Orthodontic Procedures Article

The Many Different Types and Styles of Braces

Dentists often suggest that their patients see an orthodontist for braces when their teeth are not aligned properly, the medical term being malocclusions. The orthodontist will look at the patient’s teeth, determine the nature and severity of the patient’s problem, and then make treatment recommendations based on their findings. If the patient needs braces, the orthodontist will go over basic information, and talk about the different options available at this time.

In some cases, the alignment can be so bad that it can’t be repaired by braces, meaning that the only other option for the patient is surgery, but this is a rare event, and not something that the average orthodontic patient should be worried about.

If the patient only has a minor problem, braces may not be needed, and the orthodontist may be able to correct it with the use of retainers. A retainer does the same job that braces do, but is much more comfortable for the patient.

Since retainers are used to prevent the teeth from moving around and getting misaligned, the patient may have to use a retainer, even after their braces are removed, as a preventative measure.

There are three common types of braces that are usually recommended by orthodontists today, brackets, lingual and traditional. Bracket-style braces are by far the most common type used today. Very thin wires will be wound around each tooth, and then will be held in place by a bracket. The brackets are held in place by rubber bands, which are changed on a regular basis. Patients have some flexibility in choosing the style of brackets that are used, either plastic, stainless steel, or ceramic, with stainless being the more popular because it is the only one of the three that is stain resistant.

Lingual braces are very similar to bracket braces, the main difference being that the brackets are placed on the back surface of the teeth, making the braces much less noticeable.

Traditional braces are not commonly used anymore, as these are the braces that first were created, which gave patients the metal mouth look. These are also more painful, because they are actually soldered onto the teeth.

You also have probably heard about the invisible braces that are also available, which is particularly common with adults who are embarrassed about having braces in the first place. Typically, these braces are more expensive than the other options, so they may not be readily available to fit into everyone’s budget.

At one time, parents dreaded hearing the word braces come out of a dentist’s mouth, because they knew that it meant a lot of money, a lot of appointments, and a lot of pain for their children. But that really is not the case anymore, and it is much better to get them if needed, than to ignore the problem.