Welcome to UK Adult Braces
A blog for adults considering or undergoing orthodontic treatment
The orthodontic patients blog
If you are thinking about getting braces, have just started wearing them, have had them for some time or are just interested in orthodontics, this site will be of interest to you. It contains articles on everything from traditional metal braces to the latest lingual braces, Invisalign, invisible braces, clear brackets, retainers, how to get by with braces, the latest advances in orthodontics, new products and services, dental news and exhibitions. There are also links to some great adult braces blogs and video’s, articles written by orthodontists, orthodontic staff and patients, orthodontic academic research and opinion as well as plenty of general information about what it is like to undertake adult orthodontics and how to survive wearing braces.
Image © fotolia.com
What’s on the blog
Wearing braces
Find out what it is really like to have braces as an adult
Information
You will find a large number of posts about braces helping you to make an informed decision about treatment
Interviews
You can get a fascinating insight into the people who work in orthodontics
Braces
Find out about the different types of braces from people who have already undertaken orthodontic treatment
Aligners
Are aligners an alternative to traditional braces, find out more
Bloggers
Read some great posts from other bloggers who have written about their braces experiences
Retainers
Learn about the different types of retainers and what your options might be
News and Research
Articles about orthodontics, services, practices, evidence based orthodontics and treatments
Options and choices
Discover all the options for orthodontic treatment to help you make the right decision
Latest blog posts
Faster orthodontics with MOPs?
In another interesting post from Prof. Kevin O’Brien, he reviews some research undertaken in Jordan looking at whether micro-osteoperforation can speed up tooth movement.
Fixed retainers – a two year review
I’ve had my fixed retainers for a little over two years now. Here is a review of how I’ve been getting on.
Curious about aligner treatment?
Smilelign is a British aligner company based in Sheffield with a large network of dental practices across the UK. They offer the opportunity to try a passive aligner before deciding on whether this type of treatment is suitable for you.
A final braces blog post from Jade
In what is likely to be a final braces post from Jade, she reveals her lovely new smile and some thoughts about getting and wearing braces as an adult. There are several quotes from this post which resonate with my own experiences and those of many of my readers...
Dental Monitoring
A tweet from an orthodontic practice caught my attention this morning. It referred to a new way to remotely monitor orthodontic aligner treatment by taking a photo of your teeth with a smartphone which is then analysed by software which detects tooth movement. The...
A coffee with Dr. Simon Littlewood
Please introduce yourself I'm Simon Littlewood, Consultant & Specialty Lead in Orthodontics at St Luke's Hospital, Bradford. I am also a Senior Clinical Lecturer at Leeds Dental Institute, University of Leeds How does the work of a hospital-based consultant...
British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show
Last week I traveled to Birmingham to attend the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show. This two-day event is one of the largest dental events in the year and encompasses all aspects of dentistry. The event is restricted to those involved in dentistry and is...
3M Clarity Aligners
3M have very recently announced they have entered the aligner market by introducing their own brand of 'Clarity' aligners. Very few details of the aligners are available at the moment but if you are interested in seeing a video on their aligners, click here Image ©...
Self ligating vs conventional brackets
In this short video, you can see the difference between self-ligating and conventional brackets. There is much debate about whether self-ligating brackets offer faster or more comfortable treatment so this is something you will need to discuss with your orthodontist....
What are self-ligating brackets?
In this short video from 3M, you can see what a self-ligating bracket is. There is much debate about the merits of self-ligating brackets and whether they offer faster or more comfortable orthodontic treatment but from a patient perspective, the brackets can appear to...
World Orthodontic Health Day
15th May is World Orthodontic Health Day. The aim of the day is to celebrate the health benefits orthodontics can bring to patients. The World Federation of Orthodontists is behind this initiative and chose the date because this is the anniversary of the formation of...
Number of adults seeking treatment continues to rise
New figures released by The British Orthodontic Society (BOS) to coincide with National Smile Month, which starts on 14th May 2018, reveals the number of adults seeking orthodontic treatment in the UK continues to rise. The survey, conducted in March 2018 among BOS...
Bonded wire retainers
In a recent post by Prof. Kevin O'Brien, the issue of a possible long term problems with bonded wire (fixed) retainers is examined. In the examples shown, it is suggested that the wire retainer has exerted an unfavourable force on one or more teeth possibly as a...
We are on Instagram
We are now on Instagram! I was sorting through some orthodontic photos over the weekend in preparation for some new posts coming over the next week or two and realised I had a large nunber of great pictures taken at events I have attended over the last few years. I...
Why we chose metal braces
Isabelle has produced some great adult braces videos and to finish her series off, she has asked some other brace wearers to share their insights on having orthodontic treatment. In this video, she asks why they chose to have metal braces....
8 things I wish I knew before getting Invisalign
In another great video from Lucie, she talks about her experiences with Invisalign and the 8 things she wished she knew before getting Invisalign. https://youtu.be/1vdKZij0t9g
Orthodontic special offers
In just about every other industry, you will find seasonal or product special offers and orthodontics is no exception. Every January, a time when we all like to make some New Year resolutions that we may or may not stick to, quite a few orthodontic practices promote...
A braces update from Jade
In another great blog post, Jade talks about what she has learned from having braces. She talks about confidence and pride which is something many adult braces wearers can relate to. You can read her post here Her other posts can be found here
Invisalign tips from Lucie
In another great video from Lucie, she provides tips and advice based on her first few weeks with Invisalign. https://youtu.be/r-K0lhJBfYo
Ugly metal braces?
A while ago, I saw a tweet from one orthodontic practice who used the words 'ugly metal braces'. As a former brace wearer who chose to have metal brackets rather than other options, I took exception to this and challenged the wording used. The tweet quickly...
Can vibration speed up orthodontic treatment?
If you were to ask an adult patient what experience they wanted from orthodontic treatment, I'm sure many would answer that they wanted it completed as quickly as possible. Manufacturers or various orthodontic systems and devices are well aware of this and you will...