Getting braces has several advantages and most Long Island patients are good candidates for this treatment. Do you qualify for traditional orthodontic treatment?
What Are Metal Braces? How Do They Work?
Braces are an orthodontic treatment that consists of a system of metal brackets that are bonded to the front of your teeth, A wire that extends the length of your arch runs through the inside of the brackets, and is held in place with small rubber bands that wrap around each bracket.
The average treatment time for braces is about 12-24 months. Throughout this time, you’ll visit our dentist regularly for an adjustment to your wire and replacement of your bands.
Advantages of Straighter Teeth
Once your orthodontic treatment is complete, your teeth will definitely be straight and look more attractive. But there are other advantages to having teeth that are properly aligned.
Straight teeth make cleaning much easier, resulting in healthier gums, minimizing your risk of developing gum disease and bone loss. A properly aligned smile also reduces your chances of getting cavities or prematurely worn enamel.
Braces Do More Than Just Straighten Your Teeth
Additionally, braces can treat the following conditions:
1. Gaps Between Teeth
When our Long Island orthodontist increases the fit of your wire, your teeth are brought together, and gaps are easily closed.
2. Moving Teeth Vertically
Some patients will have a tooth that sits higher in the gum than the other teeth in that arch. This is common with canine (eye) teeth. Luckily, braces can move teeth vertically quite easily.
4. TMJ Disorder
Braces can treat TMJ disorder, which is a condition involving the temporomandibular joint (jaw bone). Going through braces and improving the way that your top teeth fit with your bottom teeth will correct your bite and alleviate a lot of the discomfort and side effects that are associated with TMJ disorder.
TMJ disorder often presents itself as symptoms of:
- Jaw Pain: Jaw pain can occur from overusing the jaw joint or having difficulty finding a comfortable biting position because your teeth don’t fit together. Restricted jaw movement and limited opening can also occur when the jaw muscle is overstimulated.
- Grinding and Clenching: Bruxism is often the cause or side-effect of your teeth being improperly aligned. This symptom will cause your teeth to wear down significantly, or even chip and break.
- Popping and Clicking of the Jaw Joint: Your jaw joint moves in multiple directions. When you open your mouth and hear a clicking or popping, it’s because your jaw is not functioning properly. This condition can cause a lot of jaw soreness.
- Headaches: Migraines or headaches have different causes. Our Suffolk County dentist can help you determine if the reason that you have headaches is due to TMJ disorder, and discuss if braces can help alleviate this problem.
What Kind of Bite Issues Do Braces Treat?
Braces do in fact fix bite issues within your teeth, including:
Overbite ー This occurs when your top teeth significantly overlap the bottom ones.
Underbite ー When the opposite occurs, and the lower teeth sit in front of the top teeth – you have an underbite.
Crossbite ー This is a combination of both an overbite and an underbite. Throughout your arches, some teeth sit in front of each other, while others sit behind.
Openbite ー When you bite your teeth together, and you see an open space between the top and bottom teeth, then you have an open bite. This condition often occurs as a result of prolonged thumb or pacifier sucking.
Crowding ー If your arch is very narrow, you’ll often have teeth that are turned sideways, and are crooked, or slanted.
Other Types of Braces
While braces that use a metal wire and metal brackets with elastic bands are the most common, there are other orthodontic treatments available to you, such as:
Ceramic Braces
If you want braces but don’t like the idea of metal appliances in your mouth, then you can consider ceramic braces. This system consists of clear or tooth-colored brackets to help minimize their appearance.
Ceramic braces do tend to cost more than your standard braces, and the length of time for this treatment is the same.
Self-Ligating Braces
Self-ligating braces eliminate the use of elastic bands because the brackets come with a built-in sliding door that locks the wire into the slot on the bracket. This system works really well ーsome positive things to expect are a decrease in the length of your treatment, a more comfortable experience, and longer lengths of time between appointments with a dentist or orthodontist.
Self-ligating braces are also available in a clear or ceramic option, but this treatment option costs more than traditional braces because of the design process involved.
Lingual Orthodontics
The components in lingual braces are invisible because they’re all attached behind your teeth, instead of on the outside. The brackets are actually custom-made for each individual tooth, making treatment time less than what it would be with standard braces.
However, since each component is made specifically on a case-by-case basis, the price for lingual braces is much higher.
Clear Aligner Therapy
Clear aligner therapy is a form of orthodontic treatment that doesn’t use any metal, or even wires and brackets. Aligners use clear, rigid, plastic trays that fit over your teeth, appearing nearly invisible.
Compared to traditional braces, aligners are just as affordable and the treatment time may even be a bit faster.
Clear aligner therapy makes cleaning your teeth super easy because you can remove them and brush your teeth like you normally would. This minimizes your risk of developing tooth decay and gum disease due to inadequate cleaning around brackets and wires.
Achieve a Spectacular Smile With Long Island Braces
Whether you just want straighter teeth or have another reason for orthodontic treatment, our skilled professionals can help you achieve a healthier and better-looking smile through personalized, high-quality dental care. Call Sachem Dental of Long Island today to schedule an orthodontic consultation.