Dental Health and Braces

Dental health is a matter of utter importance, and when it comes to conditions related to oral care, they are at top priority for treatment. Braces are devices used to straighten the teeth and relocate their position.  For the effectiveness of braces, an orthodontist comes up with a plan of treatment.  First, the doctor will inquire about your health, then conducts a clinical exam, takes your photos, takes X-rays, and then on to the examination of this information.

There are certain conditions which need to be treated by braces, including:

  • Under bites
  • Malocclusions
  • Overbites
  • Open bites
  • Deep bites
  • Cross bites
  • Crooked teeth
  • Other flaws of the teeth and jaw

How Do Braces Work?

Braces work by keeping pressure on your teeth in the direction they should be positioned. Slowly, the location of teeth are changed by this constant pressure.

Components of Braces:

A conventional set of braces have following items:

Brackets:

These are small squares that are attached to each tooth with the help of a strong bonding material that cements them to teeth, and this bracket works like handles to hold the main arch wire.  There are also orthodontic bands that are placed on top of this bracket. 

Orthodontic Bands:

These are stainless steel bands that are cemented to the teeth with the dental bonding agent. These are not used for every patient – some need them while some do not.

Spacers:

The spacer is a separator that fits between teeth to create a small gap for the placement of orthodontic bands.

Arch Wire:

The movement of teeth is guided by this wire, and it is attached to every bracket. This wire can be made of steel or tooth color.

Ties:

Ties consist of a small rubber ring, fastened to the arch wire to keep it securely in place.

Buccal tube:

This is a band on the last tooth, which holds the end of the arch wire.

Elastic Rubber:

These are rubber bands attached to brackets and are worn between upper and lower teeth in various ways. Its function is to apply pressure to move the upper teeth against lower teeth to achieve a fit for individual teeth.

Types of Braces:

If the last solution for your oral condition is braces, there are several options to your doctor will choose from:

Metal Braces or Traditional Braces:

Metal braces are the very first form of braces, made of metal. Brackets made these days are relatively smaller. Among all types of braces, it’s the most noticeable, but is generally least expensive.

Ceramic Braces:

These are nearly about similar to metal braces, except the brackets are made transparent. These are less noticeable than metal ones, and these are easy to clean. These are more expensive than metal braces, and tend to get get stained more quickly than others.

Lingual Braces:

These are similar to metal braces, but the only difference is that these are placed on the inner side of teeth. These are invisible from outside, are not easy to clean, and are more expensive than others.

Invisalign Braces:

The latest in the market is Invisalign Braces. These braces are not like conventional braces, as they do not need any wire.  These braces are made of a clear plastic material, are easy to remove and clean, are comfortable to wear, and are nearly invisible to naked eye.