Orthodontic Braces

Braces are orthodontic tools which are used to fix issues such as crooked or misaligned teeth. They are designed to gradually straighten teeth and realign them into a normal bite pattern. Additionally, many people choose braces to amend your smile. Braces are commonly chosen by many patients for their impressive results and reasonable prices.

Keep reading below to learn more about orthodontic braces before making your decision.

1. What are orthodontic braces?

Orthodontic braces are used to correct the misalignment of teeth (crowded or crooked teeth). They can also repair problems with your bite pattern when the front and back teeth do not meet, which is also known as malocclusion. This non-invasive treatment does not affect your natural teeth, but it  also helps maintain your overall oral health.

You probably think that your teeth are connected to your jawbone, making it hard to imagine how they can be moved. In fact, your teeth are anchored in place by a system of periodontal tissues, including gums, cementum, alveolar bone, and periodontal ligaments. These tissues, surprisingly, do respond to the pressure being put on your teeth by braces. They can stretch or compress as teeth move. As a result, your teeth will gradually move into the desired position. Then, the jawbone will naturally rebuild itself to accommodate the new teeth’ positions.

At Elite Dental, to decide if dental braces are suitable for you, our specialist orthodontists will start by checking your general health. Then, conduct a clinical examination, which involves a digital scan of your teeth. Finally, propose a treatment plan accordingly.

2. Good candidates for dental braces

Dental braces are recommended for people who wish to improve their dental imperfections while keeping their natural teeth. These issues include:

• Misaligned teeth: crowded, crooked, overjet, gapped, or uneven teeth.
• Bite pattern problems: overbite, open bite, underbite, or crossbite.
• Jaw problems: narrow or misaligned jaw.

Braces are mostly for children from 6 to 12 years old when most of their adult teeth start to come in. At Elite Dental, we have successfully treated thousands of children helping their adult teeth to blossom into a beautiful smile.

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You may be surprised to learn that adults can also have orthodontic treatment. It is becoming much more common. However, the sooner you get the treatment, the more advantages you will receive from it. 

3. The types of dental braces

Metal/traditional braces: These are made from metal or titanium. They are held in place with a series of brackets, wires, bands or metal ties. These fittings generate the pressure required to help to straighten or realign your teeth into desired spots. In some cases, you might need to wear additional dental bands which gently spread the pressure in the desired direction. Metal/Traditional braces are cheaper compared to the other types. Nonetheless, they are more versatile and can fix almost every common issue. For this reason, traditional braces are more often the ideal form of treatment.

Ceramic braces:  These are similar in structure to the traditional metal braces. However, the ceramic material can seamlessly match your natural teeth, making them less noticeable and aesthetic. With ceramic braces, you can be more confident around others as well as experience less painful rub on your lips and gums. One drawback of ceramic braces is they are thicker and therefore require additional care.

Passive metal self-ligating braces: These braces use brackets rather than bands to hold themselves in place. As a result, fewer visits are necessary (every six weeks rather than four weeks) as they operate using a sliding door system and are therefore mostly self-correctional. This sliding-door system incorporates “stops” which prevent the brace from becoming misplaced. Due to this, these braces are noticeably thicker than traditional braces. Another thing to consider is that self-ligating braces are more expensive than traditional ones.

Passive ceramic self-ligating braces: Similar to the metal self-ligating braces above, these use the same sliding door system. Therefore, they come with all the same advantages and disadvantages as the metal ones. 

Clear aligners: Also known as invisible braces. These are transparent plastic trays which align perfectly with your teeth. These plastic trays create gentle pressure to shift the teeth, leaving you with a beautiful and natural smile. One significant advantage of clear aligners is that you can remove these while eating and cleaning your teeth. However, you should aim to wear them for a minimum of 22 hours a day to allow them to work effectively.

4. Why is orthodontics widely used at the moment?

• Optimal and long-lasting results
• Reasonable price
• A wide range of options to choose from

5. The process of orthodontics at Elite Dental

Our specialist orthodontists will start by checking your general health. Then, conduct a clinical examination, which involves a digital scan of your teeth. Finally,  propose a treatment plan accordingly.

How long do braces take?

The time braces take varies among every patient. The main factors are:

• The severity of the issue
• How much space there is in the mouth to correct
• How far each tooth must travel
• How healthy your teeth, gums, and supporting bone are
• Your commitment to the process

Orthodontic braces are typically worn for a period of 1-3 years. Following this period, retainer are often recommended for a further 6 months.

When getting your orthodontic treatment at Elite Dental, you are recommended a monthly checkup with our highly-trained orthodontists. These checkups ensure your braces are still working correctly and help your dentist keep track of your treatment. If necessary, your dentist will perform adjustments during your checkup. These will involve adjusting the wires and bands to maintain enough pressure on your teeth.

>> View more: The importance of choosing the right orthodontist

Maintaining braces 

After approximately a week following your brace, you may experience some discomfort when eating. If this is the case, making the switch to soft or liquid foods will help to relieve this discomfort. Fortunately, this problem is only short-term. After around 10 days the pain will begin to lift and you will find eating solid foods more bearable. You should, however, be mindful that large quantities of hard foodstuffs, such as peanuts or ice, may potentially damage your braces and restrict their effectiveness.

Additional care should be taken on your general hygiene when wearing orthodontic braces. It is important that you brush your teeth around the braces gently and carefully. You should also floss and remove any scraps of food that can be trapped around or behind the braces.

Follow-up appointments at the dental office are essential. These visits allow your dentist to monitor your progress and to ensure that the braces are continuing to work to create your dream smile.

Tips when you use braces

While having braces on your teeth, the teeth need extra care to protect them from tooth decay, staining and gum diseases. Also, you should take care to avoid damaging the braces. According to the Academy of General Dentistry, you should avoid these activities: eating chewy or sticky candy, eating hard…

Orthodontic treatment expense

The average cost of braces ranges from 35-65 million VND depending on your age, the specific type of brace you selected, and your oral condition. If you have any other oral issues, your dentist may suggest addressing them before getting the orthodontic treatment. (View details)

6. Elite Dental – highly experienced orthodontic center in HCMC

Wearing braces is a journey which requires an investment of not only time and effort, but also money. Therefore, it is advisable to find a reliable center where orthodontists are highly-trained in order to make your journey successful. 

Since our establishment in 2012, Elite Dental has helped thousands of patients to successfully find their perfect smile using orthodontic treatment. Our orthodontists are qualified and highly-experienced. They graduated from some of the top orthopedic universities in the world.

Our practice takes place in a 600m2 state-of-the-art, five-floor building. Here, we dedicate an entire floor to orthodontic treatment. In our clinic, you will find the latest dental technology and equipment, including PRP technology, medical-grade laser therapy, high-resolution dental x-ray machines, and 3D dental scan (CBCT) machines.

We also develop a system to forecast the lower mandible (jawbone) growth in children. This system is essential for dentists and parents when deciding on the best course of action towards the fitment of braces for children.

Our customer service team is ready 24/7 to support you. Additionally, you are secured with a 10-year warranty, so you can rest assured that your investment will be protected.

We hope you are now more knowledgeable about orthodontic braces. For further information or to book a consultation, please contact our hotline at 0902 661 100.

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