ou may have considered getting braces if you are someone dealing with dental issues like crooked, crowded, or misaligned teeth. But some doubts about them might still linger in your mind, especially if you are curious about how do braces work to strengthen your teeth. While your concerns are genuine, learning early about how an orthodontist will help you get your perfect smile is worth consideration.
So here we are about to unfold some key points that you can learn before making your decision on getting dental braces. We will explain to you some of the most common types of dental braces and how they work to help you achieve a perfectly aligned smile.
Different Types Of Dental Braces
Your orthodontist often offers you a few options for dental braces depending on your needs and sometimes preferences. Braces are commonly custom-made to target specific issues and get you the most suitable aid for realigning and fixing your teeth. Some of the most commonly known types of dental braces are:
- Metal Braces: The classic kinds that have been in practice for several years and are very effective in strengthening your jaw and realigning your teeth. The only concern that you may face with these braces is that they will be visible in your mouth once applied.
- Ceramic Braces: While the function of these braces is still the same as metal braces, they are made using materials that are less visible and can also offer options for customization for your fashion preferences. You can go with colorful materials or stick with tooth colored and less visible option.
- Lingual Braces: Another option for those people who do not want their braces to be visible in their mouth. Lingual braces will be placed on the back of your teeth, also known as the lingual side, so that they won’t be visible from the outside.
- Clear Aligners: These are removable kinds of braces that are not fixed to your teeth but are custom-built to realign your teeth. The materials used in these braces are transparent that’s why they won’t be visible as you will wear them. Nonetheless, these are not a preferable option if your dental issues are severe.
How Do Dental Braces Work
As you may already know, dental braces work to move your teeth to a more visually appealing alignment. But this doesn’t answer how they work for your specific concerns. To Understand this, let’s first learn about the basics of the braces. The functionality of braces depends on a series of components that are put in place to shift your teeth to the proper alignment.
Let’s have a look at these components and learn about their placement:
- Brackets: This part of braces is generally made using ceramic or metallic material. Brackets are bonded to the front side of your teeth.
- Archwires: The second part of braces that is run through the brackets. Once put in place, it enforces your teeth into alignment.
- Bands: The function of bands is to anchor the archwires. These metal rings will be fixed around the back of your molars.
- Elastic Ties: These are tiny rubber bands used by your orthodontist to secure the archwire to the brackets. Elastic ties can be customized, and you can even choose them in different colors if you want to go with a fancy statement for your braces.
As of now, you have learned about the different components used in braces and their placement in your teeth; let’s find out how they contribute to the realignment and strengthening of your teeth.
The First Step Of Putting Pressure On Your Teeth
After your orthodontist puts braces on your teeth, they will begin the first step of bone remodeling. Braces will put constant pressure on your teeth to align them. As pressure is exerted on a tooth, the bone will break down on one side, and a new one will form on the other side, thus shifting your teeth to a new alignment. This is a lengthy process, and it can take even three years, depending on how severe the misalignment of your teeth is.
Second Step Of Tooth Realignment
Your teeth will slowly keep shifting to a new alignment after the installation of braces will be done to them. This process will cause you discomfort for the initial few weeks, but this is not something you need to be concerned about. The pain will fade away within the second week, and then you will get used to the realignment process. To ensure the constant pressure on your teeth for enforcing realignment, your orthodontist will need you to go through a follow-up maintenance where they will readjust the archwire and guide your teeth to the ideal position.
Third Step Of Strengthening Your Teeth
With consistent pressure being exerted on your teeth, bones will keep breaking, and new bones will keep forming. Braces will aid significantly in the development of new bones around the roots where it is needed the most for teeth strengthening. It will help to keep your teeth stable and even contribute to forming an even bite force so you won’t have to deal with any issues related to further wear and tear or damage to your teeth.
The Fourth Step Of Maintaining Results With Retainers
Braces will be eventually removed yet that won’t be the conclusion of your teeth alignment and strengthening journey. As you are trying to fix your teeth to a new alignment and working on it, your teeth are still used to the original positioning, and they will try to move back to it unless you use retainers. Your orthodontist will always advise you to wear retainers to hold your teeth to the new position and ensure 100% results from the braces.
You can choose to go with either fixed retainers that will be bonded to the back of your teeth or removable ones that you will need to wear as per instructions from your orthodontist.
Need Help With Choosing Your Braces For Your Specific Needs? Dietrich & Kelso Orthodontics Can Help
Braces are excellent devices used to fix your dental issues and strengthen your teeth for a renewed smile. However, you may be concerned about whether braces are the right choice for you. At Dietrich & Kelso Orthodontics we have helped several people just like you and helped them choose their dental care for optimal results. You can also begin your journey by booking for a free consultation today. We are eager to help. Let’s connect!
Some Of The Most Common Questions We Get About How Do Braces Work
How long will it take for braces to work?
Results normally depend on how severe your teeth misalignment is. On average you will start to notice results between 6 to 18 months.
How do rubber bands work for braces?
Rubber bands are used to put pressure on your jaw to achieve a more reformed alignment. Rubber bands are even helpful with accelerating the teeth-strengthening process if you wear them daily.
How do metal braces work?
Metal braces are classic stainless steel-based braces that take up to 24 months to realign your teeth. Your orthodontist will use a bond to put brackets to each tooth and then place a thin archwire over these brackets to tighten your teeth to a new alignment.
Is there any age limit to get braces?
There is no age limit for you to get braces. We get many adult clients on a daily basis and we offer custom options for braces to get the best results in the minimum time