Britons turn to braces to fix teeth
Updated on 26 October 2008
Recession fears are having their impact on people's approach to orthodontistry.
The number of people signing up for old-fashioned braces has grown more quickly than people who opted for newer ways of obtaining the perfect smile.
The number of wonky-toothed Britons who opted for a brace to fix their smiles was up by 345%, to 1,164 in 2007, according to the latest figures from the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD)
More people - 14,500 - still went for porcelain veneers to perfect their teeth, but the figure had not risen from the year before.
The BACD said the rise was due to people trying to cut back and make savings on non-essential items. A spokeswoman said: "There is a very real demand. It is very interesting that people are going for braces instead of grand cosmetic procedures."
Dentists can charge up to £1,000 per tooth to apply dental veneers, but traditional train track braces cost just £1,500. More flattering 'Invisible' braces are more expensive at £4,500, and fast-acting removable ones can be as little as £1,500, according to the BACD.
President Dr David Bloom said the figures has uncovered "some very exciting trends". "This could well be a backlash against the dramatic smile 'overhauls' popularised in makeover shows but may also herald a more subtle, and indeed, cost effective approach to cosmetic dentistry by the industry as a whole," he said.
The figures covered 106,536 procedures in 200 dental practices throughout 2007. Men made up nearly a quarter - 24% - of those who have braces fitted, up from a fifth in 2006, and nearly a third - 32% - of people had veneers put in, up from 28% in 2006.
Some 42% of people who opted for a dental bridge - a false tooth anchored to two neighbouring teeth to hide a gap - were also men. Dentist James Goolnik said: "These results show men have become more accepting of cosmetic surgery, reflecting the importance we now place on a healthy smile."
https://www.bacd.com/home.html(British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry)
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