Orthodontic Treatments
What is orthodontic treatment?
Orthodontics is a dental specialty focused on aligning your bite and straightening your teeth.
You might need to see an orthodontist if you have crooked, overlapped, twisted or gapped teeth. Common orthodontic treatments include traditional braces, clear aligners and removable retainers.
- Gradually moving the teeth from their place, and getting a smile in which the teeth are aligned regularly
- Improving the occlusion of the jaws and the occlusion of the teeth of the upper jaw and lower jaw to each other
- Expanding the jaws or returning the prominent front teeth to the back
Orthodontics consists of:
- Small pieces of metal (braces) are attached directly to the tooth, usually hollow on the inside and with a hook that opens.
- A metal wire is inserted into the middle of the metal pieces attached to the tooth, to connect all the braces attached to the teeth of the jaw, and this wire is tightened from time to time to bring the teeth closer together
Sometimes the orthodontist may use other tools and techniques with orthodontic treatment, such as jaw expanders and implants that improve the appearance of the jawbones and extend the occlusion and smile line.
Types of orthodontics
If you want to resort to braces or if you are going to install braces, here is a list of the types of braces that you can choose between according to the situation and in agreement with the dentist
Traditional metal orthodontics
This type of braces is the most common type, and the braces here are made of all-metal. Of all the types of braces, metal braces are the least expensive, and often the fastest and most effective
lingual orthodontics
One of the types of orthodontics that some may prefer because they are completely hidden behind the teeth is what is called lingual braces or internal braces Here the orthodontic cradles are attached to the inner side of the tooth and are not visible, as well as the wire is passed through these cradles from the back of the teeth
Ceramic orthodontics
This type of orthodontic is characterized by that the orthodontic cradles that are attached to the tooth are made of a light-colored ceramic material, or even take the color of the teeth. They are not easily noticed on the teeth, but this comes with a cost, as ceramic braces are expensive and must be cleaned carefully so as not to change their color. It is worth noting here that ceramic braces help to move teeth faster than transparent braces
Clear orthodontics
This type consists of a complete transparent mold that is specially designed for the patient’s teeth, and it is changed every two weeks. The entire orthodontic trip here needs approximately 18-30 different molds that are changed every several weeks with the change of distances between the teeth and the change of occlusion as the teeth move from their place, although This type of orthodontic is almost transparent and not noticed by others, it may be expensive and not suitable for all cases, and it may take a very long time to achieve the desired results.
Metal Braces
Ceramic Braces
Lingual Braces
Invisalign
(clear aligner)
orthodontic period
- The question that constantly arises is how long the orthodontic may take to achieve the desired results. In general, there is no unified answer to this question, as it varies from person to person depending on several factors, such as
- Age.
- The nature of the problem that the orthodontist must address.
- Types of orthodontics used.
- Spaces and spaces between the teeth.
- The health of the teeth, mouth, jaws, and gums.
- The extent to which the patient adheres to the doctor’s instructions accurately.
- In general, the duration of orthodontics ranges between 1-3 years
Maintaining & cleaning your dental braces:
After installing braces, it is preferable to follow the following steps and tips to protect the braces from any damage and to be able to achieve the results you want in a faster period
- Avoid food that may stick to the gums and teeth, such as hard candy, popcorn, chewing gum.
- Avoid various sugary and soft drinks in particular, which may damage the tooth enamel.
- Do not neglect dentist appointments, and always go to see your doctor on time.
- Brush your teeth thoroughly after each meal with a toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss (or toothpicks designed specifically for orthodontics).
- Make sure to make an appointment to brush your teeth with your dentist at least twice a year.
after completion of orthodontic treatment:
After removing the calendar and obtaining the desired result, there is a final stage that should not be neglected, which is the stage of installation
Here, a special tool called a dental retainer is designed, which is worn after the completion of the braces to prevent the teeth from returning to their places and keeping them fixed. There are two known types of dental retainers, namely:
- Removable dental retainers: It is usually in the form of metal wires or a plastic mold that can be worn or removed at any time
- Fixed dental retainers: They are usually attached to the back of the teeth with an adhesive, and are the most effective
Often adults have to wear a dental retainer for life to maintain the results, which is not entirely bad, with time a person gets used to having a dental retainer in his mouth without any pain or discomfort.