La Habra/Chino Hills, CA – Straight teeth. Less time. Clear braces. Sounds great, right? This is what Six Month Smiles claims to provide for patients – a clear and aesthetically pleasing braces option for adults that will straighten your smile in only six months. But is it too good to be true?

“Six Month Smiles claims to be a modern twist on tried and true orthodontics,” says Dr. Robert Gire of Gire Orthodontics, an orthodontist serving the Chino Hills and La Habra areas. “But, Six Month Smiles is essentially a braces in a box kit, and all it takes to become a provider is to attend a two-day seminar. Any dentist can begin using Six Month Smiles after only two days. The reason why you won’t ever hear a board certified orthodontist claiming that their treatment will move teeth faster than anyone or anything else is because we have the experience to know that every case is different, and every patient is different.”

So, can Six Month Smiles actually work like it claims?

The answer is yes and no.

Six Month Smiles may be able to straighten crooked teeth, but it isn’t ideal for every orthodontic patient. The most ideal candidates for this type of quick treatment are patients who have a good bite with their back teeth, but misalignment in the front teeth, or issues of mild crowding or spacing.

“Short-term orthodontic treatment such as Six Month Smiles often only focuses on the front teeth,” says Dr. Gire. “So, your front teeth might appear straight in only six months, but you may still be left with a terrible bite.”

What some people may not understand is that the goal of orthodontics isn’t just to provide a prettier smile. While that is a primary benefit, the ultimate goal is to provide a properly functioning bite. And to get that, you need the most ideal treatment in the hands of the best trained orthodontist.

The braces used in Six Month Smiles are no different than the braces used in any orthodontist’s office. There isn’t anything about them that make teeth move any faster than other braces. The simple truth of the matter is that the rate at which our teeth move is dependent not necessarily on the type of braces used, but on the body’s own natural processes. The bones and ligaments surrounding the teeth move at different rates for each patient. So, while the speed at which your teeth will move may be different than the speed at which your best friend’s teeth move, your teeth will most likely move at the same rate no matter what braces you use.

Short term orthodontic treatments, such as Six Month Smiles, focus on the cosmetic, aligning the front teeth only. If that is your only goal, then you can most likely be done with treatment in just six months, no matter what treatment option you use. But just because your smile looks straighter doesn’t mean it is healthier or will function better.

For patients with very minor issues, treatment may only require six months. But, some cases are complex and after only six months, you may feel your bite is even worse than it was before. If your teeth were crowded before treatment, you may find that they are flared out too much after six months. Or what had been a small overbite is now a large overbite.

The key to knowing whether Six Month Smiles will be effective is to be able to know the severity of the case. And only a certified orthodontist has the training and expertise to know when six months is long enough, and when it just simply isn’t.

“I’ve treated patients in only six months before,” says Dr. Gire. “But that isn’t every patient, because every patient is different. Every malocclusion is different. Every mouth responds differently to treatment. I can’t guarantee that six months is enough time for me to correct the bite and for the patient to have an ideally functioning smile.”

For some patients, Six Month Smiles may provide them the result they want. But for other patients, it may actually worsen their bite and lead them to seek out treatment from an orthodontist. An attempt to save time and money may actually cost more than you bargained for.

To get the best results, schedule a consultation with a board certified orthodontist who will have the knowledge to properly diagnose your malocclusion and determine which type of braces treatment is best for you.

To schedule a consultation and learn more about the braces option that is right for you, call Gire Orthodontics today at 562-690-1199 (La Habra office) or 909-393-9911 (Chino Hills office).