An Overview of Orthodontic Treatment and Its Appliances

Orthodontic treatment is a special dental treatment that focuses on straightening your teeth.Special appliances which correct dental irregularities are used. An Orthodontist is a specialist to consult for this type of treatment. This specialist diagnoses, prevents, intercepts, guides, and corrects dental irregularities. This form oftreatmentimproves the patient’s appearance and oral health.

The Focus of Orthodontics

1. Correcting improper bites like overbite, crossbite, openbite, and upperbite
2. Improving the appearance of teeth
3. Preventing teeth trauma
4. Closing gaps between teeth.
5. Teeth tips alignment
6. Speech improvement
7. Straightening teeth that are crooked

Appliances Used in Orthodontics

An orthodontist uses several types of devices that retrain muscles, move teeth slowly and put gentle pressure on teeth and jaws. These devices may be removable or fixed. The orthodontist may recommend one or the other depending on the severity of the dental problem.

1. Removable appliances

These are appliances that can be removed by the patient when eating, brushing, and flossing, or during other special activities.

1. Aligners

These are used to move teeth gently for about three weeks and then changed for tighter ones. They are taken off while brushing, eating, or flossing. A type of clear aligner commonly used is Invisalign.

Invisalign is an inconspicuous and removable, custom-made, clear plastic aligner. It is made of solid plastic, which puts pressure on certain parts of the teeth to slowly move them into the correct position.Your orthodontist will then take an impression of your mouth following the diagnosis. Invisalign will use its own blend of plastic to manufacture your clear aligners based on these impressions.

Although Invisalign and regular braces work similarly to actively move the patient’s teeth to shape the mouth and jaw, Invisalign is advantageous. Invisalign aligners are available at Mercado Dental Care – a Scottsdale center for dental health.

Advantages of Invisalign are;

• Easily removed to eat or clean.
• Aesthetically pleasing since it is not visible when you smile.
• Comfortable because they feel like actual teeth.
• Fewer visits to the orthodontist

2. Removable space maintainers

These are devices made of plastic or wire branches and an acrylic base that fits over the jaw. They are used to keep teeth apart.

3. Splints

These treat TMJ Disorders when they are placed on the top or lower jaw. They work by training the jaw to close in the correct position.

4. Lip and cheek bumpers

They relieve pressure from the cheeks or lips of the teeth.

5. Headgear

This appliance aims at slowing down the growth of the upper jaw. It keeps the back teeth in the correct position as the front teeth are pulled back.

6. Palatal expander

This is a plastic plate used to widen the arch of the patient’s upper jaw.

7. Removable retainers

These are used to keep the teeth from moving back to their former positions after treatment. A retainer may be made of clear plastic, acrylic, or metal.

2. Fixed appliances

These appliances can only be taken off by a dentist or an orthodontist. They include:

1. Braces – These appliances are made of wires, brackets, and bands. The brackets are connected to the teeth’ front while the bands are firmly fixed around the teeth. Bands act as the appliance’s anchors. The wires are passed through the brackets in the shape of an arch and fixed to the bands. The orthodontist tightens the archwire, and the tension applied to the teeth moves them into the correct position. Braces may be colored or clear.
2. Special fixed appliances – These appliances are used to help patients control tongue thrusting or thumb sucking.
3. Fixed space maintainers – They are used to stop two teeth from moving into the space of a pulled-out tooth that is in between.

Orthodontic Treatment

Treatment begins with a diagnosis. After making an appointment with a dentist at Scottsdale, AZ, an assessment will follow. The dentist will; carry out a clinical examination, take x-rays of your teeth and jaw and make plaster models of the teeth. The orthodontist will take over the treatment plan required.

Orthodontic treatment begins when the adult teeth are fully developed. Before and during treatment, the patient is required to maintain good oral hygiene. Fizzy drinks and sugary snacks are to be avoided to prevent tooth decay during treatment. You should remember that orthodontics is a dental treatment that requires time. The teeth need to be gently moved over a certain period for them to be as you desire.