Nowadays dentistry has advanced & can you with almost every treatment you seek to have a more beautiful & healthy smile. Orthodontic treatment is one such example.
Orthodontics gives you a beautiful smile and a more nutritious mouth. It is a crucial branch of dentistry, that deals with restoring the alignment of the jaw and teeth. Remember, there is no age limitation for getting orthodontic treatment.
What Are The 5 Common Orthodontic Treatments?
Traditional Braces
Traditional metal braces are the most common ones and more comfortable now than ever. They are made of high-quality stainless steel to straighten your teeth. You can add colored elastics rubber bands with metal braces for a more unique and bright smile.
Self-Ligating/ Damon Braces
Self-ligating braces & metal braces are made from the same material. However, self-ligating braces do not need elastics, indicating fewer appointments and less friction on the tooth. They are the same size as metal braces but use a specialized clip instead of elastics to allow the archwire to guide teeth to their proper place. The clip helps reduce the exerted pressure on the tooth and needs fewer adjustments as there are no elastics for replacement.
Ceramic Braces
Ceramic braces are made of a clear material and are less observable on your teeth than metal braces. For this reason, ceramic braces are used primarily on teenagers and adult patients with cosmetic concerns. While they are visually less noticeable, they need more attention to oral hygiene as ceramic braces are big compared to metal braces and more easily breakable. For these reasons, ceramic braces tend to be used more on the upper front teeth than on the lower.
Clear Aligners
Clear aligners are a series of invisible, removable, and comfortable high-quality plastic-made trays that straighten your teeth like braces. This is not it, they are also removable, so you can eat and drink whatever you want. Brushing and flossing are also simple. The aligners are comfortable and have no metal to cause mouth scrapes during the treatment.
Palatal Expander
Palatal expanders are a common orthodontic appliance used in early treatment for children whose jaw bones are still growing. These appliances widen the upper jaw to make the required space for teeth to erupt in a wholesome alignment. Palatal expanders can help prevent tooth crowding and impaction by guiding the correct development of the jaw bone.
The most common type of palatal is the rapid palatal expander, bonded to the upper molars on both sides of the jaw, with a screw in the center of the appliance. To trigger the palatal expander, you’ll insert a key to turn the center screw, which extends the device slightly and widens the palate slowly over time, which in turn, expands the jaw.
Retainers
After you are done with your orthodontic treatment, our orthodontist in York will provide you with a custom-made retainer. You have to wear the retainers for a definite time. Over time, your teeth will naturally shift, and retainers help preserve the new alignment of your post-braces teeth. Our Orthodontics recommends patients wear their retainers for the long term–that’s why we offer retainers for them.
Orthodontic Treatment In York
We hope that you are more clear about the choice of orthodontic treatment you have to make to achieve a more aligned & beautiful smile. However, it is always a good idea to consult a professional to know more about teeth straightening treatment. After all, only a professional can respond to a common query of all patients; do I need braces?
Our orthodontist in York, can guide you through the whole process & will determine after an oral exam which orthodontic treatment will best meet your needs & how long the treatment will last.