Are Braces the Sole Technique to Straighten Crooked Teeth?
Braces are dental appliances provided by orthodontists using pressure to straighten your teeth gradually. Braces help treat misaligned or crowded teeth, teeth with significant gaps between them, and jaw lines that don’t fit together appropriately.
Braces allow flexible treatments adapting to the responses of your teeth to the alignment. Braces are also beneficial because they are minimally invasive, causing slight discomfort and no downtime when you are undergoing treatment. The reasons mentioned have made braces for teeth a popular remedy to treat misaligned teeth and jaws.
If you don’t prefer braces, the only other alternative to straighten teeth is jaw surgery if you are suitable for the procedure. The advent of the Internet has spawned many websites and forums to propose straightening teeth at home using DIY techniques to avoid braces. Unfortunately, these hacks and home treatments will permanently damage your teeth. Therefore it helps if you understand why braces are considered optimal for straightening teeth by reading this article.
Braces Types
If you think you have misaligned teeth and jaws instead of considering the pros and cons of braces, you will help yourself by contacting an orthodontist nearing to evaluate your mouth. An orthodontist is a specialist in the business of treating misalignments with your teeth and jaw. Orthodontists are professionals who determine whether braces are the best option for straightening your teeth, or you can use alternatives that they suggest.
When you discuss your situation with the orthodontist, you receive information you can have three different types of braces. They are:
Metal Braces
Traditional dental braces are made from metal, stainless steel, titanium, and consist of metal brackets, bands, and archwires to pressurize your teeth gently and consistently. The pressure on teeth makes the teeth move along with your jaw gradually to change shape and to conform to the shape of the braces wire.
Ceramic Braces
Ceramic braces work similarly to metal prices because they have a similar concept. However, with ceramic braces, you get tooth-colored brackets instead of metal to make them less noticeable. Would you mind not assuming ceramic braces are invisible because they aren’t? In most cases, they are visible to passers-by and are apparent in the mouth. Ceramic braces incorporate the archwires and bands to change the position of your teeth and jaw, applying constant and mild pressure consistently.
Invisible Braces
Invisible braces developed over the last two decades refer to a series of transparent aligners that you can wear all day except when eating or drinking anything but water. These virtually invisible braces are popular under the brand name Invisalign and are almost unnoticeable in your mouth. Clear braces are prescribed by dentists or orthodontists and function similarly to braces to change the shape of your teeth and jaw by exerting pressure on them. Unfortunately, invisible braces do not work on complicated orthodontic situations and are suitable for mild to moderate malocclusion than metal and wire braces.
Can Retainers Help Straighten Teeth?
Retainers are dental appliances recommended by orthodontists to keep your teeth in their current positions after you have undergone orthodontic treatment to straighten teeth. These appliances prevent your teeth from shifting back to their original positions and not straightening your teeth. However, if you have minor orthodontic dental imperfections, your dentist might recommend a fixed retainer instead of braces as part of the treatment. However, any plans with retainers are best prescribed by a dentist or orthodontist.
If you want to avoid braces altogether, the only safe alternative available to this treatment is surgery. In some cases, oral surgeons perform a surgical procedure to change the alignment of your teeth. If your everyday life is affected because of the positioning of your teeth, dentists recommend an involved method called orthognathic surgery, which moves the position of your jaw and has a downtime of two to three weeks. Unfortunately, oral surgery for aligning teeth is pretty expensive, and unless it is needed to correct a medical issue, dental insurers will not cover the procedure. The costs of the surgery also vary according to your geographical location.
If you want to correct orthodontic issues concerning your braces, either metal, ceramic, or invisible are the optimal solution to have straighter teeth and a beautiful smile, especially if you want a non-invasive method of achieving your goal. However, if you are prepared to bear the costs of surgical procedures and the discomfort involved, you can discuss your situation with the orthodontist treating you and decide accordingly.
