Orthodontics with clear braces

Who are orthodontists?

Orthodontists are dentists who specialise in correcting misaligned teeth. Teeth straightening treatments can be carried out both in youth and adulthood, and in addition to aesthetic benefits they are intended to bring about functional improvements. In most cases, aesthetic corrections are carried out in adulthood, as many adults do not like crooked teeth.

Orthodontics for children

There are various orthodontic treatments for correcting malocclusions in kids and teenagers, and aligners are growing in popularity among this age group.

There are slight differences between orthodontics for children and for adults. This is mostly due to the fact that young people's jaws are still growing, which often makes certain movements easier to achieve compared to adults.

Braces for kids

What do orthodontists do?

Misaligned teeth, such as a tooth gap or crowded teeth, can be corrected in different ways. However, it is important that the periodontium is healthy, as this is essential for moving the teeth without any problems, even at an advanced age. With orthodontic treatment, you can get the smile you’ve always wanted. In addition, after the treatment your teeth will be easier to clean and you will be better able to prevent tooth decay and inflammation of the gums and your bite will be stronger.

Dental corrections in the past

In 1836, Friedrich Christian Kneisel wrote the first textbook on orthodontics (teeth straightening). In 1858, John Nutting Farrar was the first dentist to recommend applying forces to teeth over a long period of time to straighten them. The first textbooks on orthodontics appeared around 1880. At that time, the aids consisted of brace bands with screws attached to the tooth, which were later supplemented by elastic bands. In the 1860s, the multiband technique was introduced and is still used today. Brackets and wire arches, which form fixed braces, are typical characteristics of this technique.

bestsmile teeth straightening

Teeth straightening today

In addition to the fixed braces mentioned above, there are also removable braces. A distinction is made between activator appliances, bionators (braces made of metal and plastic that use the strength of the mouth muscles) and aligners. While activator appliances and bionators are mostly used for children, aligners are very popular among adults. Once the jaw is fully grown, removable braces are no longer able to shift the teeth. However, fixed braces and dental aligners exert enough pressure to move teeth by a few millimetres even in adulthood.

The method of correcting teeth with transparent and removable dental splints was developed by Harold D. Kesling in 1945. At that time, the splints were still made of rubber. In 1999, the Invisalign system was introduced to the US market. With this system, dental aligners are made of transparent PET using 3D printing and are customised to fit the patient's teeth. In 2017, when Invisalign lost its intellectual property rights to manufacture these aligners, other companies around the world started offering this type of orthodontic treatment. bestsmile Aligner braces have been available in Switzerland since 2018 and offer discreet teeth straightening with a Swiss quality product.

Modern orthodontics in your city

bestsmile is at the cutting edge of digital dentistry. With our technique, unpleasant dental impressions with alginate or silicone are no longer necessary. Instead, we make a state-of-the-art 3D scan without the patient feeling any discomfort. With this scan, we can simulate your before and after results and show them to you in advance.

Book an appointment

You’ve always wanted to straighten your teeth and are looking for the ideal orthodontic treatment in Zurich, Bern, Basel, St. Gallen or Geneva? With bestsmile, you can have your dental treatment in your city, as our practices are located all throughout Switzerland in over 30 locations.