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  What Braces Can DoYour dentist may have talked to you about the benefits of having healthy teeth and proper jaw alignment. Crooked and crowded teeth are hard to clean and maintain. This can result in tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss. Other orthodontic problems can contribute to abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, inefficient chewing function, excessive stress on gum tissue and the bone that supports the teeth or the misalignment of the jaw joints. These can lead to chronic headaches and face or neck pain. Treatment by an orthodontist can help prevent these costly and painful dental problems from occurring. Of course, the most obvious benefit of orthodontics is improved appearance. No matter what your age, you'll feel more attractive and confident with a beautiful smile! How Orthodontics Works Orthodontic appliances can be made of metal, ceramic or plastic. They may be removable or they may be brackets bonded to the teeth. By placing a constant, gentle force in a carefully controlled direction, braces slowly move teeth to a corrected position. This is a great time to wear braces! Gone are the days when a metal band with a bracket was placed around each tooth. You can now choose brackets that are clear, silver or gold in color. You can also choose the color of ties that hold the wire in the brackets. Wires are also less noticeable than they used to be and the latest materials move the teeth faster with less discomfort to patients. Duration of Treatment Treatment time depends on each patient's specific orthodontic problem, but the average time is 12-24 months. Interceptive, or early treatment procedures, may take as few as six months. At your orthodontic examination we can estimate your treatment time but the actual treatment time can be effected by rate of growth, severity of correction necessary and the way your body responds to the specific treatment. Patient cooperation is the single best predictor of staying on time with treatment. Patients who cooperate by wearing rubber bands, headgear or other needed appliances as directed, maintaining good oral hygiene and keeping regular appointments will achieve on-time and excellent orthodontic results. Back to Top |
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