Dental braces are used to treat bad bites or malocclusion or literally, crooked or crowded teeth. There are also cases where your teeth may be straight but your jaws do not meet properly. The common causes of these conditions are genetics, injury, early, or late tooth loss, or thumb-sucking.
Braces are known to give you a nice-looking smile and are sometimes deemed as a luxury by some. However, doing something about an abnormal bite will also mean a healthier mouth. Abnormal bites could lead to tooth decay, gum disease, tooth loss, affected speech or chewing, abnormal wear to tooth enamel, and jaw problems.
So how do braces move and straighten teeth? Braces are composed of mainly the bracket and the archwire. Brackets are ceramic or metal squares attached to each tooth with a dab of bonding material on your first visit. The archwire is the thin metal wire that runs through the brackets and this is what puts pressure on your teeth. It is adjusted to give your teeth the pressure you need: up, down, or side to side.
Nowadays, brackets have colors. These are actually called elastic ligatures or o-rings. These rings affix the archwire to the bracket. Moreover, they also help direct the teeth in a particular direction which depends on how this is tied to the tooth and the type of ligature used.
Orthodontic patients normally have to wear braces for about 18 months to two years where dentist appointments spaced every four to six weeks are scheduled in order for the braces to be adjusted or checked. These adjustments may leave your mouth sore or uncomfortable. You may take pain relievers like paracetamol to relieve this, though. Braces can also rub against the inside of the lips and you can request for a prescription of a special wax to be placed on the wires to avoid chafing. However, if the discomfort happened almost every time your braces are adjusted or are prolonged, you should discuss this with your dentist.
The way oral braces are shaped make the wearer prone to gingivitis, tartar, and demineralization. Caring for teeth with braces is a challenge and would need the wearer to focus on dental hygiene while using the appliance. Food like toffee and hard sweets have to be avoided as they are more likely to damage braces. It is best to brush your teeth after every meal and floss using a special orthodontic floss available in drug stores at least once a day to clean in between the braces and wires to make sure that food debris is removed. If these are unavailable, rinse your mouth vigorously with water.
Invisalign braces are a good investment. And like any good investment, they would require constant care in order to be successful.
