Everything you need to know about braces

Dental appliances known as braces are used to treat dental issues. It assists in resolving problems like crowding, misaligned teeth, and crooked teeth. Anyone of any age can wear braces (not old age). Some people receive braces as teenagers, while others wait until they are adults. After wearing the braces for a while, the teeth gradually begin to move into alignment or straighten so that people can have a normal bite. After learning about braces, many people acquire them to improve their smile.

PARTS OF BRACES

Dental braces are made of multiple parts. Mentioned below are all about brace’s part with their usage and functions.

• Bracket – It is a small attachment glued to the teeth. It is either ceramic or metallic. It helps the wire to get placed in the slots of brackets.
• Archwire – It is the main wire responsible for connecting all the brackets. It helps in guiding the direction in which the teeth will move.
• Elastics – These are the rubber bands that apply pressure to the jaw. It pulls forward or backward so that the teeth can line up.
• Molar band – The molar band is a thin ring with hooks placed around the backside of the teeth. It is made with metal and helps in attaching the elastics.
• Headgear tube is the tube present on the outer side of the top molars and helps insert the headgear facebow. A flatter tube is used in the bottom molars.
• Power Chain – The power chain is responsible for determining the length of elastic bands. The bands join multiple teeth and pull them together.
• Elastic ligature tie or O Ring – These are the tiny elastic bands responsible for holding the main wire into the slots of the brackets. It might be coloured or clear.
• Steel ligature wire – The steel ligature wires unravel and poke at the lips or cheeks of the people. People sometimes face such issues and visit the dentist for emergencies. The wire is made of steel but looks like colourful elastic.
• Coil or spring – The springs are placed between two teeth and help create additional space between them. It sometimes becomes a little pokey.
• K hook – These are the ligature tie responsible for attaching elastics. They are made of stainless steel.
• Hooks – It attaches the elastics between the upper and lower jaw. It is either a part of a bracket/band or crimps onto the wire.
• Separator – It is a small rubber in a circle shape. It is placed in between the molars. It creates a space or separation. In this space, the cement bands are made fit for the braces.

KIND OF BRACES

Although they are not as uncomfortable as they once were, braces still have a long way to go. It assists in straightening the teeth and realigning the crooked teeth. In the modern world, there are many varieties, therefore before getting braces, people should be aware of all of their options. Some of the several types of braces are listed here.

METAL BRACES

The metal braces are permanently attached to the teeth with the help of bands, flexible wire, and brackets. People facing more complex teeth alignment problems can opt for metal braces. In some cases, headgear is also needed rather than fixed braces. It is worn at night. The metal braces used in present times are more comfortable and have smaller brackets and metal parts.

CERAMIC BRACES

It is a clear or tooth-colored brace. The ceramic braces and their archwires are less noticeable than the metal brackets. The teeth straightening procedure of ceramic braces are similar to metal braces. However, these braces can break easily in combination with the others and are more prone to stains.

INVISIBLE BRACES

The invisible braces are almost invisible and are recommended for teens and adults. It is made to fit over all the teeth, similar to a mouthguard. They are removed and replaced twice a month.

LINGUAL BRACES

The lingual surface refers to the area on the sides of the teeth that is exposed to the tongue. Invisible braces called lingual braces to resemble metal braces in many ways. However, they are not joined to the sides of the teeth's backs. Not everyone is advised to use it. For teeth that are badly out of alignment or crooked, the dentist does not advise it. Usually, the labor is harder and takes longer.

Conclusion

Making the decision to obtain braces is difficult for some people. They are undoubtedly anxious about it. But if someone has crooked teeth, crowding, misaligned teeth, etc., they must get it. People with these problems should see a dentist right away.

They must keep their planned checkups so that the dentist can monitor how well their braces are working. For those wearing braces, it's important to understand everything about them, take good care of them, brush and floss twice daily, avoid sticky or hard foods, and so on. Visit the website to know more.