Do you need an orthodontic appliance and want to know if there are any inconspicuous models? Or are you afraid that what you already have is too flashy? If you are waiting for the new device or are simply already wearing it, you can, respectively, get a decent one or practice some tricks to hide what you already have.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Minimize the Appearance of the Appliance
Step 1. Be aware of what it means to eat certain foods
There are some foods that draw attention to the appliance, especially when you eat them in public. Avoid particularly chewy ones like donuts or licorice. They can get stuck in their teeth, drawing attention to the mouth and creating rather awkward situations. Also avoid all those that are too sticky, as they remain stuck between the teeth, catching the eye of your interlocutor, in addition to the fact that they can also cause damage to the wires and brackets of the appliance itself.
If you are aware of the fact that food can get stuck in the appliance, when you are in public eat foods that do not have this tendency, such as apples, bananas, cold cuts, pasta, cheese, puddings and muffins. These allow you to eat in the presence of other people without fear of showing the appliance dirty with food residues
Step 2. Smile with your mouth closed
If you feel unsure of what your teeth look like with the appliance, smile without showing them. In this way, orthodontics cannot be seen and you will feel more at ease when you are in the company of your friends. Make sure the smile with your mouth closed looks natural. If you feel uncomfortable when you smile like that, people will notice it even more and want to understand why.
Practice and practice smiling with your mouth closed if you can't do it spontaneously. This will help make it better and more genuine
Step 3. Change the look of the hair
By changing your hairstyle you divert the attention of other people from the mouth, which will focus on other parts of the face. Try a new haircut. Cut them shorter, layered or make bangs. You can also try a new color, risk even a rather original one such as pink, teal or purple. If you want something less extreme, just style them differently; try making them curly or tying them in an elaborate braid. So the focus will be on your new look and not on the device. This way, people will focus on your striking appearance and forget about your orthodontics.
- You can also add some accessories in the hair, such as headbands, a beret, a hat or bows, in order to shift the attention away from the mouth and add a nice extra touch to your outfit.
- By doing so, you can also increase your self-esteem a little, which is particularly useful at a time like this when the device can affect you a little. Enjoy the attention focused on you thanks to something new and different than the device. If you don't draw attention to that, people will notice less.
Step 4. Put on a bright eyeshadow
If you wear make-up, try to brighten up your eyes with a bright and vibrant make-up. You can put on a new one, in cheerful colors such as blue, teal or purple, which will draw attention to the color of the eyes. You can also try a smoky eye make-up, which will draw attention to the intensity of your eyes. The important thing is that you enjoy it and that the makeup matches your personality. This will make people forget your braces in their mouths, as their attention will be on your new vibrant make-up.
- Don't go overboard with the makeup, though. You have to emphasize your beauty without bordering on ridicule.
- If you don't use make-up, try wearing tinted glasses or sunglasses so you draw attention to the eyes in the same way.
Step 5. Avoid lip gloss
This reflects the light, makes the lips shiny, highlighting the metal of the appliance even more and drawing attention to this area of the face, nullifying all your efforts. Instead, try wearing a light, matte lipstick, one similar to the color of your lips. Eventually you can do without lipstick altogether. This way, the lips will look natural and normal, so that people look elsewhere on your face and don't particularly focus on this area.
Don't wear brightly colored lipsticks like red. You would draw attention to the mouth even more, making your effort to hide the device useless
Method 2 of 2: Get an inconspicuous appliance
Step 1. Get a clear orthodontic appliance
When you have to put the appliance, usually the metal one is the traditional option. However, there are some new technologies that make it possible to make appliances look better. Ask your orthodontist about an invisible appliance. It is a ceramic model, the brackets are made of metal, but the plates fixed to the teeth are of light colored ceramic material. This is much closer to the color of the teeth and is not very visible, so that the appliance hides more easily and is more camouflaged than traditional ones.
- Ceramic is a bit more fragile than metal, but this shouldn't create too many problems, as the brackets can be changed during any check-up at the orthodontist. However, more brittle materials can lead to slower improvement. Ceramic attachments need to be more flexible as they may break under excessive pressure.
- These braces cost more than metal ones, so if you're on a tight budget, they may not be the best fit for you. Eventually you can choose to get a ceramic appliance to put only on the front teeth, while for the rest you can put it in metal. In this way, the metal is not visible in the front part of the mouth and at the same time partially reduces the overall cost of the device.
Step 2. Find out about the lingual appliance
The main problem with metal tie rods is that they are visible in the mouth. The lingual appliance, on the other hand, has hidden supports; it is very popular in Europe and is now gaining popularity in the United States as well. These brackets are placed on the inside of the teeth instead of on the outside. They perform the same function as traditional braces, but each bracket is customized and fixed to each tooth. It is a model that also provides for the use of elastics on the sides. These supports are invisible from the outside, thus hiding the device.
- It is a type of device, however, which is not as comfortable as traditional ones, due to its location. The tongue probably keeps hitting him creating constant discomfort. It is also much more difficult to clean due to the position it is in; cleaning the inner edge of the teeth is much more difficult than the outer area.
- It is also possible to develop mild lazy pronunciation with this brace model. Since it is located on the inside of the teeth, the tongue must learn to work in a different way, in a more limited space.
- It is also much more expensive because each bracket has to be custom built for each tooth. It is also less common, so you need to find an orthodontist who has the knowledge and qualifications to provide you with this model.
Step 3. Put on the clear orthodontic aligners
These supports are almost totally invisible and remain well hidden. Instead of the classic wire and bracket construction, these brackets are custom clear aligners. They consist of virtually created molds that follow the shape of the teeth and allow them to be realigned thanks to a gradual change in shape over time. They are removable, cause less irritation and minimal discomfort when you start wearing them, compared to traditional braces. Since they can be removed easily, they have the advantage of allowing you to brush your teeth, floss and eat unhindered, unlike traditional braces. You can also play sports and play wind instruments without risking injury, because there are no stirrups and threads in the mouth.
- This type of device is used only in cases that require moderate realignment. It does not have the same capabilities as other appliances, so it can only be used in certain orthodontic situations.
- However, it is a rather expensive type of appliance due to the advanced technology used, especially if the aligners have to be positioned in an unusual way. Sometimes you have to wait even more than a month, after the first dentist appointment, before it is made because aligners often have to be built off-site.
