When Orthodontics Is Recommended for Teeth Alignment Correction

Orthodontics can be used to straighten teeth starting around the age of seven. At that point, the child’s bite should be developed enough to notice any developing issues.

Orthodontists typically recommend getting orthodontics treatments from the age of seven to 21. During this time, the patient’s jaw is still developing, making it easier to correct bite issues.

Improving teeth alignment with orthodontics

Orthodontists regularly help fix a range of teeth alignment issues. Bite problems that these dental professionals can deal with include:

• Crooked teeth
• Misaligned teeth
• Overbites
• Overjets
• Crossbites
• Underbites
• Crowded teeth

Orthodontics treatments typically take anywhere from six months to two years to fix most issues. The appliances used to affect teeth alignment work by applying constant pressure on the patient’s teeth, gradually improving their alignment over time. Popular ways to improve teeth alignment include the following. 

1. Metal braces

Braces have been used to improve teeth alignment for centuries. These appliances have two main parts: metal brackets that the orthodontist attaches to each of the patient’s teeth and wires that link all the brackets on each dental arch. The dentist increases the force that the appliance puts on the patient’s teeth by tightening these wires.

Treatment with braces lasts anywhere between 12 and 36 months, based on factors like the severity of the patient’s bite issues. Metal braces can be used to fix most types of teeth alignment problems.

Metal braces are fixed appliances, so they cannot come out once an orthodontist attaches them to a patient’s teeth. Patients have to learn how to eat and speak with the appliance in their mouth, and it often takes a few weeks to become accustomed to it. The most prominent complaint that people who wear braces express is having visible metal components on their teeth.

It can take a while to get used to life with metal braces. The appliance is fixed in place, so patients have to figure out how to eat and clean their teeth with it in their mouths. People who wear braces often avoid foods that can get trapped in the wires and brackets, like corn on a cob. Oral hygiene becomes more important when wearing braces because food particles left under the appliance can increase the risk of tooth decay. 

2. Ceramic braces

Ceramic braces are more aesthetic versions of metal braces. Both devices use similar components, but ceramic braces come with tooth-colored wires and brackets. That makes it more challenging to notice the appliance when the wearer opens their mouth.

Ceramic braces can be used to fix many of the same issues that metal braces address, but they are not as durable. These appliances are typically recommended for patients who need braces but are unwilling to put up with the poor aesthetics of metal braces.

3. Clear aligners

These are the most popular way to straighten teeth. The treatment involves using clear aligners trays that are virtually impossible to notice. The trays push on the wearer’s teeth, slowly improving their alignment over time.

Treatment with clear aligners involves multiple sets of aligner trays. Each set is worn for about two weeks, and then it is swapped with another one that moves the patient’s teeth closer to the intended alignment. 

Clear aligners deliver precise forces on teeth, often leading to shorter treatment times. They are removable appliances, so they do not interfere with meals or oral hygiene. The wearer simply takes them out and puts them back in when they are done with these tasks.

Clear aligners need to be worn for at least 22 hours daily for the treatment to be effective. Not wearing the appliances as recommended typically leads to longer treatment times. Patients who doubt that they will be able to stick to this strict schedule should consider other teeth-straightening options. 

4. Lingual braces

These are among the first devices designed to straighten teeth discreetly. They consist of the same brackets and wires found with metal braces, but they are cemented on the backs of the teeth instead of the fronts. As a result, lingual braces are typically not visible when a person opens their mouth. However, having mental brackets and wires on the inner side of the teeth can be uncomfortable because the tongue rests against the teeth.

We can straighten your smile

Have you noticed something wrong with your bite? Give us a call or stop by our Long Beach clinic to set up an appointment with our dentist.

Request an appointment here: https://paramountdentalspecialty.com or call Paramount Dental Care & Specialty at (562) 450-1261 for an appointment in our Long Beach office.

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