Orthodontics
Orthodontics is the dental specialty that deals with creating a healthy bite—straight teeth that properly meet opposing teeth in the opposite jaw—by correcting improperly positioned teeth and jaws.
Teeth that are crooked, crowded, spaced too far apart or meet in an abnormal manner (open bite, under bite, overbite, cross bite) can affect us in several ways:
- Detracts from one's appearance
- Affect speech
- Impede chewing action
- Makes it difficult to maintain proper oral hygiene which raises the risk of tooth and gum decay/disease
Crowding
Open bite
Cross bite
Under bite
Over bite
The most commonly used devices by your dentist to guide your teeth to their proper position are braces (fixed) and aligners (removable):
Braces
Dental braces are fixed dental devices (cannot be removed for eating or cleaning) that comprise of small metal brackets bonded to the front of the teeth and joined together with fine metal wires. Tightening these wires imparts tension on the teeth, gradually moving them to their proper position. Your dentist will make these adjustments to your braces monthly in order to bring about the desired results, which may be achieved within a few months to a few years.
There is no age limit for using braces. As long as you have good periodontal health, young and old patients can use braces to correct their bite.
Today's braces are smaller, lighter and show far less metal than in the past. They come in several types:
- Traditional metal-wired braces are the most common type. They are made of stainless-steel, titanium or a combination thereof. Titanium braces are lighter are also more suitable for patients allergic to nickel in steel braces. However, they are more expensive.
- "Clear" braces, made of natural tooth-colored ceramic or plastic materials, are a cosmetic alternative to traditional metal braces but functionally similar. They blend in more with the natural teeth color and are less conspicuous.
- Lingual braces are another cosmetic alternative in which custom-made braces are bonded to the back of the teeth making them externally invisible.
Aligners
Aligners are removable dental devices that are an alternative to traditional braces. Similar to braces, aligners use a gradual force to guide teeth to their proper position, but without brackets and metal wires.
Aligners are made of a strong plastic material which makes them virtually invisible. They are custom-fit to the patient’s mouth and are changed every three weeks to have the desired effect. The total length of treatment is specific to each patient and could be anywhere from three weeks to six months.
Advantages of orthodontic treatment with aligners:
- Can be removed for eating, brushing and flossing
- Easier to keep them clean
- Are comfortable and less likely to irritate gums
- Prevents tooth wear from grinding
- Helps patients with previous orthodontic treatment make minor corrections
Retainers
Once the teeth are in their right positions due to orthodontic therapy, devices called retainers help preserve and stabilize them long enough to permit the reorganization and strengthening of the teeth’s supporting structures. If the retainer is not worn for the amount of time suggested by the dentist, there is a possibility for the teeth to move back to their previous misaligned position.