Orthodontist : Orthodontist is the branch of dentistry that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. The technical term for these problems is "malocclusion," which means "bad bite." The practice of orthodontics requires professional skill in the design, application and control of corrective appliances, such as braces, to bring teeth, lips and jaws into proper alignment and to achieve facial balance. |
Who Needs Orthodontic Treatment?
Today children as well as adults are choosing to have orthodontic treatment since age is no longer a factor that governs the feasibility of the treatment. But as you grow older the duration of the treatment is increased since it is easier to shift and align teeth during the growth phase of the jaws. Orthodontic treatment corrects
• Malocclusion (bite or occlusion is off)
• Tooth malalignment (crooked teeth)
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Why Treat Malocclusion?
Orthodontics is not only used to improve your appearance. Malocclusion or malaligned teeth can have long term effects, such as:
• Interference with normal growth and development of the jaws
• Abnormal swallowing patterns
• Abnormal facial muscle function
• Impairment of chewing
• Speech defects
• Susceptibility to cavities due to the difficulty of removing plaque from crooked teeth vulnerability to accidents or fractured teeth (if your front teeth stick out, they may be more easily injured)
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Types of BRACES available:
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Metal Braces
Metal brackets are the ones that are most frequently used. They appear as small metal buttons that are glued to the front of each tooth. These tend to be less expensive than other types of brackets. Additionally, they can be made colorful with ligature rubber bands that come in a wide range of colors.
A major drawback of these braces is there color which makes its use very limited in cases of adult orthodontics. |
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Invisible Braces
Metal brackets are the ones that are most frequently used. They appear as small metal buttons that are glued to the front of each tooth. These tend to be less expensive than other types of brackets. Additionally, they can be made colorful with ligature rubber bands that come in a wide range of colors.
A major drawback of these braces is there color which makes its use very limited in cases of adult orthodontics. |
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Ceramic (Tooth Colored) Braces
Ceramic brackets are made of composite materials. They are very strong and generally do not stain. Adults like to choose ceramic because they "blend in" with the teeth and are less noticeable than metal. The ligatures (tiny rubber bands) that hold the arch wire on to the ceramic brackets are often white or clear. This looks great at first, but the ligatures can stain. Unless you eat a lot of curry, smoke, or drink a lot of black coffee, this generally isn't a problem. Note that the ligatures are changed each time you get an adjustment -- usually, monthly. It's only the ligatures that stain, not the brackets themselves |
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