When Are Braces Necessary?

May 19
08:12

2011

Andrea Avery

Andrea Avery

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Most people are familiar with a general dentist, it is who most of us see for preventive dental care and dental cosmetic work such as teeth whitening and caps. However when it comes to having crooked teeth straightened it simply goes beyond the scope of practice for most general practitioners and it’s time to see a specialist.

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An orthodontist is a dentist who specializes in installing and maintaining orthodontic wear to create what Mother Nature failed to create- straight teeth. Having straight teeth goes beyond just looking good. If you have crooked teeth your bite is going to be off. Your dentist has probably already warned you that you have an over bite or an under bite and this is likely causing some uneven wear on your teeth when you bite down. It can also make it hard to chew properly and it can ultimately lead to structural problems with your jaw bone including TMJ disorder.

Straight teeth mean a correct biting pattern and a longer life span for your teeth. Braces can accomplish this by applying a steady pressure on your teeth to force them into alignment. It’s kind of like that lone tree in the middle of nowhere that has grown bent instead of straight due to a steady and constant wind its whole life as it grew forcing its growth to alter.

Braces can affectively push crooked teeth into alignment and reinforce the straight teeth to maintain their current status. There are several different types of braces available today for you to choose from.

The traditional silver braces that most of us remember are still available. These are composed of stainless steel or titanium and are highly visible silver metal bands across your upper and lower teeth.
If you want to be less obvious another option available are clear braces.

These are a cosmetic alternative that are,When Are Braces Necessary?  Articles as the name implies, less conspicuous than traditional braces but serve the same function. Clear braces are made of ceramic or plastic and can either be the same color as your teeth or clear. If you want to go even more invisible there are virtually invisible braces known by their trade name-Invisalign.

These clear braces are actually a series of aligners that you wear for about three weeks and then switch to another series of aligners all with the purposes of straightening one area of your mouth at a time. These offer the advantage of living up to their name and unlike braces; you remove them before you eat so your diet isn’t as restricted as it would be with traditional braces.

Another option your dentist may recommend is Lingual braces which are custom made fixed braces that are bonded to the back of your teeth, instead of the front of your teeth like traditional braces and due to their placement are less obvious. If you think you may need braces, be sure to discuss all of your options with your dentist so you can have the smile you weren’t born with but wish you had been.