Dental Brace Guide

Many orthodontists encounter patients whose smile exposes too much of the gum lines, giving that person a “gummy smile”. This is caused by extra gum tissue Although braces are not used to fix this problem, the appearance of a gummy smile can be fixed by reshaping or removing the excess gums so that only the teeth show.

You’ll need to consult with your dentist first before decidingo n any treatment. You will probably get referred to a gum specialist or a periodontist who can do the gum tissue removal. The average cost depends on each doctor. Laser gum surgery is of course more expensive than traditional surgery.

Do not take certain medications like Diclatin as this makes the gum line look worse with time. Braces can also irritate the gums and give the patient a “gummy smile” that wasn’t there before the braces.

If you’re experiencing teeth crowding, you’re definitely a candidate for orthodontic braces. in most cases, metal braces are glued on to the teeth and are used to pull your teeth into the right position in a period of about 24 months. The improvement to a person’s smile will be drastic.

The average cost of orthodontic treatment for teeth crowding is around $2,800 for two years worth of metal braces, though the price may vary depending on the severity of your case, the length of your treatment, and other factors. It’s best if you get several opinions from different orthodontists so you can determine which type of treatment is best for you. Take note that using Invisalign or other invisible braces is not recommended for severe teeth crowding cases.

For patients who have overbites that cannot be remedied using braces and elastics, orthodontists recommend that they wear headgear braces. The headgear works to prevent the growth of the upper jaw as it waits for the lower jaw to catch up. In most cases, a combination treatment is done, with the use of headgear and rubber bands to correct the overbite. It can be worn during the day or while sleeping, depending on the case.

Headgear is usually prescribed for children and teenagers, because their sudden growth spurts is ideal for correcting overbites. Older patients with overbite should opt for surgery; since their jaws are no longer growing, using headgear to correct the condition will be ineffective. Surgery should only be a last resort treatment for patients at a young age.

When your child’s adult teeth have all grown in, this is the perfect time to take him or her to the orthodontist to see if he or she will need braces. Typically, braces for children cost between $1,800 to $3,200, depending on what kind of orthodontic treatment your child will need. Invisible type braces like Invisalign will cost more.

The biggest worry children have about braces is that it might hurt, but most children report little or no pain. The initial banding and tightening of the braces might be uncomfortable, but the pain is short-lived and should never be the reason to end the treatment before its due time. The average time children wear braces is about 24 months, but this varies from person to person.

By: MJ

Though a lot of people might panic at the sound of root resorption (after all? Who wouldn’t?), it’s actually treatable by regular oral hygiene and visits to the dentists for further instructions. Root resorption is actually much more common than everyday people realize. With trends in orthopedic procedures going on, it’s not surprising that a lot of people experience root resorption.

To overcome this, dentists monitor the progress of the resorption through x-rays. Everyday oral hygiene should be observed, ie. brushing your tooth, flossing, etc. Care should be taken not to exert pressure on the gums as this will only cause more trauma on the roots.

When it’s time for your braces to come off, the next step is to wear retainers for several months. This is so your teeth stay in the same position they were at the day your braces were removed. The most common type of retainer is called the Hawley Retainer. It is essentially a metal wire anchored on molded acrylic specially designed to fit on your palate or the bottom of your mouth. The metal wire surrounds your teeth and keeps them in place.

During the first few days of using a Hawley retainer, you might experience more saliva in your mouth than usual. This is normal because the presence of a foreign object in your mouth stimulates your saliva glands. It might also be difficult to speak and eat once you start wearing your retainer but this will go away as you get used to your retainer.

By: MJ

Root Resorption is the breakdown of the root structure of the tooth. A subsequent loss of the structure follows because that part of the tooth is being attacked by living body cells. After it extends to the whole tooth structure, it is then called tooth resorption.
The normal causes of root resorption include the wearing of braces. The roots experience this because they were moved at too fast a speed and at too little a time span while the patient was wearing braces.
Other aetiological factors are reimplantation, trauma, pressure from adjacent unerupted teeth, and tumors both odontogenic and non-odontogenic.

By: MJ

d) Invisiline braces do not work very efficiently
– This serves true for people who do not stick to the prescribed habits and consistency that their dentists tell them. Since Invisiline braces are removable, they do not continually correct teeth.

e) Invisiline braces are a hassle when eating
– It is true that Invisiline braces allow people to eat normal foods. However, that does not mean that they eat food while wearing the Invisiline braces. The aligners must be removed each time before eating. Afterwards, patients are required to brush and clean both their teeth and the aligners before putting them on.

f) Invisiline braces may be damaged
– Patients who grind or clench their teeth during sleeping may damage the aligners since they are in the way of the teeth and are not necessarily indestructible.

By: MJ

As with new products, the Invisiline often faces criticism from disbelieving people. Below is listed some of the reasonable arguments that Inivisline induces from people.

a) Invisiline braces are expensive!
– No doubts about that, of course. Certainly, a new set of orthodontics that are specially made using high tech computer 3D imaging will cost more than the average set of braces. To compare, normal braces cost around $3000 while Invisiline cost around $5000.

b) Invisiline is not for everybody
– People with overbites, under-bites, and cross-bites cannot be treated with Invisiline.

c) Invisiline looks nasty up close.
– People who are aesthetically conscious might avoid Invisiline which does tend to collect saliva inside.

By: MJ

Advantages of Invisiline braces include

a) No more visible metallic hindrances in front of your teeth. People will never notice you’re in the process of aligning your teeth.

b) Patients can eat and drink normally. No more food getting stuck in the braces. No more avoiding chocolate, gum, potato chips or any other food that brace wearers are typically told to avoid.

c) Brushing and flossing is not hindered. No need for special brace brushes. Brushing time will take no longer than the normal time required.

d) No metallic aligners mean no more irritants in the mouth.

e) Patients only need to see the dentist half of the time that patient that use normal braces do.