Orthodontic treatment works by straightening or moving your teeth, to improve the appearance of your smile. This treatment can also help with the long-term health of your teeth, gums, and jaw joints.
The Goal of Orthodontics
Although most people believe that braces are used for aesthetic purposes, the main goal of orthodontics is to help the patient achieve optimal oral health. Orthodontics moves the teeth and jaws into their proper positions to create a healthy and functional bite. This treatment will improve the appearance of crowded, crooked, or gapped teeth as well as beautify your smile.
Why should I have orthodontic treatment?
As humans evolved, our jaws changed shape and size, causing crowded or crooked teeth. Orthodontic treatment will straighten the teeth or move them into a better position. Improving your smile also helps the way the teeth bite together, making them easier to clean. When the teeth don't meet correctly, this can put strain on the muscles of the jaw, causing jaw and joint problems and sometimes headaches. The benefits of orthodontics can include:
Correction of dental crowding and straightening of your teeth
Correction of your bite so the front and back teeth meet evenly
Reducing the chance of damage to prominent teeth
Orthodontics can also help in the treatment of other health problems, such as cleft lip and palate.
What's the best age to have braces?
The age of 12-13 is when the child’s mouth and jaws are still growing, making it the ideal time for braces. Although adults can also have orthodontics, due to limited room for improvement, treatment is likely to take longer.
How does orthodontics work?
Braces will move your teeth into the correct position by constant pressure, as well as encourage the shape of your jaw to adapt and conform to this constant pressure. There are different types of teeth braces for adults and children. Each of them comprises several components that work together to correct crowded or crooked teeth. Braces will cause pressure to your membrane (what connects your teeth to your jaw and controls their position), and move your teeth accordingly. The brackets glued to the teeth hold the archwire in place which places pressure on the teeth. Over time teeth move into the desired position.
Types of orthodontic treatment
Orthopedics will use a brace to correct the position of your teeth. Depending on your specific teeth problem, your dentist will offer treatment options. In a small number of cases, you may have to wear headgear or have small screws placed temporarily in your jaw as well as wearing a brace. If your teeth are very close together, causing them to twist or overlap, you may also need to have some teeth removed as part of your treatment. Different parts of your orthodontics include:
Bracket adhesion: Brackets are attached to your cleaned teeth using glue. You may be given the choice between stainless steel, ceramic, or plastic brackets. Although these brackets are responsible for applying pressure to your teeth, they won’t cause any significant pain. Having brackets attached to your teeth may feel uncomfortable.
Bands: The O-ring elastic bands are placed around your brackets, which apply extra pressure on your jaw to move it into place.
Spacers: The rubber bands or metal rings are usually placed between your molars. They work by adding space at the back of your mouth to push your jaw forward. These may only be used for 2 weeks at a time.
Archwires: Archwires connect the brackets to your teeth, serving as the mechanism through which pressure is applied. They can be made of stainless steel, nickel-titanium or copper-titanium.
Buccal tubes: These metal components can be connected to one of your molars. They anchor the other parts of the braces together at the back of your mouth, allowing your orthodontist to tighten or release them.
Springs: In some cases, coil springs are attached to the archwires of your braces. They exert pressure between two of your teeth to add space between them.
How long do braces take to work?
Although orthodontics works differently for everyone, it usually takes about 2 years to complete. But depending on the severity of misalignment in your teeth, treatment may be less than 12 months or up to 3 years. You should be given a more detailed estimate before starting treatment. Following treatment, you will need to wear a retaining brace. The retainer should be worn every night, for at least 12 months. Sometimes a thin wire may be permanently fixed behind your teeth to keep them in place.
Conclusion
In conclusion, orthodontics is a specialized field of dentistry that focuses on diagnosing, preventing, and treating dental and facial abnormalities. It works by applying gentle, constant pressure on the teeth to move them into their desired positions over time. This is typically achieved using devices like braces or aligners. The process involves the repositioning of the teeth, changes in the jawbone, and the manipulation of the periodontal ligament. It’s important to remember that each patient’s orthodontic treatment is different, and the treatment duration depends on the severity of the case, the age of the patient, and the specific treatment method used. Regular visits to the orthodontist are crucial to monitor progress and make necessary adjustments.