Braces

Abnormal bite is a problem not only of an aesthetic smile and face, but it is also a functional problem resulting in serious consequences for the whole body.

An interesting fact: 80 % of people need orthodontic treatment.

In adult patients and children aged 12 years and over, braces are used to correct the following problems:

• - dentofacial anomalies
• - teeth overcrowding
• - abnormal jaw relation
• - tooth displacement after extraction or wisdom teeth cutting
• - temporomandibual disorder
• - consequences of improper dental prosthetics

Orthodontic treatment often prepares the “foundation” for the further work of the implant surgeon and orthopaedic surgeon.

Types of braces

 The duration of bite correction is 1 to 3 years. Therefore, you should be scrupulous about the choice of devices.

The braces can be as follows:

External and internal (vestibular and lingual)

They differ in the place of attachment. Classic braces are attached to the outer, facial surface of the teeth.
Lingual braces are attached to the lingual surface of the teeth. Such a novelty has immediately found enthusiasts who would like to hide the teeth alignment from the surroundings. However, invisible braces have limited indications for installation, a high price and a number of inconveniences associated with wearing them. For example, speech abnormalities and excessive salivation during the period of addiction.

Ligature and self-ligating
The difference between these devices is in the method of attaching the arc to the lock. For this purpose, special elastic ligatures are used.
In self-ligating braces (not to be confused with self-adjustable braces), the lock structure already contains an attachment. Thus, self-ligating devices have immediately become the best option to combine aesthetics and efficacy treatment.

Material

Modern orthodontics offers a wide selection of materials of which locks are made. This allows to choose braces for any taste and budget. The braces can be as follows:

• 1. Metal braces are a time proved classic. Reliable and durable locks are inferior to aesthetics, but most patients can afford them.
• 2. Ceramic braces are made of special ceramics, the colour of which is as close as possible to the colour of the teeth. Due to this, ceramic braces are almost invisible on the teeth.
• 3. Sapphire braces are considered the most aesthetic ones. Clear artificial sapphire has only one drawback — fragility. In addition, sapphire braces are often more expensive than the ceramic ones.
• 4. Plastic braces are a budget option for aesthetes. Their drawbacks are fragility and staining with food. Manufacturers are still working to improve their properties.
• 5. Combined braces combine two materials: ceramics and metal. Ceramic locks are installed in the smile area, and metal locks — on the posterior teeth. Thus, a compromise between beauty and reliability is achieved.

Pros and cons of braces

How brackets are fixed

Bracket fixation raises a number of questions for future “braces wearers”, like whether it hurts, how long the procedure is, what you can eat, how to brush your teeth, etc.

The fixation procedure on one jaw takes 1 to 1.5 hours, and is a painstaking process. The orthodontist should place the bracket on the tooth in a special position, only then the whole system will work correctly.

“Each bracket in the device is designed for a certain tooth. This is due to the anatomy of the teeth and their position in the jaw”

Before installing, it is important to treat caries and its complications, and a hygienist should remove plaque.

• In the first minutes, there will be a tickling sensation in your mouth but it will disappear quickly. To prevent possible discomfort due to the fact that the lips rub against the locks, the doctor provides a special protective wax. This is a material which is safe for the body and used to simply patch especially scratching elements.
• In the first two days after bracket fixation or replacing the arch or its activation, pain is possible but it will subside on its own.
• At the beginning of treatment, it is recommended to minimize the load on the dentition; it is not advisable to bite and gnaw large, solid pieces of food. Avoid sticky and viscous foods.
• Full addiction to the braces and the new look takes place within one to two weeks.
• Daily attention should be paid to oral hygiene in the morning and evening. On the recommendation of the orthodontist, you can buy special care products — orthodontic brushes — for high-quality cleaning of the braces from plaque.

Prices for braces

Before installing braces in Kyiv, it is important for patients to study all the features of the procedure and compare the cost of braces. One should understand that braces themselves have a certain cost, so a low price for installation should set on the alert.
Remember that the result of treatment depends on the experience and knowledge of the orthodontist.