Realigning your teeth is a huge step in the right direction for your oral health. Central Massachusetts Orthodontic Associates works to make your experience as simple and easy as possible. Thanks to appliance advancements, we can provide the latest technology for efficient and effective care plans. You may wonder how our team uses braces to straighten teeth. Read on to learn more about how this appliance is used to achieve your smile, the benefits of living with straightened teeth, and the treatment options we provide.
Phases of Adjustment
1. Level and Align
Once your braces are placed, our orthodontists ensure each tooth is level and straight. Our team then applies different amounts of pressure in different directions across your mouth to achieve this result.
2. Bite Issues
Working on any present bite issues is the second step in achieving your perfect smile. Also known as malocclusion, they include overbites, underbites, crossbites, and more. Before moving forward, we will ensure your upper and lower jaws are at their ideal position to help them function efficiently. The discomfort some patients may feel from chewing or biting will likely be resolved here.
3. Fine Tuning
The final step of your braces journey includes making minute adjustments to your appliance as necessary to ensure each tooth is in its perfect location. Dr. Giarrusso, Dr. Livanos, and Dr. Kotin will utilize your elastics and wires to place the right amount of pressure across your mouth so no tooth moves past its ideal position, either.
How Do Braces Straighten Teeth?
Braces are an incredible orthodontic appliance that shifts your teeth with the help of constant slight pressure throughout treatment. They are made up of brackets, wires, orthodontic bands, elastics, and additional components to accomplish the job. During your consultation, our team carefully decides where pressure will be placed on your teeth and how much to get them to their ideal position.
With or without braces, your teeth are constantly moving, even if minutely; braces guide this movement to your advantage to achieve your smile goals. The soft tissue surrounding each of your teeth is altered during this process, allowing for the formation of new bones as necessary to keep your teeth properly protected long-term.
Adjusting Your Treatment Plan
At each appointment, Dr. Giarrusso, Dr. Livanos, or Dr. Kotin will check on your teeth to ensure they are moving in the right direction with the current amount of pressure being placed. Sometimes, regular adjustments or tightenings are needed to keep them on track. As your teeth shift over time, our team learns how to help your teeth adapt and anticipate their movement, leaving you with the most effective results.
When Can You Expect Changes to be Noticeable?
Aligning your teeth takes time. On average, patients undergo treatment for one to three years before fully achieving their smile goals. As our orthodontists work to level and align your teeth, you can see the edges of your teeth moving to match one another. After this, you can spot more dramatic changes in the next two to three months. Everyone’s treatment plan differs, so we encourage you to speak with our team about specific timeframes during your consultation.
You may not notice changes from day to day, but your teeth constantly move while wearing braces. How long treatment lasts depends on a few factors, such as your appliance choice, age, current oral health, and the positioning of your teeth when you begin.
The Benefits of Aligning Your Smile
Improved Aesthetics
The correlation between self-esteem and dental hygiene is quite strong. Taking the steps on your smile journey helps open doors and grow new relationships with the people around you. We strive to help you achieve the smile you deserve to last a lifetime. Nothing excites our team more than watching patients come in to receive braces treatment and later leave our office with a confident, beaming grin.
Enjoy General Health Benefits
Not only will your new smile look amazing, but you will also enjoy the incredible health benefits of aligned teeth, including easy oral care. Crooked teeth create inaccessible areas of your mouth that are less likely to get properly cleaned. After treatment, keeping up with your care routine will become much more straightforward and grant you protection against common complications like cavities, tooth decay, and plaque buildup.
As mentioned, straightened teeth also improve bite and chewing function. This means you can properly break down your meals into bite-sized pieces before swallowing. As a result, your stomach and intestine don’t have to work harder than necessary during digestion, helping you avoid heartburn and stomach aches.
Your Braces Treatment Options
Metal Braces
Our practice provides tried-and-true metal braces to help patients achieve their smile goals. They have been around for many years and continue to advance while staying an effective and reliable appliance choice. Metal braces are able to fix even the most complex oral issues. This appliance is a wonderful, cost-effective option for those interested in undergoing treatment without breaking the bank as they don’t use the same high-tech equipment others do.
Clear Braces
Clear ceramic braces provide an aesthetic alternative with the same trusted reliability. Thanks to orthodontic advances, they blend into your smile with tooth-colored brackets and no longer stain. They use the same technology as metal braces and can even speed up your treatment time in some cases. Clear braces are a comfortable appliance choice for adults and older teens.
Embark on Your Smile Journey Today!
So much work goes into achieving your perfect smile! We hope this short guide has answered your questions about the process. Our front desk is always happy to assist you when concerns arise. Dr. Giarrusso, Dr. Livanos, Dr. Kotin, and the Central Massachusetts Orthodontic Associates team provide expert care to Worcester, Auburn, Spencer, and the surrounding communities. Schedule an appointment today and start your braces journey!