Orthodontic issues like overbite, underbite, misplaced midline and overcrowding can significantly reduce one’s quality of life. For instance, these problems are associated with reduced overall happiness, increased risk of tooth decay and periodontal disease, and defects in the affected person’s social life. Orthodontic treatment is the best, if not the only, way to manage these issues.
What Is Orthodontic Treatment?
Orthodontic treatment is a therapy that corrects the defects of one’s jaws and teeth with the goal of redeeming lost appearance as well as shielding the affected person against health issues associated with bad teeth.
Usually, orthodontic treatment is preferred during adolescence after all permanent teeth have erupted. However, adults who couldn’t benefit from this therapy during their childhood can seek orthodontic treatment as well.
How orthodontic treatment works
Ideally, orthodontic treatment entails the use of braces that apply a gentle force to straighten crooked teeth, retrain muscles, or move teeth with excessive spacing together. There are several types of orthodontic appliances, and each type is intended for different problems. Some of the typical orthodontic appliances include:
• Braces
These are the most common appliances used in orthodontics. They are made up of brackets and bands that serve as anchors, and archwires that are tied into the brackets to move teeth into the right position. The use of these orthodontic appliances is popular because it addresses multiple orthodontic issues like crowding, underbite, overbite, crossbite, and improper tooth spacing.
Modern braces are smaller than they used to be, and many allow the patient to choose a color of their choice for maximum esthetics and fashion. The orthodontist will have to adjust them occasionally to achieve a quality result.
• Space Maintainers
Premature tooth loss in kids can lead to improper tooth eruption and other related dental problems. To shield kids from such problems, orthodontic experts use space maintainers to prevent adjacent teeth from shifting into the gap, thereby allowing proper eruption (or growth) of the permanent teeth. Space maintainers are made of a mixture of metal and acrylic, and they may be removable or fixed. However, this orthodontic therapy may not be mandatory for all kids who lose their teeth prematurely.
• Clear Aligners
Clear orthodontic aligners work in a similar way as orthodontic braces. The significant difference between the two is that orthodontic aligners don’t use wires and brackets, but instead are computer generated polymer trays that move teeth in small amounts each time a new aligner is inserted. These aligners are almost invisible. Invisalign is perhaps the most notable example of clear orthodontic aligners. Invisalign is custom designed for each patient to give them that perfect smile!
• Jaw Repositioning orthodontic appliances
Also known as splints, jaw repositioning orthodontic appliances are intended for people with orthodontic problems like temporomandibular joint disorders, and any other dental issues resulting from improper jaw alignment.
Appliances That “Speed–Up” Orthodontic Treatment
Even though the orthodontic appliances above are regarded as reliable ways to correct issues like overbite, underbite, misplaced midline, and overcrowding, they do take several months, or even a few years, to achieve the desired outcome.
Because of this, several adjunctive orthodontic appliances are now commercially available, and all claim to speed up, or shorten time in, orthodontic treatment. The devices are designed to either work independently or support traditional orthodontic treatments. Such appliances that claim to speed up orthodontic treatment include:
1. Self-ligating Brackets
Self-ligating brackets function just as standard dental braces. However, the primary difference between the two orthodontic appliances is that in self- ligating braces, the archwires are secured into the bracket using a spring-loaded closure, or door. On the other hand, with traditional braces, the archwire is held onto the bracket using a color elastic. The Damon System is the self-ligating bracket of choice for Drs. Nease and Higginbotham.
2. MicroPulse Orthodontic Appliances
Unlike self-ligating brackets that are used independently to correct various orthodontic issues, micropulse orthodontic appliances collaborate with an existing orthodontic treatment to accelerate the achievement of the desired outcome within the shortest time possible.
As suggested by its name, the micropulse orthodontic appliance utilizes regulated vibrations or pulses to promote bone remodeling. These appliances are designed like a gumshield, to sit on the patient’s teeth or brace for a short period.
Acceledent Optima is one of the micropulse orthodontic appliances used by orthodontists to accelerate treatment. This orthodontic appliance feels and looks like the standard mouth guards used in sports. Some of the proposed benefits of this micro pulse orthodontic device include:
• It may speed up orthodontic treatment time by up to 50%.
• It supports a hands- free operation.
• Its ease of use lets kids and adults use the device.
• It is light in weight, and it projects less force than the regular electric toothbrush.
3. Photobiomodulation Orthodontic Devices
For quite a long time, health experts have used the photobiomodulation therapy to promote tissue repair as well as reduce inflammation. In orthodontic treatment, this treatment entails shining a low-level light on the patient’s teeth or gums using a laser or LED for an average period of ten minutes per day. As a result, blood flow to the jaw and gums increases, thereby promoting rapid tooth movement. This therapy works synergistically with other orthodontic therapies to accelerate treatment. OrthoPulse by Biolux is a leader in the development of this technology.
It Gets Better
Are you one of those whose quality of life has deteriorated due to various orthodontic issues like tooth crowding, gaps, underbites, and overbites? If you are, then you should schedule an appointment with Nease and Higginbotham Orthodontics. We are one of the leading practices serving Spartanburg, Duncan, and Gaffney.
Besides the convenient locations, Drs. Nease and Higginbotham use cutting-edge orthodontic technology, as well as individualized treatment plans and orthodontic appliances to restore your lost smile. Only an orthodontist has the expertise to give you that perfect smile!
Nease and Higginbotham Orthodontics
1785 E. Main Street
Duncan, SC 29334
Phone: (864) 579-7700
Devices that Speed-Up Orthodontic Treatment [Explained]
