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Will
additional jaw growth allow self
correction of crowded teeth visible
in a 8 year old? |
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No. The space
available for the front teeth
does not increase after the permanent
6 year molars erupt. In most people,
the space available for the front
teeth decreases with increasing
age.
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What
are the benefits of early treatment?
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Early treatment
provides the opportunity to:
1) guide the growth of the young
jaw bones creating a better environment
for those new emerging permanent
teeth
2) guide incoming teeth into optimal
positions
3) regulate the width of the jaws
4) lower the risk of trauma to
prominent front teeth
5) correct harmful sucking habits
6) reduce the likelihood of teeth
becoming stuck or impacted under
the gums
7) preserve or gain space for
arriving permanent teeth
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What
causes crooked teeth? |
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Just as we inherit
eye color from our parents, mouth
and jaw features are also inherited.
Local factors such as finger sucking,
pacifier sucking, high cavity
rate, gum disease, trauma and
premature loss of baby teeth can
also contribute to a bad bite.
One out of every five school age
children have a severe bite problem
so it is not surprising that you
might need braces.
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Why
should I have my teeth straightened? |
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Poorly arranged
teeth can break easily and can
trap food particles that cause
tooth decay and gum disease. Researchers,
found that malocclusions interfere
with the chewing ability to break
down foods which affects digestion
and overall health. Finally, poorly
arranged teeth detract from your
smile which is one of the more
important features contributing
to facial beauty. You only have
one chance to make that first
impression!
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How
do braces straighten crooked teeth? |
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Braces use steady,
gentle pressure over time to move
teeth into their proper positions.
They don't look like they're doing
much just sitting there. but in
fact, every moment or your orthodontic
treatment, there's something happening
in your mouth. Something good
for you. The brackets we place
on your teeth and the main arch
wire that connects them, are the
two main components. The bracket
is a piece of specially shaped
metal or ceramic that we affix
to each tooth. Then we bend the
arch wire to reflect your 'ideal"
bite-what we want you to look
like after treatment. The wire
threads through the brackets and,
as the wire tries to return to
its original shape, it applies
pressure to actually move your
teeth. Picture your tooth resting
in your jaw bone. With pressure
on one side from the arch wire,
the bone on the other side gives
way. The tooth moves. New bone
grows in behind. It may look like
nothing is happening but we're
making a new smile here. Thanks
to new materials and procedures,
all this happens much quicker
than ever before. It's kind of
an engineering feat.
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Will
things sometimes look worse before
they will look better during orthodontic
treatment? |
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Yes, the teeth
will move in different directions
as the teeth are straightening
out. You may see a space between
your two front teeth that was
never there before or teeth that
seemed perfectly straight before
the braces were placed may not
seem as straight. Be patient and
things will start to improve.
That space will close and those
teeth will line up as treatment
continues.
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Can
I have my teeth aligned without
having braces glued to my teeth?
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Yes, if you
are an adult or a mature teen
with only 1 - 6 millimeters of
crowding or spacing of your front
teeth and no missing or severely
tipped teeth. A series of 3-D
computer generated invisible aligners
made by Invisalign may allow creation
of a beautiful smile for you without
glued on braces. This advanced
technology does not correct bites
that are due to jaw bone malpositioning.
Be aware that in 2002, Invisalign
began licensing this technology
to dentists who have "no
prior orthodontic experience".
We urge you to select a provider
with orthodontic training and
experience to provide your Invisalign
treatment. Many patients will
receive a superior result with
a combination of a short period
of traditional braces to correct
problems that are difficult for
clear aligners to correct followed
by Invisalign aligners to complete
tooth alignment.
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