Since its development, back in the 19th century, orthodontic treatmenthas been leading contemporary dentistry. Actually, braces were the first dental treatments performed and are a crucial and effective specialty until today.
What Are Dental Braces?
A dental brace is an orthodontic therapy that consists of fixed appliances attached to the teeth surface. These devices are meant to correct multiple malocclusion problems efficiently and practically.
Unlike other types of orthodontic treatments, braces cannot be removed by the patient, requiring dental professional intervention and maintenance to guarantee the best results possibles.
Who Needs Dental Braces?
Braces are effective in correcting the following situations:
- Dental crowding or separated teeth due totooth lossor lacking space.
- Bent or rotated teeth.
- Retained teeth (Teeth that do not make dental eruption).
- Anterior crossbiting (when lower front teeth are in front of upper teeth).
- Posterior crossbiting (when molars interact in wrong positions).
- And for teeth overlapping, whether it be vertically or horizontally.
Every case is different, and one person can have multiple misalignment problems. However, braces are capable of fixing from mild to severe conditions with the appropriate planning and execution.
What Are The Benefits of Having Braces?
In most cases, malocclusion problems can lead to other oral complications and significant consequences in the future.
For instance, overcrowded teeth can produce food accumulations leading to caries andgum disease. Also, some severe problems can induce other conditions like speaking, eating, and breathing difficulties.
Furthermore, persistent occlusion problems can produce headaches, muscular pain, and temporomandibular conditions if neglected.
Moreover, untreated malocclusion problems can represent a main aesthetic problem in both children and adults, hindering personal and self-image. As a result, orthodontic treatments like dental braces are a practical solution to improve your general health, esthetic profile and boosting your confidence.
What Can I Do to Improve And Speed up My Dental Braces Treatment?
Most orthodontic treatments require a careful and constant follow up with your specialist. The maintenance and follow up sessions are the most crucial part of every orthodontic therapy.
It has been proven that interrupting orthodontic appointments during your treatment is one of the most delaying factors in your therapy. Therefore, try to avoid skipping your sessions and get that beautiful smile sooner.
How Can I Keep My Braces Clean, And Why Is It Important?
Having your teeth clean during your brace therapy is essential to guarantee excellent results. A deficient home dental clean-up can result in gum disease, gums overgrowth, cavities, orbad breath.
Consequently, to clean your braces, your specialist will recommend a custom-made toothbrush design for your appliances, along with your usual hygienic habits.
Nonetheless, here are some measures you can take to keep and improve your dental hygiene during your orthodontic treatment:
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
- Put special attention to cleaning your gums, remove every rest of food under the appliances.
- Don’t forgetflossing.
- You’ll probably need to evade certain foods to avoid losing a brace, delaying your treatment.
With those measures and your constant follow-up appointments, your braces should work efficiently and quicker, achieving the result you want.
— By Dr. SamuelIA Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S) from Central University of Venezuela. He is also the Member of the National College of Dental Surgeon of Venezuela. Boasts almost 10 years experience in general dentistry.
References:
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– Skidmore, K. J., Brook, K. J., Thomson, W. M., & Harding, W. J. (2006). Factors influencing treatment time in orthodontic patients.American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics,129(2), 230–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajodo.2005.10.003
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