Get Your Teeth Straightened with Dental Retainers and Braces

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If you are plagued with a bite that is misaligned, which is known as an overbite or under bite, or crooked teeth, there are numerous treatments which may help to get your teeth straightened, and they include dental retainers and braces.

All you need to do is ask your dentist to refer you to an orthodontist, who is a dentist whose specialty is correcting teeth irregularities.

The orthodontist will order x rays of your head and mouth, take photos of your teeth and face gather impressions of your teeth, and ask you questions about your health. An appropriate treatment plan is made that is based on an analysis of the information that was gathered.

In most cases braces are required to fix the problem. I some rare cases surgery may be required to fix an extreme under bite of overbite condition. In other cases, all that is required is a removable retainer.

The Types of Dental Braces That Are Available

If dental braces are what it takes to fix your misaligned teeth, your orthodontist will prescribe brace that are specific to your requirements. Your orthodontic braces may be made up of wires, bands, or other removable or fixed corrective appliances.

How Dental Braces Work

Braces work by applying continued pressure over a usually long period of time to slowly move the teeth to a specific location.

The components that braces consist of include:

1. The small squares which are attached by orthodontic bands or are bonded directly to the front of each tooth with a special type of dental bonding agent are known as brackets. The brackets hold the arch wires that control the movement of the teeth. There are numerous kinds of brackets, and they include tooth colored plastic or ceramic, which are frequently chosen since they’re less obvious, or stainless steel. Sometimes, the brackets are cemented to the back of teeth, in an effort to hide them from view.

2. The tooth colored, clear, or stainless steel bands which are cemented with dental cement or bonding agents to the teeth are known as orthodontic bands. The bands wrap around each of the teeth and make an anchor for the bracket. These tooth colored or clear bands are a more appealing option cosmetically. Some patients do not have bands, only brackets.

3. Separators which fit between teeth to create a small space before the placement of the orthodontic bands are known as spacers.

4. The wires are attached to the brackets and act as tracks to guide the movement of the teeth are known as arch wires. They may be made from tooth colored or clear material or of metal.

5. Ties are small fine wires or rubber rings which fasten the brackets to the arch wire. They can be colored, metal, or clear.

6. The band that holds the end part of the arch wire in place securely is known as a buccal tube.

7. The tiny rubber, an elastic band that holds the brackets to the arch wires is known as a ligature.

8. Springs can be used on the arch wires between the brackets to close, open, pull, or push, the spaces between teeth.

9. Two bands on the upper teeth may have headgear tubes on them to hold the face bow of the headgear in place.

10. Rubber or elastic bands attach to hooks on brackets and are worn between the lower and upper teeth in numerous ways. They apply pressure to move the lower teeth against the upper teeth to achieve a perfect fit of individual’s teeth.

11. Face bow headgear is the wire gadget that is used to create room for crowded teeth and to correct discrepancies in a person’s bite. The face bow is made up of an outer part that goes around the outside of the face and is connected to a headgear strap and an inner metal part which is shaped like a horseshoe that goes in the mouth, and attach to the buccal tubes.

So if you suffer from a bite problem or misaligned teeth, tell your dentist who will recommend a good orthodontist who can correct those problems with dental braces.