What is meant by orthodontic treatment and procedures?
When an individual suffers from misaligned teeth, whether in their younger years or older years, they would need to visit the dentist to undergo some form of orthodontic treatment. Whilst the treatment method can vary between the traditional fixed brace method and the more modern transparent retainers, the end result is important as misaligned teeth are not merely a cosmetic problem but in some cases, can cause problems with the bite, physical jaw movement and many other aspects of your overall health and wellbeing.
Understanding which treatment is best for you.
Whilst modern technology allows patients to find numerous treatments on their own and in some cases attempt various at-home methods, when discussing tooth realignment it is important to understand both the short term and long term work required to achieve the desired result. This is why, as with all treatments and procedures, your dental team will work with you and discuss the options most suited to your individual case. The dental team will always work with you and guide you with the expertise on the subject as the treatment needs to work for the patient on both a mental and physical level.
What are the options?
Misaligned teeth are extremely common among people of all ages and therefore there are a variety of options available. For instance, there are the Inman aligner and ClearSmile aligners which concentrate on mild to moderate misalignment problems. For the more severe realignment cases, it may be that the Six Month Smile or more traditional brace method is more suited.
Getting started.
Whether deciding upon a fixed brace method or looking more towards the removable retainers, a consultation will first take place to discuss which treatments are most suitable. This means that a series of photographs, x-rays, physical dental examinations and in some cases moulds will be taken so as to ensure that all the different aspects of the teeth are captured. For fixed braces, this enables the dentist to understand where the required movement is needed and for the retainers, it also enables the custom made aligners to be tailored specifically to the patient’s mouth.
Are orthodontic treatments for children only?
Whilst in the past a lot of orthodontic treatments have been tailored to the younger generations, over the past 20 years the rise in realignment treatments and procedures for adults has increased. This increase in popularity has ensured that the methods are more cosmetically appealing allowing the patient to lead their everyday life without hiding their smile away.
What happens once the desired results have been gained?
Once a newly aligned position has been gained it is important to maintain the positioning of the teeth and this is why a new, final retainer will be provided after either the fixed brace method has been used or the removable retainers. This final retainer will hold the teeth in their new position and prevent them from shifting back into their original positions.
