet which involves you drinking hot water and lemon, or cider vinegar, be mindful that they are very acidic, and can cause dental erosion. Your teeth may become yellower as a result and your chances of your teeth thinning and chipping may also increase.
Don’t risk DIY:Finally remember that it is actually illegal for anyone other than a specially trained dental professional to offer tooth whitening, and despite the temptation to try DIY tooth straightening kits, it is good to remember that you run the risk of irreparable damage to your teeth and gums – which is the last thing you want to gamble with just before your big day.
Dr Chaw-Su Kyi has recently been announced at the Orthodontic Specialist of the Year, 2020, at the Dentistry and Oral Health Awards.
For further guidance of this nature can be read on Dr Chaw-Su Kyi’s blog on www.westlondonorthodontist.co.uk
