Braces | Invisalign | Other Appliances | Proper Dental Care | Emergencies
There are many types/designs of braces available. Some even have shapes, such as stars, flowers, hearts, footballs, and soccer balls. We also offer clear braces/brackets for patients concerned about esthetics. Invisalign is the ultimate in esthetics and is an option for certain types of problems. The latest advance is frictionless or self-ligating brackets which can reduce overall treatment time and the number of total appointments.
Many children get metal brackets/braces so they can change their “colors” at each visit. The brackets are actually silver/chrome colored, and the ligatures that hold the wires in place come in various colors. Ligatures secure the wire in place by going around a bracket’s tie wings. Sometimes a metal ligature is used with/without the colored ligatures. The bracket, tie wings, wires, and ligatures are easy to see in our braces animation below.
There are many types of appliances; we are in the process of preparing a great animation to give you the full effect. Stay tuned.
Proper dental care is essential during orthodontic treatment. Teeth should be brushed after each meal and sugary foods should be reduced. If there is a lack of oral hygiene, enamel scaring can occur in as little as one month. This enamel scaring/lesion will appear as a white spot, usually around the brackets or along the gum line. At this point the tooth may re-mineralize and a white spot will remain. If this lesion continues to progress, it will become a cavity that will require attention from your dentist. A common misconception is that the teeth can get damaged under the brackets. This may be due to the fact that in the past, braces went all the way around each tooth with a metal band/ring. This was before today’s adhesives, which virtually eliminated these bands. Cement could wash out from under the band and allow food and cavity-causing bacteria to fester against the tooth surface, giving a chance for cavity formation. Although bands are still in use around molars and for some appliances, cavities are very rare due to the fluoride releasing-nature of the newer cements on the market today.Below you will find an animation of a severe case of neglectful dental care while in orthodontic treatment. The patient had not returned for monthly visits for over two years. The braces were removed the very day he/she returned to allow the teeth to be restored. While we are rather reluctant about posting these pictures on this website, they serve the purpose of educating our patients about the pitfalls of poor hygiene and broken appointments.These pictures should not influence you to decide against braces, since the benefits of braces by far outweigh the risks, and this was a very rare situation.We will work closely with your dentist, and we recommend that you continue seeing your general dentist for regular exams at a minimum interval of every six months. Oral hygiene is checked at each appointment, and we also have a tooth brushing station supplied with disposable brushes. At our office we also provide a variety of "take home" cleaning instruments and instructions to ensure a great orthodontic result.
A true emergency due purely to the orthodontic treatment is rather rare. Poking wires and general discomfort caused by a loose bracket may not require immediate attention. Sometimes the orthodontic wax we provide is all that is needed. There are occasions where a poking wire may become quite painful and may even develop into an infection. In any event don’t be afraid to call us if you really feel the need. We are here to help. If the office is closed, a doctor will be on call. Phone the office number (610) 792-5530 and follow the instructions, and the doctor who is on call will call you back shortly.
