The 14 most important questions about braces
As we know the types of braces are:
♦︎ metal braces
♦︎ sapphire braces
Here we will represent the questions that are most often asked by patients.
1. When is it necessary to visit an orthodontist for the first time?
If the child's growing process is correct, it is better to visit an orthodontist at the age of 3.5 to 6 years, when the growth of milk teeth is at rest. The doctor will decide whether there is any defect in the formation of the jaw or not.
Depending on the type of defect, it can be corrected immediately or scheduled for the next visit after half a year, after a year or after temporary teeth replacement.
2. Can adults wear braces to fix the bite?
Anyone can correct a misaligned bite, regardless of age. But for adults, this process takes longer than for children, because skeletal growth has already stopped, and hard bones are more difficult to form.
In addition, some oral diseases may delay the placement of braces. For example: caries, periodontal disease, endocrine diseases.
Sometimes the treatment is affected by the presence of crowns and bridges.
3. Is straightening teeth painful?
The placement of the braces is not painful itself, but requires patience as it takes about an hour.
7-10 days the teeth may hurt a bit when biting. The body has to get used to foreign bodies. In general, you will live your usual life, you will only notice pleasant changes in yourself.
Regular visits to the orthodontist are necessary to correct the process and form the correct position of the teeth.
4. Do braces make eating difficult?
Once fitted, you will need to learn how to eat with braces. This period lasts on average 3-7 days.
During that time, preference should be given to soft and liquid food. Cut the fruits and vegetables into small pieces. Avoid flaky and sticky food.
Over time, you'll be able to eat almost anything except Coca-Cola (can break down the glue), solid foods (nuts, crackers, chocolate), and gummy candy (chocolates, cookies, or caramel bars). Do not chew gum either.
5. What to do if tooth decay appears?
Bracket locks are tightly glued to a special glue that contains fluorine; caries cannot occur under them. And the orthodontist monitors all other parts of teeth during each visit.
If the doctor finds a tooth decay, it can be cured. If necessary, the lock can be removed and re-glued.
6. How often should check-ups be done?
Check-ups should be done every 1-2 months, it all depends on the process and the individual structure of the patient's teeth. During the visit, the orthodontist checks the progress of the treatment and defines the arc vector, which depends on the movement of the teeth in the right direction.
Missing check-ups can disturb the effectiveness of previous treatment.
Braces, whether they are external or internal, should be worn for an average of 1.5 years. But the determination of more accurate dates depends on the initial situation and the age of the patient. Sometimes it takes 2 years or more to fix the problems.
7. What to do if the brace comes out?
On its own, this happens quite rarely, except in cases of high pressure on the teeth, because the arch puts a lot of pressure on the denture, and the lock breaks off. Another option is if the patient is a fan of nuts or other solid food.
Once you notice a broken brace, you should see an orthodontist right away. Otherwise, the teeth will begin to gradually move to their old position.
8. How to clean teeth with braces?
Here, the traditional toothbrush and toothpaste do not fulfill their function. You need to buy a special orthodontic brush and floss from the pharmacy. In addition, if desired, you can use an irrigator.
The teeth should be thoroughly cleaned after each meal, because food residues are kept on the braces, which contributes to the development of caries.
9. Are braces the final stage of orthodontic treatment?
After removing the braces, it is necessary to strengthen the effect of straightening the teeth. For this purpose, retainers are prepared, which will protect the teeth from returning to their previous position.
There are two types of retainers.
Removable-transparent, plastic caps. Used only at night or during certain periods.
Non-removable - made of metal. They are placed on the back surface of the teeth using special composite materials.
The decision about the effective method is made by the orthodontist. During the first month, the caps should be worn continuously, removing them only when eating and brushing the teeth. On average, they are worn for 2 years.
During the period of wearing retainers, it is necessary to visit the doctor every 3-6 months.
10. Is it possible to continue living with crooked teeth?
Crooked teeth are more vulnerable to cavities and periodontal disease. If the teeth do not grow properly, their surfaces wear down quickly when eating, which exacerbates the need for bite correction.
Therefore, sometimes it reaches serious diseases of the jaw joints.
In addition, if you suffer from frequent headaches, chondrosis, or have tinnitus, it is better to definitely check the bite.
11. When will the first results be seen?In some patients, the first result is visible after 1.5-2 months. Others wait up to six months. This is very individual and depends on the situation.
12. Can braces be placed on only one jaw?
Many people think that it is possible to correct the bite on only one jaw, for example, the upper part, and leave the lower part as it is.
This is possible only in the case of a small amount of curvature of the teeth and a correct bite. But that happens very rarely.
The placement of only one brace system can result in incomplete closure of the jaws. It is more correct to align both dentures at once so that problems do not arise later.
13. Should wisdom teeth be removed?
The system of modern braces without ligatures allows to save all teeth. However, there are cases when it is possible to remove wisdom teeth, these teeth do not carry any functionality.
In addition, extraction of other teeth is also possible if there are decayed teeth that cannot be restored.
14. Do braces damage the oral mucosa? What if so?
Each patient receives a gold lock from the orthodontist after placing the braces. At the very beginning, it is worth applying it to the entire brace system, because the mucous membrane of the oral cavity is not yet used to contact with foreign bodies. However, in the majority of cases, it is not even needed.
