Familiarize Yourself With Different Orthodontic Treatments
Posted on: 7 May 2015
If you have poorly positioned or crowded teeth, an orthodontist can help restore your smile. This not only improves your appearance, but it also restores the bite of your teeth and ensures your jawbones get the necessary support to prop up your facial structures. Once you make an appointment with an orthodontist, they can prescribe various forms of treatment depending on your condition. These treatments include:
Traditional braces
Traditional braces are the most popular of all orthodontic treatments. They consist of a wire arc that goes around plastic/enamel/metal support brackets on the teeth. The wire is tightened every month to pull the teeth into the desired position. Today, contemporary braces consist of multicolored braces for children and clear braces that are better suited for adults.
Invisalign braces
Invisalign braces are a much newer technology compared to traditional braces. Instead of having a metal configuration wired around your teeth, Invisalign braces simply consist of a clear plastic tray molded after your teeth. They are discrete and removable. The braces hold your teeth in place, controlling their growth as planned by the dentist. To keep up with the changes in your teeth formation, these braces are changed every two weeks.
Retainers
Retainers are meant to 'retain' the position of your teeth and prevent malpositioning. As a result, most people are advised to wear retainers after having used traditional braces. This allows your jaw bone to adjust to the teeth changes. Retainers are also ideal for older patients as they prevent the jaw bone from changing the positioning of the teeth in old age. Unlike braces, retainers do not need to be changed. They can also be worn part-time, such as only when sleeping.
Appliances
Appliances are attachments affixed to the teeth to help control the direction of the teeth. They consist of wire and metal braces tied around the molar teeth. Appliances can be used for a number of treatments. When the wire is placed outside, they are used to prevent teeth from growing outwardly. The opposite can be done to prevent teeth from growing inwardly. At other times, wires can be crossed in between teeth to avoid leaning or caving in. Appliances can also be used as a minimalistic approach of controlling the growth of several teeth only.
Headgear
Use of head gear is another orthodontic treatment, though not as common today. It involves attachment straps that go around the head and connect to brackets worn around the teeth. Headgear is used to control teeth growth direction and prevent sn incorrect bite. They are worn temporarily at various times of the day to avoid hindering other functions like eating or playing.
After examination, an orthodontist like Denticheck will prescribe the ideal treatment plan for you. This may involve using one or several of the treatments listed above.
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