Orthodontic Treatments

Today, orthodontic treatments like dental braces are not only for pre-teens and teens, but for adults as well.
It is recommended to start orthodontic treatment early for maximum effectiveness.

The American Dental Association recommends that children receive an orthodontic evaluation by age seven.
Malocclusion (abnormal bite) may interfere with eating and speaking, it is usually considered a restorative issue.

It may prevent the development of a beautiful, well-aligned smile or facial jaw lines so it is considered as esthetic issue
No matter what your age, orthodontics can protect your bite (occlusion) :

• maximize teeth’s effectiveness in performing their functions
• Create a well-aligned smile.
• rejuvenate your facial appearance
• make oral hygiene easier to maintain

The Orthodontic Evaluation

• Oral, facial and functional evaluation (examination).
• Intraoral and facial photographs.
• Panoramic and cephalomertic X-rays.
• Impressions for models of the teeth and bite.

After studying the results of this evaluation, we formulate the best orthodontic treatment plan, estimates the treatment phase which may varies based on patient age, the extensiveness of the procedure and how closely the patient follow the treatment plan.

Timing of Orthodontic treatment:

Orthodontic treatment with dental braces should begin between the ages of 7 and 14 in order to achieve optimal results. Adults also can undergo orthodontic treatment but the treatment may take longer for adults, this is due to the fact that adult facial bones are no longer growing

What can orthodontist do for you?

Orthodontist correct teeth that are crowded, crooked, protruding, out of alignment or have irregular spacing that the person typically inherits tooth spacing, malocclusion, crowding, misalignment or similar problems from their parents. However, these conditions also may be caused by habits such as thumb-sucking, tongue thrusting, lip wedging, mouth breathing due to allergies or large tonsils and adenoids, premature loss of teeth or trauma and relief pain ,headache and earaches, that result from TMJ (TMD) and teeth grinding (bruxism)

Types of Orthodontic Appliances:

Removable orthopedic appliances:

Can be removed by the patient for cleaning purposes and usually equipped with one or many screws for expansion of upper arch to improve the breathing or used as growth modification to jump the mandible forward or backward for good correction of facial appearance in teen agers

Fixed Dental Braces:

Typically consist of brackets and arch wires, as well as elastic ties that hold the arch wires in place.
Brackets may be composed of metal, ceramic, composite or Clear Crystal sapphire one, so Patients now can choose different bracket shapes and different color elastics.

Today’s brackets have come a long way from those of the past, the new of the best brackets system is self-legating brackets allowing the wire to slide through the braces freely and reduce treatment period by applying gentle forces for sever crowded and misalignment cases.

Invisible orthodontics (clear aligners): is the perfect solution for adults and teens who want to achieve a straighter smile without the hassle of traditional braces. The clear aligner system consists of thin plastic aligners that are both invisible and removable. So you don’t have to sacrifice your smile and comfort while straightening your teeth

Advantages:

1. Clear aligners are easier to keep clean, making it easier to maintain the health of your teeth and gums.
2. Clear aligners are Esthetics and allowing patients to smile with greater confidence.
3. Clear aligners prevent wear on the teeth, and less risk of enamel decalcification by avoiding brackets
4. Clear aligners are comfortable removable, so it’s easier for you to brush and floss after meals.
5. Clear aligners have less dental chair timing by allowing the patients to replace their aligners on their own every few weeks

Note: Treatment with Clear aligners requires about 10-16 months in average and can be used to correct minor dental problems.

Lingual Orthodontics: Lingual braces constitute another invisible alternative to conventional braces. The brackets are placed on the back side of the teeth next to the tongue, therefore they are not visible from the front

Lingual retainer: is a wire that can be fixed on the inner surface of teeth to keep them in their new position after an orthodontic treatment due to the recent research’s revel that teeth after orthodontic treatment move attempting to return back to original position.

Note: Adequate hygiene practices and regular maintenance follow up are required during the whole period of treatment.

Our professional orthodontist will help you choose the appropriate appliance for your treatment according to your case and preferences