Types of orthodontic braces

January 21, 2020

Article by Experienced Orthodontists In Bangalore

The department of Orthodontics & dentofacial orthopedics is a specialization in the field of dentistry that deals with collecting malocclusions and guiding the jaw and facial growth during the early stages in life.

Misaligned & crooked teeth should be corrected to maintain their integrity & support to avoid the early loss of teeth during the later stages in life. Misaligned permanent teeth can increase the chances of tooth decay due to food accumulation leading to compromised oral health. A right treatment plan at Growing smiles orthodontics also straightens teeth to give a more aesthetic smile with respect to the golden proportions.

Orthodontic treatment with fixed & removable appliances has many advantages! Fixed Orthodontic appliances use stainless steel archwires in traditional braces that apply pressure on the teeth to move the teeth. The most popular types of fixed appliances are as follows.

Traditional Metal braces

These are one of those orthodontic appliances that are highly time tested and used for more than a decade. They can have a combination of metal brackets, metal wires made of stainless steel or elastics such as rubber bands that facilitate tooth movements to straighten crooked teeth.

For more than a decade they have evolved into new appliances which can also use the body heat to move the teeth due to heat activation in the archwires, thanks to the continuous research. Over the years the metal brackets have become smaller in size making them less conspicuous and comfortable.

CERAMIC BRACES

These are the same as metal braces but are made of tooth coloured ceramic material. The brackets match the tooth colour making them less visible compared to traditional metal braces. These have a metal arch wire or a ceramic arch wire inserted into the brackets.

Self ligating braces

Orthodontic treatment using self-ligating braces is one of the more preferable options nowadays.

Self-ligating brackets have been there for a while almost close to a century but started gaining more popularity in India and cities such as Bangalore after the year 2000. In 2020 we see more than 80% of our clients at Growing smiles dentistry in Whitefield opting for the above orthodontic appliance due to its many advantages.

1) The number of appointments needed with your orthodontist will be lesser as only the bracket component is adjusted instead of the wire.

2) SLB has fewer components compared to the traditional braces thus has lower friction in the wire bracket interface. This also avoids excessive application of forces on the tooth making the overall treatment less painful & comfortable.

Self-ligating braces – A brief overview

They are similar to traditional apart from the fact that there re no ligature wires & bands.

The ligature wire is replaced by a component called the archwire which is attached to the self-ligating bracket to facilitate movements. There is a more comfortable movement due to the above fact!

Active & Passive self ligating brackets

The self-ligating braces systems are of two types.

Passive self-ligating braces

This involves the application of a smaller archwire i.e there is less friction. Our Orthodontists at Growing smiles usually prefer using the passive appliance at the start of the treatment as the patient is not used to greater forces.

Active self-ligating braces

This is usually preferred by many orthodontists after the initial phase of the treatment. The active self-ligating brackets use a thicker archwire which applies more forces compared to the passive brackets causing the teeth to move to a greater extent.

Advantages of self-ligating braces

They are smaller in size compared to traditional braces depending on the company. Self-ligating brackets from American orthodontics in a more preferred option by our Orthodontists at Growing smiles Orthodontics.
They need lesser clinical visits to the orthodontists with more appointment intervals.
They are an affordable and cost-effective treatment option for many in India especially in tier-one cities in locations such as Bangalore.
There is lesser discomfort due to the fewer components. This avoids lacerations on the lips and cheeks. This also helps in maintaining adequate oral hygiene as the toothbrush is not interrupted bt the components.
Opening and closing the self-ligating braces & its bracket systems are easier for the orthodontist.
The tooth movement is usually quicker thus reducing the overall treatment time.
Self-ligating braces are easier during the treatment because more desired movements can be achieved using twin brackets along with passive or active stainless steel wires.

Invisalign - Invisible Braces

If the tradition of self-ligating braces is a complete no for you, then Invisalign is the clear option to braces!

Invisalign is a state of the art orthodontic appliance developed by Align technology USA that has replaced traditional braces for many after they compare treatment options available.

They are delivered to our clients at growing smiles orthodontics as a set of clear aligners and works how your treatment is planned using a element scanner clincheck software smarttrack.

Invisalign clear aligners are completely transparent, comfortable & removable and are fabricated to gradually to move your teeth to the desired position as you change your trays.

The treatment starts an iTero scan which shows the Invisalign treatments end results once integrated with a software called the clincheck. Invisalign consists of minimal components such as smarttrack material smartforce attachments and post-treatment vivera retainers to retain the achieved smile and occlusion.

Advantages of Invisalign

-Precise tracing using the Invisalign App

-Treatment simulation is possible and the client can see the end results of the treatment even before the treatment starts with Invisalign braces.

-Also called as Invisible braces as they are completely transparent and make it convenient for many working professionals.

-They straighten teeth faster than traditional braces.

-Invisalign offers easy payment plans with EMI options making them cost-effective for many salaried professionals.

-Vivera retainers mandibular advancement is possible with Invisalign clear aligners for teens and kids as a part of pediatric dentistry & orthodontics.

https://growingsmilesdentists.com/types-of-orthodontic-braces/