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Braces

Why Dental Braces ?

Dental braces are wire-based appliances that we use to correct crowded and misaligned teeth or jaws. The goal is to provide proper alignment of your teeth and jaws to produce an even bite and pleasing smile. Braces are not worn for just cosmetic and improving self-confidence, there are other very important dental health reasons to it. Malocclusion, miss-alignment of teeth or improper bite can cause difficulty in chewing, difficulty in speaking, wearing of enamel, excess stress put onto the gum tissues and surrounding bone. In addition to it, it also leads to difficulty in cleaning your teeth, which can put you at risk for tooth decay and gum disease.

How do Orthodontics work in Brace?

What is orthodontics ? Here’s a full definition that just might have you rethinking your smile. It is a branch of dentistry that prevents, diagnose and treats dental and facial irregularities. It safely moves teeth into proper alignment, guide facial development and ensure healthy growth of the jaw.

Appliances in Orthodontic Treatment

Orthodontic treatment involves fixed or removal appliances. Depending on how severe your teeth condition is, we will advise you on which approach is the right one for you.

Fixed Appliances

  • Metal Braces
  • Ceramic Braces

Removable Appliances

  • Clear Aligner
  • Essix retainer, Hawley’s retainer and etc.

Types of Dental Braces
Metal Passive Self-Ligating Braces
These braces use a specialized clip in place of elastics to secure the archwire in place and reduce the friction and force applied onto teeth. With self-ligating braces, tooth movement can be faster and may require fewer adjustment appointments.
Ceramic Passive-Self Ligating Braces
Ceramic braces function in the same way as metal braces except they are clear, making them less visible. These braces are great for adults or older teenagers who have cosmetic concerns regarding braces. However, they require a higher level of oral hygiene as ceramic braces are larger and more fragile than metal braces.

The Process Of Getting Braces

Knowing exactly what is going to happen while getting the braces on or ways to maintain the braces is a great way to alleviate some of the anxiety and make sure that you are properly prepared for your new braces. It is important to note that each person will have a slightly different experience, based on their specific and custom-made treatment plan. However, never fear!! We have your complete guide to getting braces.

CONSULTATION

Your first meeting with us will be the consultation.We will look at your teeth and determine what need to be done in order to straighten your teeth and would you benefit from an orthodontic treatment. Based on that, we would then take orthodontic records like x-rays, moulds and some photographs in order to design the best treatment plan for you.

DESIGNING TREATMENT
After the consultation, we will design a treatment that is specific to your needs. Not every person has an underbite or an overbite, and not every person has gaps in their teeth or overcrowding. Each mouth is different and treatment must be specific to the individual in order to work properly.

PLACING THE BRACES

This initial appointment will be much longer than any of the future appointments. It involves conditioning the surface of the teethto provide a place to cement on the brackets. Followed by cementing the brackets based on predetermined positions. After which the first wire would be placed.

INSERTING THE WIRE

Once the brackets are in place, the wire is to be inserted into the bracket slots. We will start out with a semicircle of wire which is cut it to the right length, with bends or kinks inserted into the wire in order to create leverage over the teeth. This will help the teeth to move faster into the correct position. The wire is then placed into the brackets and the doors of the brackets are closed to hold the wire in place.

DISCUSSION OF ORAL CARE

We will then go into the depth of oral care discussion with you. We willteach you about how to brush your teeth, what kind of toothpaste to use, and may even advise on special tooth brushes in order to make cleaning your teeth and brackets easier. Interdental brush are commonly used to help remove food particle and bacteria from around the brackets and in between the wire and your teeth.

ADJUSTMENT

After the wire has been placed, there is usually a period of tentative four weeks before the next adjustment. During an adjustment, we remove the wire, bends it again, or inserts a new wire. This new wire will be slightly stronger or have a different configuration than the last wire, in order to continue moving the teeth. Each time you go in for an adjustment, the dentist will insert a slightly different wire based on the needs. This is to pull or push the teeth in a certain desired way.

DENTIST APPOINTMENT

During the time you wear braces, it is very important to stay on top of your dentist appointments. Regular 6 monthly scaling is mandatory. It would help keep your teeth clean during a time when it might be very difficult to brush. Brackets and wires make it difficult for you to reach your teeth, but our dentist are trained in cleaning around brackets and can help you clean more efficiently and effectively.

DIETARY RESTRICTION

There will be certain dietary restrictions while we are on the braces journey. These are very important to follow. In general, we will tell you to avoid sticky and crunchy foods. While small pieces of hard food may be alright. However, taking a large bite into something hard could result in popping off a bracket. While these restrictions may seem unnecessary, they are actually intended to make sure that your braces treatment goes as smoothly and prevent the delay in the completion of the treatment.

Frequently ask question (FAQ)

  • Different orthodontic treatment has different prices. The fee varies according to the complexity of treatment and is best decided following consultation. At your consultation visit, you will be advised of the total fee for your orthodontic treatment.
  • We offer flexible payment schedules, so please feel free to discuss this at your consultation visit.
  • Yes. The dentist would have to look at your teeth to decide the best course of treatment.
  • It is recommended that every child receive an orthodontic evaluation by age seven (7).
  • Treatment may take a little longer for adults. Because an adult’s facial bones are no longer growing, certain corrections may not be accomplished with braces alone and may require surgery.
  • Depending on the complexity of treatment it can take anytime between one year (1) or two and a half year (2 ½).
  • Be careful not to damage the teeth and brace by avoiding hard chewy foods as these can cause the brace to break. If the brace breaks repeatedly, your overall treatment time may be lengthened.
  • Food and drinks to avoid (to prevent damage to the teeth and brace)
      • Snacks and drinks high in sugar especially between meals and just before bed
      • Chewy foods e.g. chewing gum, toffees
      • Hard foods e.g. apples, crusty rolls (cut these into small pieces before eating them)
      • Fizzy drinks and large amounts of acidic fruit juices.
    • Your oral hygiene must be excellent. Regular teeth cleaning or scaling is required to maintain healthy gums and also to prevent decays.
  • You would have to come in for a consultation so the dentist can examine the state of your teeth and decide the next best treatment option for you.