ORTHODONTICS is the precise science of aligning teeth in the jaw. Our orthodontist offers a wide range of tooth alignment appliances to accommodate our patients' extensive and varied needs, including Conventional and Invisible options.
All orthodontic cases have two phases of therapy:
Active Appliance Therapy: This is the phase during which we are actively moving your teeth from point A to point B, in order to achieve our treatment objectives. This phase typically lasts 18-24 months depends on the complexity of the case and the appliance used.
Retention Phase: This phase begins at the end of active treatment, and is critical to prevent relapse of the teeth to their original position. This phase typically lasts a minimum of 12 months. The orthodontist replaces your active appliance with permanent and/or removable retainers to hold your teeth in their new position, allowing the bone and soft tissues around the roots of the teeth to remodel and adapt to the new position. These retainers can gradually be weaned off after a year or two.
CONVENTIONAL APPLIANCES
Metal Braces or Ceramic Braces:
These are the traditional, "train-track" braces that come to mind when we think “ortho treatment”. Initially, they were only available in a metal alloy, but presently they are also available in ceramic. The ceramic ones are more esthetic, for obvious reasons, even though they are only available in one shade of ceramic, universally.
A few points to note about these appliances are:
- treatment typically takes 18-24months
- the wire is held on the braces with tiny elastics which need regular replacement, therefore, monthly follow up visits are mandatory.
-they are bonded to the tooth surface and may de-bond under biting forces, requiring a trip to the clinic for re-bonding. Avoiding hard, crunchy and chewy foods helps reduce the chances of de-bonding.
Self-ligating Braces: These look and feel the same as the above-mentioned options, however, they have a built-in locking system that holds the wire in place without the use of elastics. This technology has the added advantage of cutting down on treatment time, as well as making oral hygiene maintenance a bit easier. |
INVISIBLE APPLIANCES
Clear Aligners (Invisalign, ClearCorrect):
These are custom fit clear acrylic covers, which slip on over your teeth, and need to be worn by the patient in order to cause the required tooth movements. Some points to note about these are:
- They only work as long as you wear them. Recommended wear is 24/7, except when eating and drinking.
- They need to be changed every 2-3 weeks without fail for the treatment to progress.
- Follow up visits are few as long as aligner wear is progressing uneventfully at home.
Clear Aligners (Invisalign, ClearCorrect):
These are custom fit clear acrylic covers, which slip on over your teeth, and need to be worn by the patient in order to cause the required tooth movements. Some points to note about these are:
- They only work as long as you wear them. Recommended wear is 24/7, except when eating and drinking.
- They need to be changed every 2-3 weeks without fail for the treatment to progress.
- Follow up visits are few as long as aligner wear is progressing uneventfully at home.