Everyone wants to have the perfect smile and good dentistry guarantees you that ! Orthodontic treatments, the world over; have known to have an immense affect on a person’s self- confidence, smile as well as their self-esteem. A wedding, an important interview or an event might just require you to revisit that smile of yours and to put on some braces.
Hence, to help you make an informed decision like this, you need to know a bit about the different types of braces, which I will be covering in different blog pieces .
Putting on a brace is an important decision to make and as the dental structure of each individual is unique and varied a personal orthodontic and dental structure analysis will decide what type of braces suit your need and what are a perfect fit for you .It is not like “one-size-fits all’… they are highly customized and suitable only for you . There are no generic braces that will suit all, therefore selecting a good orthodontist is the first step towards a great smile!
Types of braces abound…
There are different types of cosmetic braces which you can choose from, ceramic braces, steel braces, clear plastic braces and self aligning braces. Although ceramic braces may not be recommendable for a few cases of misalignment and biting problems, it is mostly suitable for treating crooked teeth, overbite or widely spaced out or crowded teeth.
Ceramic braces are much like metal braces, except they are made of tooth-coloured (or sometimes clear) ceramic, porcelain, or plastic brackets to blend in more naturally with teeth. Some even use tooth-coloured wires to blend in the teeth further. They are as good as invisible on the teeth unless looked at closely.
Given the fact, that they are aesthetic , but these Ceramic Braces are generally more expensive when compared to metal steel braces that are the most widely used type of braces in treatment. Ceramic braces are the same size and shape as metal braces, except that they use clear brackets that blend in to teeth. They can start altering your teeth setting and begin to improve your smile in just six months, depending on your jaw structure and age.
After the fitting of the ceramic braces, you will need to go for regular dental check-ups to ensure that the braces are well placed as well as tighten the wires. The treatment often takes about a year to complete ; for adult patients looking at re positioning their teeth.
Just like all other braces or any orthodontic treatment , proper care and hygiene has to be maintained.
Try and stay away from sticky and sweet food like chocolates , even hard and sticky food like Chiki might stain your teeth and chip the ceramic braces.
Cut down on sugary snacks in between meals otherwise your teeth might start to decay.
Remember to brush your teeth every time you eat anything – even a cookie or a candy , as the braces need to be kept clean at all times.
Benefits of Ceramic braces…
They blend in beautifully with your teeth and are more pleasing to the eye.
They are less painful and do not irritate the gums as much as metal braces
They do not scratch and sore the mouth as metal braces.
They are less visible than metal braces.
Who can wear Ceramic Brackets or Braces?
Although your dentist /orthodontist always determines the kind of braces you might require after a thorough review of your jaw structure , teeth bone and teeth spacing , still knowing about the types of braces available helps you to choose better.
The words braces and brackets have the same meaning. Orthodontists use the term brackets when talking about braces. Anyone who needs braces to correct their teeth structure and is very particular about the ‘how it looks” or the aesthetic part of it , should choose a ceramic brace set.
Several ceramic brace manufacturers in India do claim in their advertising that their brackets will move teeth faster and will result in shorter treatment time. This is not true or scientific , because it is the jaw structure and age of patients that decided the time of teeth alignment and not the type of braces used.
There are definitely no ‘magical’ ceramic braces, as claimed in the ads; that will suspend the laws of physics and thereby “magically” align your teeth. It takes time and patience. The choice of braces are based on age, bone structure teeth spacing and aesthetic requirements and of course the economics of it!
In my next piece I will discuss in detail about the most popular metal braces used in dentistry and how to know which one suits your pocket and your needs.Till then; Smile and be the best you can be!
Well , we all crave for that beautiful smile like Preity Zinta’s …but not all of us are naturally endowed with it . For those that need a little help with that “curve”, there are orthodontists that work overtime to endow you with the perfect smile that will light up a thousand ships! And the best way that more and more people are having success with beautiful smiles is through clear orthodontic devices called “Aligners”. As the name suggests, they help align your teeth into the perfect position.
The earlier concept was to use braces , which are nothing but brackets connected by wires to encourage your teeth to slowly move in position and get aligned gracefully in a row, but “Aligners” are a series of tight-fitting custom-made mouthpieces that slip over your teeth and are aesthetically very subtle when compared to braces.
There are many brands internationally that produce these aligners, Invisalign, Clear Correct, Inman Aligner, Smart Moves aligners etc.
But these Clear (or “invisible”) aligners aren’t for everyone. Your orthodontist or dentist will help you decide what’s best for you.
They are just like braces but detachable and definitely more aesthetic than steel or ceramic braces. They are made from a clear plastic or acrylic material and fit tightly over the teeth, and can be removed for eating, brushing, and flossing.
You’ll get a new aligner with tighter settings; every few weeks to continue moving the teeth into the desired position.
Can anyone get these invisible beauty teeth aids?
1. Age consideration – As the invisible teeth aligners are custom-built for a tight fit, they are best for adults and teens. Straightening a child’s teeth is more complicated. Young people, and their mouths, are still growing and developing; and hence using aligners is recommended only for young teenagers and adults and have found to be most effective for them .
2. Minor spacing – Clear orthodontic teeth aligners are usually used for those who have very minimal spacing issues and have moderately crowded teeth structure . Those patients who might have issue with wide spacing or severe underbites, overbites, or crossbites — may need more complex treatment or traditional braces. This decision has to be made professionally by the orthodontist after a review of your teeth.
Once, these two considerations are done, you are good to go with aligners.
Treatment time with invisible teeth aligners is based on how much the teeth need to be moved or rotated. The more your bite is off or the more crooked your teeth, the longer it will take. Treatment usually takes between 10 and 24 months. But if you’re an adult who had braces as a child, and your teeth shifted slightly over the years, you may need invisible teeth aligners for as little as 10 weeks and you are good to go!
Patients today have a variety of choices and decisions to make when they decide to undergo orthodontic treatment—choosing between clear aligners and traditional braces. Although clear aligners offer several benefits and are an effective alternative to bracket and wire orthodontics, especially for adults, some people still prefer the good-old-braces over new age clear aligners and that too is fine!
The few benefits of Aligners over Traditional braces are :-
1. Aesthetically pleasing
The main reason why adult patients decide to go in for clear aligners is that they appear invisible and are definitely prettier and more pleasing to look at than braces. This helps conceal the fact that the patient is undergoing any orthodontic treatment, which can be embarrassing for some adults.
2. Removability
Unlike traditional braces, that are fixed and screwed in place, Aligners have the added advantage of being detachable. Patients love having this ability to remove their clear aligners when they eat, brush or floss their teeth. This allows them to maintain good oral hygiene.
Health benefits
Many patients who have traditional braces find it difficult to properly take care of their teeth, because of the lengthy cleaning routines with traditional braces. Many times, patients develop calcium deposits on the front of their teeth following orthodontic treatment as they are unable to clean and brush properly. These deposits are visible when the braces are removed and require the patient either to have cosmetic work done or live with white spots on their teeth.
Poor hygiene habits with traditional braces also may result in swollen gums ,gingivitis, and in a few cases with stomach infection from rotting food pieces in the mouth.
Clear aligners were first used only on simple orthodontic cases, such as slightly crowded teeth, but now they’re used for even the most advanced orthodontic cases as well.
Aligners are an orthodontic miracle that aligns a patient’s teeth quickly, comfortably, and accurately with minimum embarrassment and discomfort. They are indeed a great alternative to bracket and wire orthodontic and are therefore now a much popular option for orthodontic treatments the world over.
Clear Brace aligners are available in many models and brands with Invisalign being the most famous of the lot. Chose the one that mimics the natural shade of your teeth and fits you the best .
These aligners are definitely a better bet than traditional braces and look so nice that one cannot even know that the patient has put on braces , until they come up, close and personal. Fortunately, for those having severely crooked teeth, these braces can cost an additional thousand of rupees only but look much prettier while wearing.
As is widely known, there are so many different brands to choose from and only your orthodontist can choose the best aligners for you . The price varies from each case to case. Usually the price varies depending on the number of aligners used and the brand and the severity of the tooth alignment required.
Although this may seem a bit steep but given the benefit and convenience of the these clear braces it is definitely a small price to pay .
