About Us First Visit Facilities Speciality Services Health Guide Contact Us Oral Health Tooth Decay Gum Disease Bridge Implant Denture Crown Whitening Veneers Root Canal Wisdom Teeth Children Ortho (Braces) Ortho-Braces What are braces? Who needs braces? What causes malocclusion? Why treat malocclusion? When is the right time for braces? Am I too old for orthodontic treatment? How long does it take? How often I need to visit office? What are objectives of treatment? What are modes of orthodontic treatment? What are types of braces? Are metal braces worrying you? How braces work? What are the Treatment procedures? Advantages Disadvantages Do the braces hurt? Home care Alternative Summary and conclusion What are Braces? Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that deals with the correction of bad bites, and straightening of teeth. Who Needs Braces? Children as well as adults can undergo orthodontic treatment for following reasons Crooked teeth Protrusive teeth Open bite Deep bite Diastemas Crossbite Adjunctive orthodontics uprighting of teeth into extraction space Top Crooked teeth Protrusive teeth Open bite Top Deep bite Diastemas Crossbite Adjunctive orthodontics uprighting of teeth into extraction space Top What Causes Malocclusion? If your permanent teeth don't erupt on schedule and sequence. No sufficient space to accommodate all the teeth in the jaws. Improper eruption of permanent teeth. Heredity. You have an extra teeth. You have missing teeth. Early loss of teeth due to disease. Loss of teeth due to trauma. If your Permanent Teeth don't Erupt On Schedule and Sequence No Sufficient Space to Accommodate All the Teeth In the Jaws Top Improper eruption of permanent teeth Heredity You Have an Extra Teeth Top You Have Missing Teeth Early Loss of Teeth Due to Disease Loss of Teeth Due to Trauma Besides above Some More Important Causes are Habits Such as- Thumb sucking Mouth breathing Lipbiting Nailbiting Tongue thrusting Top Thumb Sucking Mouth Breathing Lipbiting Top Tongue Thrusting Why Treat Malocclusion? Besides providing you a better smile. Orthodontic treatment improves general health Cooked teeth are difficult to clean thus causes cavities, gum diseases and eventual loss of teeth. Digestive disturbances are due to inability to chew food properly. Protruding teeth are more prone to accidents. Speech defects are due to improper placement of teeth Poor bite can result in to excessive wear of tooth surfaces and extra stress on chewing muscles which results in to facial pain, Cooked Teeth are Difficult to Clean Top Digestive Disturbances Protruding Teeth Speech Defects are Due Poor Bite Top When is the Right Time for Braces? There is no age bar for orthodontic treatment. No matter how old you are. The orthodontist determines the right time for braces. Usually it is advisable in first and second decade of life. During this time the jaws are growing and maturing therefore it is easier to shift the teeth than the adulthood. With early treatment the chances of tooth removal for treatment are considerably less. Am I too Old for Orthodontic treatment? There is no age limit for orthodontic treatment. Teeth and tissue are essentially the same in both adults and children. Orthodontics can successfully re-align crooked teeth regardless of your age. How Long Does it Take? It varies from simple cases of closing gap in a 4 to 6 months to a complicated job of revival of proper occlusion could take 12 to 24 months. It would take longer if you do not follow the dentist's instructions How Often I Need to visit Office? Appointments are usually scheduled from 4 to 6 weeks interval. Top What are objectives of treatment? The Orthodontic treatment has to achieve three main objectives Structural balance -to achieve the balance between dental, skeletal and muscular tissue Esthetic harmony to improve the appearance of teeth and face. The mode of treatment depends upon the age at which patient reported, diagnosis. There are certain conditions, which are normal in a child, however if present in an adult would constitute malocclusion. These are referred as self-correcting malocclusion. a) Open bite seen in the gum pads. b) Spacing in deciduous dentition. c) First deep bite. d) Flush terminal plane. e) Ugly duckling stage f ) Second deep bite. These malocclusions are considered normal for that age and need no treatment as they get corrected automatically as the age advances. Top What are Modes of Orthodontic treatment? Preventive Orthodontics The treatment procedures that are aimed at elimination of factors that may lead to appearance of malocclusion. a) Parent Education about brushing, flossing and food habits b) Care of deciduous dentition by using flouride toothpaste and flouride application. c) Maintenance of quadrant wise tooth-shedding timetable. d) Check up of oral habits and habit breaking appliances, if necessary. e) Extraction of extra teeth. f) Space maintenance if primary tooth is lost prematurely. Interceptive Orthodontics The treatment procedure is undertaken at a time when the malocclusion is developing. This is the perfect time to carry out orthodontic treatment as the patient is growing and we can take advantage of growth. Usually all skeletal defect can be corrected properly at this time and we can reduce the chances of removal of teeth for treatment. a) Serial Extraction to prevent crowding b) Interception of developing malocclusion. (Eg.like Class II where upper jaw is big and lower jaw is small. Class III where lower jaw is big and upper jaw is small. Expansion Of arches in crossbite and moderate crowding cases.) c) Control of abnormal habits to prevent malocclusion. Ex. Thumb sucking, Mouth breathing, Tongue thrusting. d) Space regaining, if space is lost due to loss of primary tooth e) Muscle exercise if jaws are growing abnormally. Serial Extraction: Serial Extraction is usually initiated in the early mixed dentition that includes the planned extraction of certain deciduous teeth and latter specific permanent teeth in an orderly sequence to guide the erupting permanent teeth into a more favorable position. Corrective Orthodontics The procedure that is undertaken to correct malocclusion when the teeth are fully developed. Usually Fix appliances are used to correct malocclusion. These could be: Extraction cases Non-Extraction cases. Top What are Types of Braces? The braces fall under two categories depending upon what your teeth needs to hold and mould them. Removable Fixed Myofunctional Active plates Expansion Screws Bite plates Retainers Removable Myofunctional Active plates Expansion Screws Expansion Screws Top Bite Plates Retainers Fixed Metallic braces Invisible braces placed behind part of teeth. Ceramic braces - tooth colored braces Metallic Braces Top Invisible Braces Ceramic Brace Are Metal Braces Worrying You? The beauty conscious can get relief by acquiring ceramic braces or by placing braces from the inner surfaces of teeth, which are popularly known as invisible braces Top How Braces Work? Braces work by applying steady pressure to the teeth, moving them gently and gradually into new positions. This is possible because bone even though it feels hard, like ivory - is actually flexible. When a tooth is pushed in a certain direction, the bone in front of it gives way under the pressure, and new bone forms behind it to fill the gap. Each wire or rubber band in your braces works like spring. The dentists take advantage of these forces to move your teeth, putting steady pressure on your teeth causing them to move. What are the Treatment Procedures? Examination of teeth, jaws and face is carried out. To study photos of your Teeth and face, X-rays of your teeth head, impression of teeth to make model will be taken. Study models, serve as a 3-d record of your teeth Photographs of your teeth, face and profile are visual records X-rays helps to find out missing teeth, extra teeth, any cavities or bone condition. Cephalogram helps to find out how your teeth and jaws are related to each other. This all helps in diagnose, plan your treatment and to check your progress of treatment. And compare before and after treatment. You will be presented a complete treatment plan with type of braces. Bonding of braces is carried out. Advantages Contrary to popular belief braces aren't impediments. In fact in due course of time you can get quite used to them. Braces don't necessarily hurt Speech problems don't occur. You can easily carry out your daily routine Top Disadvantages As your braces are going to be on your teeth for a long time you have to be very cautious, if oral hygiene is not maintained properly it can cause serious decay and gum disease. Initially it may cause sores in the Causes sores in mouth. A blow to the face can cause serious damage You can't chew gum and hard food. White and yellow patches on teeth may occur. Do the Braces Hurt? No. They do not. There may be some sores on your lips and cheeks. Rinse the sore in warm salt water or you can put wax on the braces to prevent rubbing on the sores or can apply any gel. The teeth may feel tender initially and after tightening wires or at the start of elastic wear, which will disappear within a few days if worn regularly. Home Care Maintenance of oral hygiene. Food particles and plaque accumulated due to the braces. They have to be removed properly. If oral hygiene is not maintained, tooth decay and gum disease can occur. Use a soft toothbrush. Super floss or floss threads can aid in flossing speed. An inter dental brush could also help, Oral irrigators can be used A mouthwash containing fluoride can be used. After brushing check in the mirror for any bits of food stuck in your braces. Food habits Hard and sticky food should be avoided since they can bend the wires and loosen the bands and break the brackets. Foods high in sugar should be avoided since it leads to decay. Keeping appointments It is very important to keep appointments, otherwise the duration of treatment prolongs. Top Alternative There is no alternative to orthodontic treatment where you can move the teeth, change their angulation and take them to desire position. All other treatment procedures such as bonding, Veneer and crown can't move the teeth. They can act as adjunctive treatment only. It is more expensive than orthodontic treatment and Involves recurring expenses. Even though orthodontic treatment procedure requires longer duration as compared to other Procedure but you can maintain the tooth in the original form through out your lifetime. Summary and Conclusion Pleasing, charming smile and good set of teeth is end result of orthodontic treatment, which instills confidence and opens the doors to the success and fulfillment. Which will last lifetime. You will be proud of your smile and will become the cynosure of all eyes. Back Top