| Dental Braces or
Orthodontic Braces or Braces are a device used to correct
position of the teeth with connection to bite, occlusion, and
dentition.
Braces are permanently working because they are fixed to the patient's
teeth. |
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Orthodontic braces are often used to
correct cosmetic or structural defects and flaws:
- underbites, overbites,
cross bites and open bites
- to widen the palate or jaws
- create spaces between teeth
or shape the teeth and jaws
Most dental braces patients are
children or teenagers. Recently, more adults (about 25% of brace
patients are over 21) have been seeking this treatment.
- Celebrities who have been
spotted wearing functional braces in adulthood include
Tom
Cruise,
Gwen Stefani,
Lil Bow Wow,
Ashley Judd,
Lee Ann Womack,
Terrell Davis,
Lisa Scott-Lee,
Lila McCann,
Linda Gray,
Cher,
Nancy Kissinger (wife of former
Secretary of State,
Henry Kissinger),
Brett Favre,
Randy Moss,
Marquis Daniels,
Josh Howard,
Kelly Clarkson,
Alyssa Milano, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Kyo of
Dir en grey, Cristiano Ronaldo and University of Colorado head football coach
Dan Hawkins.
Paula Jones, who gained fame during the late 1990's for filing a
sexual harassment lawsuit against then-President
Bill Clinton, wore braces during the months when she was going
through other physical and wardrobe changes.
- Wearing dental braces as a fashion statement
appears to catch on among the young in some parts of the world.
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| In the USA most braces
treatment is done by orthodontists, dentists specializing in
diagnosis and treatment of wrong bites (malocclusions) of the teeth
and/or jaws. |
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How
Dental Braces Work
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| The teeth move due to the use
of force. The force applied by dental braces through the archwire pushes
the tooth in a particular direction. The jaw bone is created on one
side of the moving tooth and resorbed on the opposite side (bone
remodeling).
Treatment Times and Procedures
Usual treatment times vary from
six months to six years (two years is average) depending on the
difficulty and types of problems.The tooth to be braced will be
cemented with a bracket. An archwire will be threaded between the
brackets and affixed with elastic or metal ligatures.
The archwire will creating constant light force on the teeth.
Elastics are used to create a stronger force to pull teeth or jaws in the
desired direction. Brackets with hooks can be placed to affix the
elastic to.If required, orthodontic
spacers may be inserted between the
back teeth to make room for
molar bands to be placed at a later date. Molar bands are
required to ensure brackets will stick.
If there is lacking space in the mouth for all the
teeth to fit properly, there are two main procedures to make extent. One is
tooth extraction: teeth are removed to create more space.
The second is expansion: the palate or arch is made larger by using an
expander.For some patients,
the Invisalign system might be a practical choice to braces. This
system uses a series of clear plastic trays to move teeth into their
position. However, Invisalign requires a longer treatment time,
because the appliance is removable. |
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Types of
Dental Braces
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| There are many types and
varieties of braces are offered by several orthodontic supply companies: |
- Time brackets by American
Orthodontics, SmartClip™ Brackets by 3M Unitek, SPEED, or Damon
brackets, Clarity™ Braces by 3M Unitek.
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| Traditional braces are
stainless steel, sometimes in combination with nickel titanium, and are
the most widely used. Usual stainless steel brackets include conventional braces that require ties and newer
self-tying (or self-litigating) brackets. |
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| Ceramic braces offer a
less visible alternative. They blend in more with the natural color of
the tooth. But ceramic brackets are slightly larger, are not as strong
as metal and may require longer treatment time. |
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| Gold-plated stainless steel braces are for people allergic to
nickel (a component of stainless steel), but may be also chosen because some people simply prefer the look
of gold over the silver-colored braces. |
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| Lingual braces are fitted behind the teeth, and are not visible.
This braces can be more difficult to
adjust. |
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| Smart brackets braces
are containing microchip capable of measuring the forces applied to the
bracket/tooth line. This braces could significantly reduce the treatment
times and
to set the non-harmful applied forces. |
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Braces Care: Proper Tools and Best Products
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| Plaque develops easily when food is retained in and around braces.
Plaque is the reason that patients need to be on the alert about dental
hygiene during orthodontic treatment. |
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If plaque is left on teeth and
around braces, patients may develop gum disease
(swollen gums), bad
breath, scarred and discolored teeth, and
tooth decay
(cavities). |
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To help fight
against bacterial plaque, dentists recommend the following tools and
dental products: |
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1. TOOTHBRASHES: |
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2. FLUORIDE TOOTHPASTES: |
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3. DENTAL FLOSS: |
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4. INTERDENTAL or BETWEEN TEETH
CLEANINGS: |
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5. FLUORIDE RINSE: |
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Dental Braces:
Complications
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Tooth pain after adjustment,
mouth
sores, allergic reaction to the latex rubber in elastics or to the
metal, punch the back of the patient's cheek from the archwire may be
produced by components of the braces.
- Latex-free elastics and
ceramic braces can be used instead.
- Eating soft foods during
this period can help avoid additional pressure on the teeth, gum,
and soft tissues.
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| Braces can also be damaged if
proper care is not taken, orthodontic brackets may pop off due to the
forces involved, or due to cement weakening over time. Several damage to
braces can prolong treatment. |
- It is important to wear a
mouthguard to prevent breakage when
playing sports.
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Chewing gum and certain sticky,
crunchy or hard foods, such as raw
carrots, chewy-like taco chips, caramels, taffy, un-popped popcorn
kernels, peanuts,
large hard pretzels, and toffee
should be avoided because they can damage braces.
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- The orthodontist or dentist
should be contacted immediately for advice if braces damage occurs.
In most cases the bracket is replaced.
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| Bone loss due to
gum disease
or periodontal disease may lead to tooth loss during treatment. |
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| Some degree of root resorption
could be noticed in a few cases during the teeth displacement. |
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Dental Braces: After Treatment
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Retainers and pre-finishers are required to be worn once treatment with braces is
complete:
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- A Hawley retainer - An Essix
retainer - A bonded retainer - Rubber pre-finisher similar to
mouthguard
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| If a patient does not wear the retainer
or pre-finisher as recommended,
the teeth might move towards their original position (relapse). |
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| Retainer and pre-finishers are
the temporary appliances and can be moved in and out of the mouth. |
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Contact Dentist |
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| Looking forward to hearing from
you Aleksandr
V. Melekhin, DDS
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Return from Dental Braces
to Philadelphia Dentist |
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