Dental Brace Guide

Gone are the days when braces are the butt of jokes - well who wouldn’t laugh then, when having braces meant looking like some weird science experiment? And while braces have gotten more convenient and less weird-looking through the years, another revolutionary breakthrough has arrived - invisible braces.

Well, of course, not in the sense that they’re completely invisible, it’s just that they sport a clear, transparent look, and people will probably not immediately notice that you have braces on.

This new dental technology is courtesy of Invisalign, which is a custom made aligner that is tailor made to fit your teeth only it’s also more comfortable and less invasive than the customary braces. They’re also more comfortable, owing to the computer scanning technology that makes sure that your invisible braces are just the right size for your teeth without compromising the alignment process.

As the market for clear braces boomed, in-fighting between manufacturers follows as they try to maintain their monopoly of the market. Invisible braces, namely Invisalign and ClearCorrect, are fighting over the market in terms of patent infringements and other proprietary technological implementation. The technology relies on heat sensitive plastic that is designed to slowly coax misaligned teeth back in place with ever so smaller adjustments as each dental visit. A far cry from the metal-mouth look of yesteryear when you looked more like an alien from another world that was not only ugly but uncomfortable.
Both manufacturers produce invisible braces which have allowed adults and teens alike to gain better teeth alignment without the use of traditional metal braces. Metal braces of past included extractions and painful realignment with the use of wires that pulled the teeth together using heat sensitive wires pulling them into alignment.

That is a question that many ask to those who have them for they can go either way, on one side for beauty on the other for more serious health reasons such as poorly aligned teeth that may have resulted from disease or poor care early in life. Dental braces used to be associated more with teens in years gone by but today, statistics show that more than 30% of all users are adults. They are a form of dental care that makes teeth better looking and perform better eliminating gaps in the bite and many other problems that may result from lack of care.
Dental braces began their life in the early 1900’s and it has evolved in time into smaller and smaller appliances that can be removable for minor treatment to more permanent ones attached to the teeth or gums for more serious corrections. The area of orthodontics is more associated with cosmetic surgery but as said, it can have some health related benefits. Poor alignment can result in pain and dietary deficiencies that with proper treatment are easily corrected. As with any treatment, there are several alternatives and treatment varies from one patient to the other so proper analysis and consultation is in order for the best possible treatment possible.

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Braces may be composed of bands, wires and other removable or fixed corrective appliances. There are three kinds of braces namely brackets, lingual kind of brackets and traditional bands.
Brackets are fused to the front of each tooth. It could be manufactured from stainless steel, clear or tooth-colored ceramic or plastic. Ceramic or plastic brackets are most often the choice of patients for cosmetic reasons. But there are also downsides to using these kinds of brackets. Plastic brackets could be stained or discolored by the end of the treatment period. Using these brackets usually produces more friction between the wires and the brackets.

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The best time to see an orthodontist is between the ages of five and seven. At this time, overbite and crowding become noticeable. An early examination allows the orthodontic specialist to determine when a child’s particular problem should be treated for maximum improvement with the least time and expense because 75 percent of a child’s growth occurs before the age of 10.This is also an ideal time to take advantage of the child’s growing facial bones to achieve the best results because once the face and jaws have finished growing, result may be less ideal.It often requires the removal of teeth; and begin TMJ, or jaw joint difficulties.

Our goal is to achieve a stable, natural environment for the fullest development of the facial features, jaws and teeth, leading to a beautiful smile.

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By seeing a patient and watching them as they grow and develop dentists are able to intervene at the right time in order to correct bite problems that at a later age may not require an orthodontic treatment but plain surgery.

Most kids though will not need to use braces at age 7, the advice most dentists will give the parents is to wait and see how the oral structure of their children is developing in order to apply the best orthodontic treatment if necessary.

Some dentists may agree with the fact that dealing with a teenager between the ages of 14 to 18 may not be as easy as filling with a child between the ages of 10 and 13 because they’re tooth structure has already developed and unfortunately the dentist wasn’t around to track the progress and growth of the first and second set of permanent molars which can affect the position or arrangement of the rest of the teeth.

According to these statements the best age to get the most out of an orthodontic treatment such as wearing braces can be achieved between the age of nine and 13. Those who didn’t have proper orthodontic treatment during those years can still be treated in order to correct malocclusion and even adults can get orthodontic treatment by taking advantage from invisible braces which are not as obvious as the traditional metal braces and can be removed while the person is eating or brushing his or her teeth.

• Visit your dentist regularly for check-ups and cleaning.

• Visit an orthodontist for an evaluation if you see any of the early warning signs of orthodontic problems.

• Have your child(ren) evaluated by an orthodontist by age seven. Many orthodontic problems can be more easily corrected before tooth and facial growth is complete.

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day using a soft-bristled toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste.

The first step in taking dental braces is visiting an orthodontist. Maybe you ask, “What usually happens during an initial orthodontic exam?”. Only the orthodontist can give you the right answers to your dental questions.

For an orthodontist to identify the specific needs of the patient, he/she must evaluate your mouth completely. The evaluation includes the impression of your teeth and models will be created. These are useful for your orthodontist and will remind you how your teeth exactly looked like before the correction. Images of your face, smile and teeth is also needed. You will also need X-rays of the head and teeth and you must bring with you your present medical/dental health

The Damon System is a revolutionary way of orthodontic treatments. Conventional orthodontic treatments remove healthy teeth or involve the use of palatal expanders to make space in the mouth. This technique is more comfortable, takes more time, and leads to a flat profile and narrower arches. With the Damon System, patients get to keep all their teeth while improving their overall facial result.

The Damon System makes use of three components that result in a faster, more comfortable treatment that requires less appointments. First, the self-ligating braces eliminate the use of elastic ties. This means the patient does not have to go through tightening every few weeks. Next, memory wires on the braces will move teeth faster. Finally, a new treatment is employed which will align your teeth without resorting to extraction or palatal expanders.

If you’re planning to go scuba diving or snorkeling this summer, don’t cancel your plans just because you had to get braces. There is plenty of space for the snorkel or the regulator to fit inside your mouth. The trick to getting used to it is to try on the equipment before actually getting in the water.

If you are wearing rubber bands on your braces that connect your jaw, it’s recommended that you remove them for the dive. This is because you need to clear your ears and ease the preasure my wiggling your jaw. Doing this might cause the rubber band to snap and get lodged somewhere in your mouth.

Divers who have braces don’t usually have a problem with their braces during dives. If you’re still not sure about diving, practice in a swimming pool or stick to a shallow dive until you feel more confident.