How much do you know about orthodontic metal braces?
Source：Pujing Dental ClinicUpdated on：2024-06-26
Metal braces
Metal or traditional braces are the most common type of braces world-wide and have been around for over 100 years now. In the past, braces were very bulky and noticeable. Luckily, braces today are nothing like what they were 100 years ago. Advances in innovation and technology have made braces:
·Smaller
·Faster
·More Comfortable
·More Effective
Metal braces are most popular among children and adolescent patients. They work by applying the braces to the teeth and connecting them with a wire. The wire is tied to the braces using elastic ties, which come in an array colors to choose from. To move the teeth, the orthodontist makes adjustments to the wire at your appointments every 4-8 weeks.
Unlike clear aligners like Invisalign which are removable, some parents and patients love metal braces because they do not need to remind their child to wear them. However, metal braces require care and attention and good oral hygiene is a must throughout treatment.
Why do people need braces?
The most common reasons that people get braces is to straighten, align, and adjust gaps in their teeth. Braces are used to alter the position and alignment of teeth within the jaw, gradually closing gaps that are too big and repositioning teeth that may be too close together or crowded.
Braces are also commonly used to correct overbites or under-bites. These conditions result in the top and bottom jaws not aligning when biting down, which can have effects on speech and potentially result in discomfort when chewing.
For young patients whose teeth are growing in to spaces that are too small, braces can be used to open up the areas where new teeth are growing in. The purpose of this is to avoid more serious tooth alignment problems in the future once the full set of adult teeth are in place.
Other patients may be recommended to have braces as part of a treatment process intended to correct other oral health issues such as clenching or grinding of teeth. Often, misaligned teeth can be one of the contributing factors to these issues, and therefore should be corrected as part of the efforts to prevent the conditions from progressing.
Benefits of Orthodontic Treatment
Regardless of the underlying reason for having orthodontic treatment, whether it be for aesthetics or for medical necessity, you can look forward to many of the same advantages as a result. Obviously, one of the most prominent benefits to having braces is a straighter and more beautiful smile that will give you greater confidence and self-assurance in your appearance.
In addition, straighter teeth and a properly aligned bite pattern has a significant impact in the comfort and ease of chewing and may even allow you to enjoy certain foods that perhaps were awkward or uncomfortable to eat before your treatment. This improved alignment of the teeth can also result in a cessation of tooth grinding or clenching that would cause soreness in the jaw or recurring headaches.
Getting used to metal braces
After getting your braces, it is common to have difficulty in eating and speaking for the first few days. However, your mouth will soon get used to the "additional" appliances and they will become a part of your oral cavity. Make sure that you maintain an impeccable oral hygiene and avoid sticky and hard foods during your treatment.
Management of dislodged braces
Braces are attached to your teeth with the help of adhesive cements. If you are not careful about your diet and continue to eat sticky and hard foods, there are chances that the metallic brackets may get dislodged from teeth.
What to do in this case?
First, don't panic! Simply secure the bracket and visit your dentist or orthodontist immediately. At the dental office, the tooth will be cleaned and the bracket will be re-attached to it.
Frequently asked questions
1、Do metal braces stain my teeth?
Earlier there were cases reported for discoloration but currently passivating metals are being added to the stainless steel alloys to reduce staining and improve the cosmetic results. Improper cleaning of the teeth may stain the teeth due to plaque accumulation. Drinking beverages like tea and coffee favors staining.
2、How long does it take to straighten the teeth?
The entire treatment for relieving teeth crowding depends from case to case, treatment times range between 12 and 24 months. Complex cases require more time, as it takes almost 3 - 4 weeks after every appointment for very small portion of bone to form and adapt to the new position with a very small change in position.
3、Can I have braces if I have a dental crown?
Full crowns usually posses no problem. The tooth movement mechanism is same as that of natural teeth without crown.
Partial crowns might get removed especially during torque where the crown may dislodge due to the consistent stress with the intermediate cement layer used for bonding the crown with the tooth.
It is better to avoid veneers as they are very thin and might fracture during the tooth movement or while removing the brackets post- treatment.
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