Dental braces are used to straighten crowded or misaligned teeth, align upper and lower jaws, improve the aesthetics of smiles and faces, and relieve pressure on temporomandibular joints. Orthodontics refers to the use of devices to move, twist and rotate teeth. These (brackets) are most often made of stainless steel, but may also be made of ceramic or plastic. A combination of brackets and connecting wires are affixed to the teeth so that light pressure is continuously applied to the teeth until they shift into proper position. Treatment times vary, but usually last between one and three years.

The conditions when Braces are considered:
01. Crowded teeth in anterior and posterior dental area
02. Spaces between the teeth
03. Protruded/Forwardly placed teeth
04. Anterior crossbite
05. Posterior crossbite
06. Deep Bite
07. Open bite due adverse habits
08. Skeletal open bite
09. Highly placed teeth
10. Class II malocclusion
11. Class III malocclusion
12. Unerupted permanent teeth
13. Unfavourable eruption
14. Multiple losses of permanent teeth
15. Cleft lip and palate
16. Facial asymmetry

Teeth can be moved at any age, taking varying degree of time for results. An orthodontist oversees treatment with braces. Orthodontists are dentists who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of bite or alignment problems. "Ideal" results can be achieved in most children but only in a small percentage of adults. This is because in children both the bone around the teeth (alveolar process) and the jaw bones can be molded (soft like elastic) by braces as the child is growing. In adults the jaw bones (hard like plastic) can be altered only by surgery. Braces are used to correct malocclusions, or conditions that result in a “bad bite.” These include crooked or crowded teeth, extra or missing teeth, and size differences between the upper and lower jaw. Therefore, it is recommended that orthodontic intervention be considered as soon as a problem in teeth alignment is noticed by the child, parent, or dentist.

Braces are often used purely for cosmetic purposes. In children, the goal of orthodontic treatment is not only to create straight well-aligned teeth, but also to improve the facial profile that will remain stable throughout adolescence and adulthood. Patients may find that having straighter teeth or a more exact bite improves their appearance. However, braces can also be used to correct medical or dental problems related to malocclusions, such as improving a person’s ability to chew or talk.

Orthodontic treatment in adults is more difficult. Many of those adults that are coming in to get the braces are interested in getting the best oral care. Braces that are created for adults are not the same as those for teenagers and children. The braces made for adults are more durable and can withstand longer use. This is because an average adult will wear their braces for a year to three years depending on the problem they’re trying to fix. Those who undergo treatment should be aware that they will probably need to wear a retainer at night the rest of their lives if they want to maintain the results of the treatment. Straightening a patient’s teeth may prevent or correct abnormal wear of teeth, stress on gum tissue and bone that supports the teeth, and misalignment of the jaw. Sometimes braces are used as the end treatment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) therapy. Problems of TMJ are usually aggravated by the lower jaw being positioned too far back so that the blood vessels and nerves of the TMJ are compressed. TMJ splint therapy is used initially to relieve this pressure and to reduce pain. The splint actually moves the lower jaw to a new position. If the patient does not want to wear a splint for the rest of his/her life, then the teeth must be moved to stabilize the jaws in this new position. This movement of teeth can be done by dental braces.

While wearing contemporary braces patients may usually have to make certain lifestyle adjustments. Expect to be uncomfortable for the first few days after getting braces. The braces consist of small stainless steel, ceramic or plastic brackets that are bonded onto the teeth. Your teeth may be sore, and the wires, brackets and bands may irritate your tongue, cheeks or lips. Thin wires known as arch wires are threaded through the brackets and used to pull the teeth into position. Most of the discomfort disappears within a week or two, although you may experience moderate pain when wires are changed or adjusted. Taking ibuprofen or other over-the-counter analgesics may help manage discomfort. As teeth shift position, the wires are periodically adjusted so that the braces continue to apply adequate pressure on the teeth.

Patients may need to take extra care with certain foods because they may stick to the braces causing tooth decay, gum disease or bad breath. Some times an unconscious act may cause brackets or wires to become damaged. The list of prohibited foods includes gum, popcorn, and hard or sticky candies. Patients also are urged to be vigilant about regularly brushing and flossing their teeth. In order to maintain good oral hygiene, a toothbrush with soft bristles may help patients reach areas within their mouth that are hard to get to due to their braces. In addition, certain types of mouthwash may also be recommended by their orthodontist to help patients achieve desired level of oral hygiene.

After the treatment with braces, which is called active phase, has ended taking the specified time, the brackets and wires are removed. The patient then enters retention phase and is now given a retainer to be worn to hold the teeth in proper position over the long term for a period 6-18 months. The retainer is a small piece of hard plastic that contains metal wires and is specially molded to fit the patient’s teeth. Retainers may be removable or fixed inside the mouth. Retainers are designed to give the bone and gums additional time to stabilize around repositioned teeth. Wearing a retainer for this extended amount of time may be important because teeth may continue to move throughout life, regardless of previous orthodontic treatment. In certain cases pulling of wisdom teeth may be recommended after the braces are removed to prevent any future complications. Save and Smile broad in a dental India tour.

Types of Braces:
Basically orthodontic appliances are of two types

1. Removable appliances:

As the name implies, these appliances can be placed in and removed from the mouth by the patient himself. They are made up of plastic and wire which can bring about minimal tooth movements. Removable appliances play only a supporting role; they are important part of preliminary treatment for a growing child and as a retention appliance for all types of patients. Success of this mode of treatment to a great extent is dependent on patient cooperation. The specialist chooses this method based on the need and demand of the patient.

2. Fixed appliances:
These appliances are fixed to the teeth at the start of the treatment and can be removed only when the treatment period is over. Fixed braces comprises of tubes that are attached to the molar and brackets which are attached to the rest of the teeth. Both upper and lower teeth carry similar appliances.

Fixed appliances are of 3 types
1. Begg appliance (Begg technique / light wire technique)
2. Edgewise appliance
3. Pre-adjusted Edgewise appliance (Straight wire)

What is a brace?
Braces are precisely fabricated attachments made of metal, plastic or ceramic material, which can be bonded to a tooth or welded to a band.

It is natural for everyone to desire to have a beautiful arrangement of teeth and a perfect smile. This adds to the personality and symbolizes an overall progress in the society. These objectives can be accomplished by a skilled clinician with the use of quality orthodontic appliances. With the regular advancements the treatment offers many types of brackets, besides conventional ones, the newer self-tying (or self-ligating) brackets, like SPEED and Damon brackets. These types of braces are often referred to as 'train-tracks'. For those who can afford or wish to be stylish, gold-plated stainless steel braces can be opted. These are also suitable for people allergic to nickel, a component of steel. Esthetically also, they blend better with teeth.

Invisalign

The clear and attractive alternative to orthodontic braces:
Invisalign aligners or trays are made of special clear plastic and are custom-molded to fit you. It works through a series of invisible, removable, and comfortable aligners that no one can tell you're wearing. So you can smile more during treatment as well as after. The convenience and ease of use of the Invisalign system have made it the choice of over half a million people. Invisalign orthodontics can be used by young and older adults alike. The use of clear, invisible braces is an attractive alternative to traditional treatment that typically uses metal or ceramic braces. They are very comfortable and effortless to use. The problems of potential discolorations of tooth enamel that are common with regular braces are eliminated. In fact, Invisalign has been effective in giving hundreds of thousands of people amazing new smiles. The clear plastic material aligner is virtually invisible that gradually reposition your teeth into a smile you'll be proud of. The ease and suitability include:

• Remove your aligners to eat, brush and floss
• Change aligners every two weeks
• Your teeth move little by little
• Regular progress checks with your dentist or orthodontist
• Results often in 6 months to 1 year
• Most people won't notice you're in treatment
• Won't disrupt your lifestyle
• Overly crowded teeth
• Widely spaced teeth
• Overbites
• Underbites
• Crossbite

Once you decide to improve your smile with Invisalign, the rest is easy.
Getting started couldn’t be simpler. The path to your amazing Invisalign® smile begins here.

Step 1: See an Invisalign provider.
Invisalign provider will give you an overview of how Invisalign works, evaluate your situation, and answer your questions.

Step 2: Map out a treatment plan.
As in the case of other braces, your doctor will develop a treatment plan specifically for you. After taking bite impressions of your teeth, Invisalign will use to custom-mold a series of clear, removable aligners that will gradually move your teeth into an incredible new smile.

Step 3: Your aligners are created.
The advancements in technology that led to clear aligners were developed by Invisalign. Your aligners are created via precision computer mapping and design, then are shipped to your doctor.

Step 4: Wear your aligners.
Based on the 3D computer imaging impressions of your bite, you’ll receive your aligner series. You will wearing and switching to a new aligner every two weeks as your teeth move. Just wear each set of aligners night and day for a two week period, removing them only to eat, brush and floss. Visit your Invisalign provider on a regular basis for progress checks. Each case is a little different, but on average, treatment lasts about 6 to 30 months. Then you can show the real you with an amazing new smile!

Invisalign Express!
This is relatively new offering from Invisalign. It addresses only minor crowding and spacing, and costs much less. It is designed as a pre-cursor to restorative procedure or cosmetic dental treatment such as veneers. Invisalign Express adopts a simplified method of dual arch orthodontic treatment consisting of a series of up to ten clear removable aligners at an affordable price. Invisalign Express allows patients to have more affordable, reliable and the high quality of Invisalign treatment. It is available for patients with minor crowding and spacing.

Lingual Orthodontic Braces
As compared to metal or ceramic braces which are applied to the front of your teeth, the lingual braces are applied behind (back side) the teeth, which makes them completely non-visible. Many Orthodontists of India Dental Clinics are well trained in lingual braces technology. This advanced method makes lingual orthodontics particularly well-suited for adults, who often want to improve the look and function of their teeth without letting anyone else know about their treatment. The cost of using CONCEALED lingual braces is comparatively higher.

Although treatment time is similar, the method and braces are unique. The standard brackets are cemented to the front of the teeth, which are quite uniform in their shape. However, lingual brackets are attached to the back side of the teeth. The back side of each tooth has its own unique shape - unlike the front of each tooth, which is fairly uniform among all people. Standard brackets are mass-produced, but each lingual bracket must be custom-formed to the unique shape of each individual tooth. The treatment is more sophisticated and the personal time and training required by the orthodontist and his staff is considerably greater.

The initial few days are a bit irksome. Your back teeth will not meet at first because your front teeth will be hitting the brackets on the back of the upper front teeth. This may seem hard to deal with but it will speed up your treatment noticeably, and it will prevent you from clenching, which can remove brackets and make it more difficult to move your teeth to new positions.

The patient in this picture is wearing lingual orthodontic braces. Notice how there is absolutely no trace of braces to be seen. Once adjusted, it is hardly visible to others.