BRACES
When we talk about braces, it might sound very “simple” for brackets or Invisalign system to make your teeth straight. It is actually more complex. The world of orthodontics is fascinating because it can completely change the look and self-confidence of a person. It is always rewarding for our dentists to work with the patient to create a beautiful smile for them.
We usually separate orthodontics into 2 phases. We invite you to learn more about those phases.
Phase I
The American Association of Orthodontists recommend that all children receive orthodontic screening by age 7. Not all children of this age will require an early intervention. However, some problems may be difficult, if not impossible, to correct later in life.
We determine the best moment for an intervention when we diagnose a problem in a young child.The ultimate goal of the early treatment is to use the growth to help the jaws position, correct bad habits, and to create the space required for all adult teeth. It’s the perfect time to help avoiding the damage to the teeth, the supporting tissue (bone and gum), or improper growth of the jaws.
This type of intervention is called “Phase 1” or early treatment because it must, for the most part, be followed by further corrections later. Don’t let the problem get worse, plan early. Why should I do an early treatment instead of waiting for all the adult teeth to come in?
By starting early, you are giving your child a chance for a better and more stable result throughout its their adult life. Also, Preliminary treatments can:
▸ Use growth to correct jaw imbalances and to avoid jaw surgery as much as possible.
▸ Decrease the chances of extracting permanent teeth later.
▸ Help stop thumb sucking habits or improper tongue position when swallowing.
▸ Minimize the risk of blocked/trapped permanent teeth that will not come out (impacted teeth) may in some cases be the only orthodontic procedures necessary when a problem can be corrected at an early stage.
▸ Help prevent TMJ problems from developing.
▸ Establish better function, healthier teeth, and gums by eliminating crowding.
▸ Ameliorate patient’s self-confidence and self-esteem in a crucial period of his/her life.
Once the worst part of the problem is corrected, then the second phase, with braces, will be used to align the teeth. It will then be easier to treat the patient with a more stable result over the years.
We can say that the early treatment or phase 1 is mostly focused primarily for growing patients. They are usually aged around 7 to 14 years old.
Phase II / Braces
This is the situation most of you know about when you see a person with brackets. After phase 1, once most of the space needed is created and most of the jaws imbalance is corrected, then the patient is ready to go with full braces or Invisalign (clear trays) in order to finish with teeth alignment.
If you are an adult then you usually go straight into braces or Invisalign as we cannot use “growth” to work with us. So the phase 2 is commonly known as conventional braces. At Cloud Dental Center, we use a friction free system that allows more comfortable treatment. It is also easier to clean without having those rubber donuts around your brackets.
In our office, we do use metal brackets, cosmetic (white) brackets or clear trays (Invisalign) which is are almost invisible. Technologies are on your side now to make braces treatment as comfortable and as esthetic as possible.
