Crooked teeth and jaw misalignment can make you reluctant to smile and affect your oral health. Braces are an excellent treatment option to straighten teeth and can repair most orthodontic issues. Understanding how braces work is crucial to help you make the right decision for your oral health.
How Do Braces Work to Straighten Teeth?
If you are considering orthodontic treatment and wondering how do braces work, it is important to learn about the components of braces and how they affect your teeth.
Traditional orthodontic braces consist of brackets, archwires, a buccal tube, and rubber O-rings and bands. Each component of the braces system works to exert force on specific teeth to move them along the periodontal membrane into a pre-planned position.
Braces can straighten crooked teeth and repair misalignment in as little as 12 months, but the average orthodontic treatment takes 18-24 months. Straightening your teeth with orthodontic braces occurs over several stages:
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Consultation
During your initial consultation, your dentist takes X-rays, digital scans, and impressions to obtain accurate images of your teeth and jaws. Depending on the condition of your oral health and teeth positioning, your dentist will recommend the best teeth straightening options to help achieve a straighter smile.
Your dental impressions are sent to an off-site lab where your braces brackets are fabricated.
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Fitting Your Orthodontic Braces
At your second appointment, your dentist cements the brackets in place and threads the archwires by tightening them to place pressure on your teeth. Rubber bands are placed on the brackets to increase the force on certain teeth, depending on your treatment plan.
Buccal tubes are metal components that are attached to your molars. These tubes connect all the parts of the orthodontic braces system, allowing your dentist to make adjustments to the tension throughout your treatment. Your dentist may also add springs between two of your teeth that are crowded to push them apart.
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Getting Adjustments
You’ll visit your dentist every 6-8 weeks to have your orthodontic braces tightened or released, according to your treatment schedule.
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Removing the Braces and Maintaining Your Smile
Once your teeth have reached their correct location and your jaw has been aligned, the braces are removed, and you will be given a custom-fitted retainer to wear to prevent your teeth from returning to their original position.
What Conditions Can Orthodontic Braces Treat?
Conventional braces are suitable for addressing numerous simple and complex orthodontic issues, including:
- Crooked teeth
- Crowded teeth
- Rotated teeth
- Diastemas (gapped teeth)
- Overbite, underbite, overjet, crossbite
- Teeth that are too short or extend too far from the jaw
C-Fast braces are an excellent option to straighten and cosmetically enhance your smile if you have minor malocclusions or misalignment in your front teeth. C-Fast braces are short-term orthodontic solutions that can straighten your social six front teeth in six months. The tooth-coloured brackets and discreet titanium-nickel wires are almost invisible.
Work Your Smile With Confidence With the Bright Dental Group
If you have problems like crooked teeth, want to create a smile you are proud to share and looking for more answers on how do braces work, contact the Bright Dental Group for a consultation for orthodontic treatment. We have several teeth straightening options, from lightweight modern braces to clear aligners trays that can effectively straighten crooked teeth.
Dr Kate Kim is happy to answer any questions you have about how braces work. Call our practice on (02) 4708 9691 to book for an appointment for your orthodontic consultation.
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