Smiles revealing crooked and malpositioned teeth can be confidence killers. Learn how braces for teeth can be instrumental in gaining back that poised smile.
The dental problem known as malocclusion commonly affects the adolescents. This is a condition wherein the teeth are not in its proper alignment because of a variety of factors. The teen squad is mostly affected because this is the stage wherein eruption of the permanent teeth occurs to replace the baby teeth, some of which could still be present until the age of 12.
Factors that can affect the progression of malocclusion may be any of the following:
1. Genetics. Heredity is a very influential factor. Parents who were faced with the same problem during their heydays would possibly have offspring plagued with the same condition. This may be due to having a small jaw with bigger permanent teeth erupting.
2. Early loss of the baby teeth. Extraction at an age which is far from the supposed eruption time of the succeeding tooth promotes bone growth over the extraction site. This could cause bone to fully block the path of eruption of the permanent tooth, causing it to remain embedded in bone.
3. Physical trauma on the part of the mother during the critical years of her pregnancy may result into several dental defects, one of which could be malocclusion.
It is best to treat malocclusion by having braces for teeth. A plan for treatment should be considered at the earliest signs of malocclusion. It is advised to have it treated early on for treatment to be as effective as possible. Bone in younger people is considerably “softer” because it is still undergoing growth. Calcification occurs continuously and bone is more porous at this particular stage. Movement would thereby be easier than during a later phase because bone tends to be denser.
Braces for teeth are tiny pieces of metal that are cemented individually on the front or back surfaces of teeth. Wires are engaged into tiny slots and locked with colorful rubber bands or elastics to form some sort of chain reaction and keep each bracket connected. The application of wire induces force to be applied as well. This then facilitates movement of the teeth. Movement will follow the outline of the wire used.
Back then, having braces for teeth is considered by some as a nuisance. They despise the way it makes you look, giving a silvery, toothy smile. Others deemed this as a status symbol because of the cost of treatment, which is very expensive. This is so because it requires the services of an orthodontist, a dentist who specializes in treating malocclusion.
These days, this has become more of a necessity. People who are aware that they have crooked teeth and are bothered by it consider having braces for teeth because of function and esthetics. It would of course make them look really better and eventually function well as it could be helpful with probably their speech or chewing.
However, deciding on having braces for teeth is not simply having it cemented and then done. This requires utmost diligence on the part of the patient, because it requires adjustments every three weeks or a month. This would depend upon the severity of a certain case.
Braces for teeth necessitate frequent follow-ups with your orthodontist. Teeth are in continuous movement with the braces on, which is why regular adjustments are very essential. Movement happens until teeth are in proper alignment with the wires.
The prospected time of treatment for simple cases is estimated to be done in a year or two, which is inclusive of the maintenance phase. Severe cases of malocclusion may last even up to three to four years. The length of treatment time becomes eventually shorter if the patient is very keen in attending follow-up appointments.
Once the desired alignment is achieved, braces for teeth are removed and replaced with retainers. This is the maintenance phase mentioned above. This allows for bone calcification and stabilization to keep all the teeth from moving. Bear in mind that the braces made the teeth mobile. It is not proper to just remove the brackets and dismiss the patient. Further follow-ups appointments are still needed while the retainers are on to check on the progress of the patient.
Braces for teeth are not merely for decorative purposes. They are very essential appliances to straighten crooked or malaligned teeth for one to finally have that lovely smile.
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