Orthodontic treatment can make remarkable changes to your appearance, and your oral and physical health. It can resolve many major dental problems such as protruding teeth, crooked teeth, overcrowded teeth, extensively spaced teeth, under bites, over bites, cross bites and open bites.
The value of an attractive, natural, healthy smile should not be underestimated. Once you can bite together correctly, you can eat more comfortably and care for your teeth and gums more easily.
- People are increasingly aware of how teeth look and how an attractive smile can play an important role in enhancing self-confidence.
- These days, with good oral hygiene and regular dental care, your teeth should last a lifetime - wouldn't it be nice if they looked good too?
- A person's self-esteem often improves as orthodontic treatment brings teeth, lips and face into proportion.
- Orthodontic treatment may benefit social and career success, as well as improve your general attitude toward life.
- It's more difficult to clean your teeth when they are crowded and overlapping.
- Inadequate cleaning is a major factor in tooth decay, gum disease and eventual tooth loss.
- Gum disease is increasingly believed to be a causative factor in some patients with heart problems.
- Whilst it is possible to keep even the most crooked teeth clean, having your teeth straightened will make it easier for you to look after them.
- A poor bite can contribute to clenching, grinding and abnormal wear of the teeth.
- In severe malocclusions, the teeth can damage the gum.
Treatment Options
Fixed Brace
Is the most common type of brace today, often known as "train tracks". Brackets are glued onto the teeth and linked by wires. Small elastic hoops are often used to hold the wire in position. The wires exert gentle pressure to move the teeth into a new position. The brackets can be metal, ceramic or even gold and the elastic hoops come in many colours.
Removable BracesThese are used for correcting a simple problem, such as moving a single tooth or expanding the dental arch. It has a plastic base plate with wires and springs attached. Removable braces need to be worn all the time except for cleaning or sport.
Functional AppliancesAre used to harness the growth of the jaws and improve way the upper and lower teeth meet. There are several designs all of which fit on to both the upper and lower teeth and hold the lower jaw forward. They are mostly removable but should be worn as near to full-time as possible.
Lingual ApplianceThe term ‘Lingual’ comes from Latin and means "on the side, towards the tongue". Lingual orthodontics refers to the correction of misaligned teeth using a fixed appliance bonded to the inner surface of the teeth to correct tooth positioning - without the braces being seen.
AlignersAre clear, thin and flexible plastic ‘mouthguards’ which fit precisely and comfortably over the teeth. They allow the patient's irregular teeth to be corrected using a series of incrementally changing appliances. These can only be used to correct mild to moderate cases requiring no extraction
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