Everything You Need To Know About Braces

CLINICAL CONTENT WRITTEN & REVIEWED BY CLOVE CLINICAL TEAM

Last Modified: August 24, 2022

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All About Braces

The dental tools responsible for correcting the problems associated with teeth are known as braces. It helps solve issues such as crooked teeth, crowding, teeth out of alignment, etc. People can get braces at any age (not old age). Some people get braces in their teenage years, while others get them when they’re adults. After wearing the braces, it slowly starts working and starts alignment or straightening the teeth so that people can have a normal bite. Many people get it to enhance their smile after knowing all about braces.

Parts Of Braces

Dental braces are made of multiple parts. Mentioned below are all about brace’s part with their usage and functions.

Bracket – It is a small attachment glued to the teeth. It is either ceramic or metallic. It helps the wire to get placed in the slots of brackets.
Archwire – It is the main wire responsible for connecting all the brackets. It helps in guiding the direction in which the teeth will move.
Elastics – These are the rubber bands that apply pressure to the jaw. It pulls forward or backward so that the teeth can line up.
Molar band – The molar band is a thin ring with hooks placed around the backside of the teeth. It is made with metal and helps in attaching the elastics.
Headgear tube is the tube present on the outer side of the top molars and helps insert the headgear facebow. A flatter tube is used in the bottom molars.
Power Chain – The power chain is responsible for determining the length of elastic bands. The bands join multiple teeth and pull them together.
Elastic ligature tie or O Ring – These are the tiny elastic bands responsible for holding the main wire into the slots of the brackets. It might be coloured or clear.
Steel ligature wire – The steel ligature wires unravel and poke at the lips or cheeks of the people. People sometimes face such issues and visit the dentist for emergencies. The wire is made of steel but looks like colourful elastic.
Coil or spring – The springs are placed between two teeth and help create additional space between them. It sometimes becomes a little pokey.
K hook – These are the ligature tie responsible for attaching elastics. They are made of stainless steel.
Hooks – It attaches the elastics between the upper and lower jaw. It is either a part of a bracket/band or crimps onto the wire.
Separator – It is a small rubber in a circle shape. It is placed in between the molars. It creates a space or separation. In this space, the cement bands are made fit for the braces.

Type Of Braces

The braces have a long way to go as they are not as painful as they used to be in the past years. It helps in straightening the teeth and making the misaligned teeth the correct way. There are multiple types available in today’s world, and people should know all about braces before going ahead with them. Mentioned below are some of the types of braces.

Metal braces

The metal braces are permanently attached to the teeth with the help of bands, flexible wire, and brackets. People facing more complex teeth alignment problems can opt for metal braces. In some cases, headgear is also needed rather than fixed braces. It is worn at night. The metal braces used in present times are more comfortable and have smaller brackets and metal parts.

Ceramic braces

It is a clear or tooth-coloured brace. The ceramic braces and their archwires are less noticeable than the metal brackets. The teeth straightening procedure of ceramic braces are similar to metal braces. However, these braces can break easily in combination with the others and are more prone to stains.

Invisible braces

The invisible braces are almost invisible and are recommended for teens and adults. It is made to fit over all the teeth, similar to a mouthguard. They are removed and replaced twice a month.

Lingual braces

The surface present at the sides of the teeth, which faces the tongue, is the lingual surface. Lingual braces are invisible braces that are quite similar to metal ones. But they are not attached to the back sides of the teeth. It is not recommended to everyone. The dentist does not recommend it for crooked or severely misaligned teeth. It usually takes longer to work and harder to clean.

The Bottom Line

It is a tough decision for people while get braces. It is undoubtedly nerve-wracking for them. However, it is essential for individuals with misaligned teeth, crowding, crooked teeth, and other dental issues to visit a dentist at a trusted dental clinic near you as early as possible.

They need to make regularly scheduled appointments so that the dentist can keep track of the success of getting braces. It is essential to know all about braces, take proper care, brush and floss twice a day, and not consume sticky or hard food, etc., for the people who are having braces. Explore the website to know more.