These days, there is a lot of new equipment and many new techniques for creating the perfect set of teeth. For anyone that suffers from crooked teeth, there is a solution in braces. Braces work to straighten your teeth and have a number of health benefits by themselves. But how do braces actually work? Let’s look at the process of getting braces and how they straighten your teeth in-depth.
The Many Parts of Traditional Braces
The first thing that you should know is that there are many parts of traditional braces. In fact, braces are made up of four major components and potentially around a dozen others. The first components that we will discuss are the brackets. The brackets are generally made of metal or ceramic, held in place by a dental bonding agent and attached to each tooth.
There is also an archwire running between each bracket that puts the pressure on your teeth that is required to straighten them. Ligatures are elastic ties that hold the archwire to the brackets. You can choose from lots of different colors. There are also additional elastic bands used to apply more pressure and straighten teeth.
There are other tools that are used when it comes to putting in braces as well. For example there may be hooks, springs, ties, loops, tubes and even headgear.
How Braces Work
Most people think that braces simply change the direction of teeth, making them straighten out. However, braces do more than that. In fact, braces work with a process called bone remodeling. This procedure applies constant pressure to your teeth that helps your bones to grow and adapt to keep your teeth in the new, straight position for the remainder of your life.
Your dentist will set the bracket and the archwire together to align the tooth into the right position. At first, your dentist will use a thinner archwire that will apply only gentle pressure. As your teeth become straighter, a thicker and thicker archwire is required to fill up the slots in the bracket. The bone tissue will begin to grow around your teeth’s new position and your teeth will eventually be permanently straightened.
Are Braces Painful?
While braces are not painful for most people, they may be a bit uncomfortable for the first few days and weeks. Generally, the bone remodeling process will not start for several days. You may experience some soreness, but it is easy to get use to and disappears quickly. Braces can take anywhere from a year to three years to permanently shift your teeth into position and keep them straight for life.
What You Need to Do
There are definitely things that you can do to make the process easier. First, make sure that you communicate with your dentist so that you know what to expect as you get braces and wear them for the first time. You also want to make sure that you are following all of the dental hygiene recommendations that your dentist gives you. For example, it is vital that you floss between each bracket and brush the curved angle around your comes in brackets. You can have gone, but avoid sugar and you may have to eat smaller bites when it comes to some food.
Other Options for Braces
Although there is no solution other than braces when it comes to straightening teeth, there is a new technology that is making it easier to wear braces. Invisalign braces are increasingly popular, completely invisible and are a preferred option for many patients. Plus, they are only slightly more expensive than traditional braces.