Your Orthodontic Journey: Questions Uncovered

If you notice a bracket is loose or if a wire has worked itself out of place, or if there is unusual discomfort, notify your orthodontist immediately.

Occasionally things happen to braces or aligners during orthodontic treatment. They may require a call or an unforeseen visit to the orthodontist – what your orthodontist will consider an “emergency visit.”

There may be some time away from work or school during your orthodontic treatment, but your orthodontist will do his/her best to minimize it. If you have braces, the longest appointments will be to place and remove your braces, and will likely be scheduled during the work day. Appointments to adjust braces or pick up a new set of aligners, scheduled every 6 to 10 weeks, are usually short.

It’s critical that you continue seeing your family dentist during orthodontic treatment. Your dentist will provide professional cleanings and check-ups, and like your orthodontist, will keep an eye on oral health. Visit your dentist at least every six months during orthodontic treatment, or more often, if recommended.

Not these days. Among the choices are braces, which consist of brackets and wires, and, for some people, clear aligners.

Here are examples of some of the orthodontic appliances used to move teeth and align jaws.

Braces

Braces are the most common appliance used in orthodontic treatment. Fortunately, they have come a long way. Basically, braces have two parts: brackets and wires. Wires move the teeth; brackets serve as stationary handles to hold the wires. As needed for an individual’s treatment, other components can be added.

Contemporary braces can be:

• Stainless steel
• Gold-colored
• Tooth-colored ceramic

Brackets

Brackets are affixed directly to teeth. Wires are threaded through slots in the brackets. Most braces go on the front of the teeth. Sometimes braces can be put on the backs of teeth – these are called “lingual” braces. These are virtually invisible. Not all orthodontists offer this form of treatment, and not all kinds of orthodontic problems can be successfully treated with lingual braces. The wires on some braces are held in place by tiny rubber bands (“ligatures”), and come in a huge assortment of colors. Other braces are “self-ligating” – they do not require ligatures to hold the wires in place.

Clear aligners

People sometimes call clear aligners “invisible braces.” They are made of a transparent plastic-like material. They are made to fit the patient’s teeth at different stages of their treatment. Each set of aligners is worn for 1-3 weeks, at least 22 hours a day, before moving on to the next set. Each set is engineered to move the teeth incrementally, per the orthodontist’s treatment plan, until the desired alignment is reached. Tooth-colored attachments on the teeth will help aligners move teeth properly. Some, but not all, kinds of orthodontic problems can be successfully treated with clear aligners.

Temporary Anchorage Devices (TADs)

Temporary anchorage devices, or TADs, are tiny implants used as a fixed point from which to apply force to move teeth predictably. They can be placed in many different sites in the mouth, depending upon the patient’s needs. TADs are removed when no longer needed.

Power chains

Power chains are sometimes used with braces. A power chain is stronger than individual elastic o-rings, so they can apply extra force when needed.

Orthodontists use a variety of “appliances” to move teeth and align jaws. Braces may be top-of-mind when you think about orthodontic treatment. But there are many more appliances that orthodontists use in treatment.

Generally, untreated orthodontic problems may become worse. Lack of orthodontic treatment can be a factor in tooth decay, gum disease, destruction of the bone that holds teeth in place, tooth loss, chewing/digestive difficulties, or abnormal wearing away of tooth enamel. Ultimately, orthodontic treatment may cost less than the restorative treatment that could be needed to treat decayed, worn or lost teeth, or gum disease.

Orthodontists are specialists in orthodontic care, but some general dentists and pediatric dentists offer orthodontic treatment. Like general and pediatric dentists, orthodontists graduate from dental school. Unlike general and pediatric dentists, those who wish to become orthodontists must continue their education after dental school, and successfully complete a two-to-three year course of study in orthodontics at an accredited orthodontic residency program. 

This extra education qualifies them as specialists in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics. As specialists, orthodontists limit their scope of practice to orthodontics only. Orthodontists are uniquely qualified, by virtue of education and scope of practice, as experts who have the skills and experience to give your child a healthy and beautiful smile.

Wrong! There’s much more to orthodontic treatment than meets the eye. An improved appearance is the most obvious result. But when teeth and jaws are in alignment, it means function (biting, chewing, speaking) is improved, too.

The beautiful smile that results from orthodontic treatment is the outward sign of good oral health, and sets the stage for the patient’s overall well-being. Orthodontic treatment plays a larger role in healthcare than is generally realized.