For those who have seen the movie ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ might remember the scene when Charlie flashes back to memories of his dentist father and the braces he put him in. That ugly frame and the vice-like grip it had on his head made for a very scary vision of dentists. However, those days, very thankfully, are now gone and braces are not nearly as frightening as they used to be.
Modern braces are less imposing, but work in the same way, to straighten teeth over time. Essentially, the braces are fitted and they contain certain components that work together as a unit. In terms of appearances, braces look like a metal line running around the teeth, some with small metal brackets behind them, resting against each tooth. Those brackets are used to periodically put pressure on the teeth, at a changing rate, to straighten and align them. This process is a slow process that usually takes from eighteen months to two and half years and the braces are adjusted between every three to four weeks. The adjustment process actually loosens certain teeth temporarily, but allows new bone to grow around the tooth to support and strengthen it. This process remodels the bones that support the teeth and reshape the jawline so that when the braces are finally removed, all the teeth will be equally spaced and neatly aligned, rather than crooked and misshapen.
Different Kinds of Braces
There are various types of braces, some serving the same purpose and others slightly different purposes. For instance, there are the traditional style wire and metal braces, made from a combination of stainless steel and titanium. This type of brace has rubber bands that assist in the self-tightening process .
Clear braces are more of a cosmetic thing that do not look to much like braces, but still serve the same purpose. Most of the components are clear or hidden to minimize the obviousness of them to observers. There are also gold plated braces for those with a little more money to throw around. Both adults and children can benefit from wearing braces to straighten teeth. They help all manner of other dental issues too, such as occlusions, jaw alignment, under and over bites and the like. Visit FindlayTotalDentalCare.com for more information.
