A correct, healthy bite, meaning beautiful and straight teeth, is a dream for many people. Thanks to the possibilities offered by orthodontics, this effect can be achieved. Orthodontics is a field of dentistry that deals with straightening teeth using fixed or removable braces. For children, the first visit to the orthodontist is recommended around the age of 7. For adults, there are no age restrictions.
What to expect during a visit?
Before any treatment, the orthodontist at Corby Private Medical Centre creates an individual, precisely tailored treatment plan for the patient, including an estimated treatment time and total cost calculation. To prepare the treatment plan, in addition to the information collected during the consultation and examination, the following are necessary:
- impressions taken by the doctor in the office, based on which a diagnostic model will be made
- panoramic X-ray, which provides information about the arrangement of tooth roots, the presence and position of permanent tooth buds, any abnormalities in the bone, the condition of the temporomandibular joints, and the state of the maxillary sinuses
- cephalometric X-ray: helps assess the mutual relationship of the jaw and mandible, the proportions of the face and skull, the position of the incisors, and the patency of the airways and bone maturity of the patient – particularly needed for children and adolescents aged 7 to 18
- photos of the dental arches and the patient’s face taken in the office, for aesthetic analysis and monitoring changes during treatment
We always plan the orthodontic treatment process individually for each patient. To start the treatment, all teeth must first be treated. Therefore, any cavities, bone inflammations, and dental tartar – if present – must be removed.
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Indications for orthodontic treatment include:
- malocclusions,
- preparation of teeth for implant and prosthetic procedures,
- improvement of appearance.
Orthodontic treatment can be divided into several stages:
- detailed patient diagnostics,
- taking impressions to create plaster models,
- X-rays,
- establishing a treatment plan,
- placing orthodontic braces,
- follow-up visits,
- removal of braces after treatment is completed,
- retention – maintaining the results achieved during fixed appliance treatment.
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Orthodontic Treatment
Depending on the problem, orthodontic treatment uses removable or fixed appliances.
The first ones are various types of vestibular plates, which are removable by the patient. They are most often applied to children and adolescents (aged 7-12) who have mixed dentition (milk and permanent teeth). They are worn for several hours a day. Removable retention appliances can also be used after treatment with fixed appliances to maintain the results.
metal fixed appliance (with colorful elastics)
crystal fixed appliance
The second option in orthodontic treatment is fixed appliances, such as metal or crystal, consisting of brackets that are glued to the front surface of the teeth. Bands, or metal rings, are attached to the molars, and metal arches are placed in special slots in the brackets. For young patients, colorful elastics are often used on the brackets. For those allergic to nickel, nickel-free brackets are used.
In addition, patients can choose cosmetic fixed appliances, which are tooth-colored or transparent. These are usually chosen by people who are concerned about the aesthetics of fixed appliance treatment.
Self-ligating braces are a solution that does not require additional elements to secure the archwire. This can shorten the treatment time for some malocclusions. Lingual braces (tongue-side) are also used, where the brackets are glued to the inner surfaces of the teeth from the tongue side.
Invisalign overlay appliance
Orthodontic treatment results in an aesthetic smile. Proper alignment of teeth in the arch makes daily hygiene easier for patients, reduces the risk of caries, and increases self-esteem and confidence.
