What makes braces work

After several months, your orthodontist can evaluate the potential for further movement of the teeth. Should this not be of concern, the retainer may then be worn in the evenings only. Traditional braces use wires, elastics, and brackets to move your teeth into the desired position. Lingual braces are similar to traditional braces, except the brackets are on the back of your teeth facing your tongue.

So other people cannot see them. Invisalign involves wearing transparent aligners on your teeth to create minor movements in your teeth. Although the application is different, all three methods apply constant and gradual force to move your teeth in the desired position gently. Invisalign moves teeth the same way as braces, by applying force to the teeth in the direction we want the teeth to move towards.

However the application and design of the force is different. Because Invisalign aligners are removable, they rely on friction between the aligner and the tooth surface in its force application.

Braces are glued to the tooth, so the brackets become a handle by which we can grab on to and apply the force. The force to move the tooth is applied by the wires we use. When a wire is engaged into brackets on teeth that are crooked but adjacent to each other, the displacement of the wire creates tension through the flexing of the wire, and because the wire wants to return to its natural straighter form, it drags the teeth into a straight position.

The movements can be very precise because the brackets and wires are FIXED to the tooth, there is no slippage between the braces and the teeth. This is why the system is called Fixed appliance, and the technique is called Straight wire technique. Each aligner differs slightly from the last one. The changes are incremental, and are designed on the computer by the orthodontist.

All the movements are designed into the system at one time, at the beginning of treatment. The teeth move due to the slight difference between each stage of the aligner; the slight difference in the aligner and the teeth create tension, or force, on the teeth, pushing them toward the final form we want them to be.

The aligners are forced on to the teeth and are held in place by friction. Because the aligners are not glued to the teeth, there may be some slippage, causing slight loss of precision in this system. The imperfection in fit needs to be compensated by over-correcting a particular movement. Therefore, at the end of a series of aligners we may see that a particular goal is not reached with the first set of aligners, we will need to create another set of aligners to compensate for that discrepancy between what is designed and the actual result.

When considering braces, it is important to discuss any potential risks that could be encountered as well as any special considerations worth noting.

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about braces:. In short: no, if done properly by a dental professional. By consulting with an orthodontist and practicing proper hygiene, it is very unlikely that braces will ruin your teeth.

This happens when patients do not spend enough time to thoroughly clean their teeth around the appliance and under the gum. This is why we spent a significant amount of time teaching and coaching patients how to identify dirty teeth and inflamed gums, and how to properly clean them. Even though the teeth may look straight, the wrong position may cause traumatic bite, or teeth sitting outside of the bone, resulting in poor bone and gum support.

This is a potential risk with DIY orthodontics programs that are not supervised by a certified orthodontist. This is why many patients choose to go to orthodontists for braces, as orthodontics are specialists who focus their practice solely on teeth alignment, bite issues, and the creation of a beautiful and healthy smile.

Orthodontists are dentists who received years of additional training and education and have passed the rigorous examination to become certified in the speciality. No, with proper treatment planning and maintenance of oral hygiene, your teeth should not be weakened after your braces treatment is complete. This will correct any bite issues, make it easier to clean your teeth, and improve your overall oral health! While wearing braces, your teeth will shift, resulting in what it feels like looseness of the teeth.

As time passes during your treatment, the wires apply pressure on your teeth, which sets in motion the movement of your teeth into their desired positions. Each of your teeth has a different size and shape, and so do the brackets. Each bracket is custom-made for a particular tooth. When you first get your braces, the initial wires will be very flexible, but still strong enough to apply a constant force on your teeth.

As your teeth straighten out over time we will use progressively thicker and firmer wires to help guide your teeth into the proper position for an ideal bite.

Each time you visit our office for an adjustment, Dr. Ross is evaluating your progress and adjusting your wires to keep the right amount of pressure on your teeth. Most adjustment appointments are scheduled approximately six weeks apart to give your teeth time to move at a steady pace and for the bone to remodel and adapt to the new position.

Braces move individual teeth back, forward and across to make enough room for teeth to sit side by side. Some younger patients with overcrowding benefit from an expander to increase the size of their jaw. If the palate has already fused, the expander alone is no longer an option, and a patient might have to have some small pins placed from the expander into the roof of the mouth to assist with expansion, or the assitsance of an oral and maxillofacial surgeon will be requested to make some incisions on either side of the upper jaw to enable the expander to expand the jaw structure.

Tooth extraction may also be frequently considered as an alternative cto make more room. Of course your orthodontists will work through all the options with carefully considered issues. An overbite is the vertical overlap of the top and lower teeth, and overjet is the protrusion of the top teeth relative to the lower teeth. To treat the overbite, upper front teeth may be moved up, lower front teeth moved down or a combination of both or the lower back teeth may be brought up to make the lower jaw swing open slightly.

Braces do this by applying constant pressure to slowly move the teeth into the desired position. As the teeth move, the bone around them changes shape to accommodate their new position. You can learn more about how braces can correct an overbite here. People think of braces being able to push teeth towards the palate, but braces can also pull teeth out towards the lips.

An archwire with a shape memory is made of nickel-titanium and can pull teeth forward. The wire is bent to meet the bracket on the tooth, but with time the wire returns to its original U shape carrying the tooth forward. The first stage is to move your teeth so they sit side by side. Teeth may move up or down and across, so the edge of teeth are in a straight line. The second step is adjusting the braces to correct any bite problems - an overbite, underbite or crossbite.

Braces are applying constant pressure, but your teeth will not move everyday. You may notice your teeth are sore for a few days after an adjustment, while your teeth get used to the new pressure. The rest of the time before the next appointment, the braces are holding your teeth in the desired position. Braces need to move teeth slowly for comfort and effectiveness.

Our teeth need time to move into the desired position and for the bone to either reabsorb, or make new bone, depending on the direction the teeth are moving. Every orthodontic case is different! Some people who require only minor, cosmetic changes to their teeth may wear braces for as little as six months. Other patients requiring complex treatment to fix multiple orthodontic issues with their teeth and jaw, may need to wear braces for as long as three years. Breakages can increase treatment time.