Orthodontic Advances in Braces
When we hear the word “braces” the first image that comes to our minds are mouths full of metal. But the truth is that during the past ten years hi tech improvements have made orthodontics more “patient friendly”.
These days we find braces that are smaller,
smoother easier to place and invisible. Advances in the materials used in dental braces have changed the way they work. Wires are made with a more flexible metal which moves your teeth swiftly and easily into the right position. These wires are easier to install and do not need frequent adjustments.
Nowadays even metal braces are more advanced. They come in silver or golden, are very strong and can withstand most types of treatment. They could be self-ligating which means that the braces do not need ligatures or metal tie wires to hold the archwire. Metal braces are the least expensive and tend to complete treatment taking the least amount of time among all the types of braces. However they are the most visible type of braces and tend to irritate your gums more than the other ones. Another type of braces that we find today are the lingual braces. They are placed behind your teeth which make them invisible to other people and are usually made of metal. Lingual braces can hurt your tongue and make it difficult to speak at first and they may take more time to correct the problem.
Ceramic braces are stronger, do not stain and are less noticeable than metal braces. They blend in with the color of your teeth and the ligatures that hold the archwire into the braces are usually white or clear. Unlike the ceramic braces, these ligatures can stain easily with foods such as curry, coffee, and wine. Such ease of staining makes the braces visible, but you can change them every time you go to your orthodontist for adjustments. Similarly to the ceramic braces, the inspire brand braces are clear and made of monocrystalline sapphire and are perfect for people with white teeth since they are very translucent.
Finally, the most recent advance in dental braces are the invisible braces called Invisalign. They are strong, custom made plastic trays that are easy to clean than traditional braces, don’t irritate your gums as much as the other types of braces and do not stain. You must change the aligners every two weeks until the treatment is done.
There are many options when it comes to braces; however, it all depends on the problem of the patient. If you have severe problems orthodontic specialists will probably suggest traditional braces that are more efficient at correcting these types of problems. If your teeth are not severely misaligned, then Invisalign would be a good choice.
