When our patients come into our office to get braces, they don’t usually ask how braces move their teeth to the correct position. They KNOW that their teeth are moving because patients can feel a bit of pressure when traditional metal braces push on teeth to get them into place.
Still, it’s a great question, so we’d like to explain how it happens, and why it’s important that an orthodontist is guiding your treatment when you’re wearing dental braces.
First, we’ll talk about the components of metal dental braces. They’ve made up of several pieces that work together:
- Bands. Bands hold brackets in place around your tooth. They’re usually cemented onto a molar or premolar.
- Arch wires. These are what actually move your teeth and guide them into the proper place. They attach to your bracket and the force produced by them will move your teeth throughout the process.
- Brackets. These small metal rings are affixed to teeth, run from bracket to bracket, and hold the archwires in place.
Your orthodontist will place brackets on your teeth and thread an archwire through them. As the archwires are subjected to pressure, they will begin to move the teeth into position very slowly—usually no more than one millimeter each month. Your teeth and roots will actually become looser from this pressure, and will now be able to move into the proper position over a period of time. The bone will grow around the spaces that are left, cementing the tooth into place. Once your treatment is over, you’ll wear a retainer to hold the teeth into place longer.
Different Types of Braces for Pittsburgh Patients
Traditional metal braces work very well, but there are also other options for orthodontic treatment that produce the same results. They include:
- Invisalign. The popular Invisalign system is a series of clear plastic aligners that are removable, nearly invisible, and completely effective!
- Damon Braces. Instead of regular brackets, Damon Braces use clip brackets that allow your teeth to move more quickly and with less irritation to your teeth and gums.
- Incognito. These braces feature brackets that are placed behind your teeth so that nobody can see them. They’re also made to custom-fit the back of each patient’s teeth.
King Orthodontics can recommend the best kind of orthodontic treatment for you, including braces. Pittsburgh-area patients will be glad to hear that we have an office Downtown and in Wexford, too. Call today to schedule a free consultation.
Dr. Bryan King earned his DMD from The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine and holds his Master of Dental Science in Periodontics from The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Bryan has also completed an Orthodontic residency at St Barnabas Hospital in The Bronx, New York. Dr Bryan has received many honors as a practicing orthodontist including, being named a Diplomate of the American Board ofOrthodontics and being named a “Top Dentist” by Pittsburgh Magazine for several years running. He also earned the Lifetime achievement award given by Align Technologies in 2014 for his work with Invisalign.
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