Straight Teeth for Your Wedding

Are you preparing for your wedding? First, let’s start with our heartfelt congratulations.

Preparing for your wedding is exciting. You’ll want to choose a beautiful dress, a smart suit or something more casual. You’ll want to think about room décor, your vows and the guest list and seating plan. Your wedding should reflect your personality, starting your marriage in the best possible way.

Understandably, people want to look their best on their wedding day. They want to feel confident, so they’ll pay for things like professional hair styling and makeup. They’ll think about those little accessories, from the right pair of cufflinks to buttonholes. You’ll want the same as your big day draws near. You might even have thought about straightening your teeth, so you’ll love your smile as it shines from your wedding photo album.

If you’re thinking about straighter teeth for your wedding, our guide can help answer the questions you’re likely to have.

What teeth straightening options are available?

Most people, in the search for straighter teeth, choose between clear aligners and traditional braces.

Traditional braces are fixed in place, with brackets fixed to your teeth and metal wires stretched between them.

Clear aligners can be removed. They’re clear plastic trays that fix over your teeth to gradually move them into place.

A third option is to use lingual braces that fix to the back of your teeth. These can’t be seen, but work in a similar way to traditional braces. Lingual braces are fixed in place, and more costly than removable appliances.

If you’re preparing for your wedding, you’ve already got a lot to think about. You can start clear aligner treatment from home and manage your progress on your own. Clear aligners are also the more affordable option, which might help when you’ve got a tight wedding budget to stick to.

Some people want traditional braces, though you’ll likely need to wear these for longer.

There’s no quick fix when you’re preparing for your wedding, but clear aligners are usually best if you want to feel great on your wedding day.

Is it too late to get straight teeth for my wedding?

If you’re thinking about using clear aligners, it’s best to start as soon as you can. The average treatment plan lasts for six months, so start straightening your teeth with clear aligners at least half a year before your wedding.

Can I rush through teeth straightening treatment?

If your wedding’s drawing near, you might be tempted to rush through the rest of your treatment. If you’re just starting, you might want to progress faster than providers recommend. Always stick to your provider’s treatment plan, as rushing too much can damage your gums and leave your teeth permanently loose. Every part of your plan has been carefully designed to keep you safe and maximize results.

Though many providers will send all your aligners in one go at the start, they’ll typically advise wearing each set for two weeks before you move on. This gives your teeth time to move, and also important time to settle. Your gums can heal before you move on, so any improvements are more permanent.

What if I have less than six months before my wedding day?

Don’t worry if you’ve waited too long to get started with teeth straightening treatment. Though traditional braces would be on show, clear aligners are almost invisible. Even if you haven’t finished your treatment, your aligners will be very discreet. Nobody will notice if you’re wearing clear aligners on your wedding day, so if you’re still in the middle of treatment it won’t be a problem at all.

How can clear aligners fit into my budget?

Weddings are expensive. The costs quickly add up and can leave you feeling like there’s not much room for extra expense.

If you’re preparing for your wedding and budgeting carefully, but you still want straighter teeth, then you could consider spreading the costs with a payment plan. Most aligner providers will let you pay monthly after you’ve paid your deposit, so you can start treatment straight away but pay for your aligners in instalments.

What about eating with clear aligners?

You can’t eat, or drink things other than water, whilst you’re wearing clear aligners. You’ll need to wear them for 22 hours every day, just removing them for mealtimes.

If you’re still progressing through treatment on the day you get married, just find somewhere quiet to remove your aligners and set them aside whilst you eat. At night, consider keeping them out whilst you’re celebrating with some extra drinks. Just make sure that you brush your teeth well, then reinsert your aligners when you’re ready to settle for the night.

How else can I boost my smile for my wedding day?

Clear aligners are a great way to give your smile a boost for your wedding day. If you’ve got time to complete your treatment, your teeth will be straight in all your photographs. Even if you’ve left it a bit late, it’s better to make a small amount of progress than to make no progress at all. Of course, there are other ways to boost your smile for your wedding day.

Why not consider whitening your teeth, so they’re looking their best in wedding photographs? You can choose from professional teeth whitening, or a home whitening kit. Some providers of clear aligners will even include these in your treatment pack!

Will I need regular appointments?

Most clear aligner treatment is offered remotely, so you won’t need to schedule appointments. When you’re rushing from clothes fittings to meetings with florists, it’s helpful to have one less thing to think about. In most cases, you’ll download an app that will ask you to occasionally check-in. When it’s time to check-in, just take a few photographs and send a quick update with your smartphone.

Whilst it’s easy to progress through your treatment at home, remember to keep scheduling your regular appointments with your usual dentist. They’re an extra opportunity to spot any issues and make sure your dental hygiene is on track. On the big day, sealing your vows with a kiss, you’ll want to know that your teeth are in ideal condition.

If you'd like to check out options for at-home clear aligners, use our clear aligner provider tool here.