Traditional Braces
Orthodontic treatment straightens your teeth so they look and work better. Braces work by putting gentle pressure on your teeth and over a number of months or years this pressure can move your teeth into the right position.
Orthodontic treatment isn’t just for teens, as teeth can be moved at any age. In fact, more and more adults are having orthodontic treatment to improve the look and health of their smile.
In some cases, it is helpful to start orthodontic treatment before all the permanent (adult) teeth come in. This is called interceptive orthodontics. We can do an orthodontic screening to find out if your child will need orthodontic treatment to correct a bad bite. Interceptive orthodontics allows us to treat or stop a problem as it is developing.
To apply braces, we attach brackets to each tooth. Arch wires are fitted into all the brackets and are usually held in place with rubber or wire ties.
The position of your teeth and jaws has an effect on your bite. Your bite is how your top and bottom teeth come together. When your top and bottom teeth do not fit together properly, this is called a malocclusion or a bad bite. Problems like missing, crooked, crowded or protruding teeth can contribute to a bad bite. Thumb or finger sucking may also affect your bite.
A bad bite can make it hard to chew some foods and may cause some teeth to wear down. It can also cause muscle tension and pain. Teeth that stick out are more easily chipped or broken. Crowded and crooked teeth are harder to clean and may be more likely to get cavities and gum disease. Fixing a bad bite improves your smile and your health. Different types of bad bites include an overbite, a crossbite, an overjet and an open bite.
An overjet occurs when the upper front teeth protrude.
A deep bite occurs when the upper front teeth cover the lower front teeth too much.
An underbite occurs when the upper teeth fit inside the arch of the lower teeth.
An open bite occurs when the back teeth are together and there is an opening between the lower and upper front teeth.
Gaps between teeth
A crossbite occurs when one or more of your upper teeth don’t
line up with the appropriate lower tooth or teeth.
Crowded or overlapped teeth
Taking Care of Your Teeth With Braces
- Brush and floss Consistently. Taking care of your teeth is always important, but even more critical when you have braces since plaque can easily build up around the edges of the brackets. If plaque isn’t properly removed, it can affect the enamel and cause white or brown stains that can be permanent. We recommend more frequent visits to help you get under the brackets and to make sure your gums and teeth stay healthy. We will also give you tips and tools and show you how to brush and floss effectively for a beautiful smile.
- Avoid foods that are not braces-friendly. Sticky, chewy foods like gum, caramels and gummies should be avoided during your orthodontic treatment. Also really hard things like ice cubes and nuts. This not only will help prevent cavities, but also damage to brackets and distort the wire of the braces.
- Avoid missing your appointments. Making sure you are seen regularly allows for any adjustments to be made and gives you the opportunity to ask all your questions.
Retainers
Once your braces have been removed, a retainer can be used to keep your teeth in the right place. Retainers are fixed (attached to the teeth) or removable. They may need to be worn all the time or part of the time depending on each individual person’s case.
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