Facts about Braces 1

Are you new to dental braces? Well, here are a few of the quick facts about braces.

§ Braces: What are they made of?
Also known as orthodontic appliances, braces may not be as noticeable, or inconspicuous, or may be the other way round. They are made of brackets which are attached to individual tooth. Brackets are smaller and often attached behind the tooth, which makes brackets almost inconspicuous.

Now, coming to the materials of composition, orthodontic brackets are made of a combination of the following materials:

o Ceramic
o Metal
o Plastic

A lot of brackets are also tooth colored or clear, with heart or football like shapes. They even have orthodontic rubber bands or elastics with school or basic or holiday colors like blue, red or white. You may also come across braces that are gold plated or retainers that shine in the darkness.

§ Should or are the braces left in the mouth or can you remove them?
Based on the issue of remove-ability, orthodontic brackets can be classified into a couple of categories and these are:

o Fixed orthodontic brackets: these have to be worn at all times, and can be removed only under the recommendation of the dentist; and

o Removable orthodontic brackets: these can be removed from the mouth by the patient

However, the kind of orthodontic brackets that are required for your teeth are chosen by the dentist, based on your dental needs.

§ When should you start the treatment with orthodontic brackets?

The problems in your teeth, which are known as malocclusions, are often noticed in kids from the age of 6 years to 12 years. This is the time when the permanent or adult teeth of the child start growing. The process of orthodontic cure is often started from the age of 8 years to 14 years, and if the treatment is started during the growth period of the child, it helps produce the maximum results.

This is the reason as to why children should be administered with orthodontic assessment within 7 years of age, at the most. This is because by then their teeth are a mixture of baby or primary teeth, as well as adult or permanent teeth. A dentist can identify at an early stage whether your child is facing problems with teeth or jaw that are growing, while the primary teeth are still present. This is why regular visits to the dentist for examination and evaluation are necessary.