Your smile is your signature and who doesn’t want a bright smile and straight pearly whites? Braces are an integral part of many Americans lives, and many of our patients tell us the time flies by. Some need one year of braces, others need multiple years. Whatever the case, we are here to serve you and help expedite the process as fast as possible so you’re on the road to a brilliant smile.
Our orthodontist, Jianjun Hao, is available to help you improve your smile. He is known as one of the top orthodontic experts in Arlington Heights and Des Plaines.
And in the end, there’s no greater pleasure for us to watch your reaction in the mirror when your braces come off.
An orthodontist is a dentist who has had further specialty training in how to align and straighten teeth and jaws using braces or other techniques.
Orthodontic treatment, often called just “braces,” is used to correct disharmony in the alignment of teeth or jaws, also called malocclusion. Sometimes, even though the teeth appear straight, the upper and lower jaws may not meet properly and the bite may be uneven or it may be difficult to close the lips over protrusive teeth.
Some bite problems can be inherited, such as jaw problems and protrusive, crowded, or irregularly spaced teeth. Some habits, such as thumb- or finger-sucking, or early loss of teeth can also be causes.
The most obvious benefits of orthodontic treatment are the improved self-esteem and increased confidence that come with a great-looking smile, but in many cases people who have had orthodontic treatment have fewer oral health problems than those who haven’t.
The most common reason people choose to have orthodontic treatment is because their teeth are crowded. Other problems can include upper teeth being too far forward, spacing, lower front teeth ahead of the upper, disharmony of the upper and lower jaw relationship, and front teeth not coming together resulting in difficulty biting into food.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children have an orthodontic consultation at age 7. At this age, the first 8-10 permanent teeth have usually erupted into the mouth, and some developing problems may be treated easily or even avoided if recognized early enough.
Most children who have orthodontic treatment don’t start until they reach adolescence, however. In many cases, timing treatment to match the development of the permanent dentition and to take advantage of the adolescent growth spurt is important. It is becoming more and more common for adults to have orthodontic treatment as well, and achieve the smile they desire. Braces aren’t just for kids anymore!
Invisalign is a system of clear plastic trays designed to move teeth a certain amount for each tray. A mold is made of the patient’s upper and lower dental arches, and a computerized simulation of the teeth is constructed and simulated tooth movements are performed. When the doctor is satisfied with the predicted tooth movements, three-dimensional models of each stage of treatment are constructed, and aligners are made to fit each model.
The biggest benefit to Invisalign treatment is that the aligners are clear and almost impossible to see when someone is wearing them. The drawback of Invisalign, as with other removable appliances, is that it is difficult to achieve as precise and consistent tooth movement as with braces since the aligners aren’t attached to the teeth, and the aligners will not work if not worn correctly. Still, Invisalign can be a great way for certain people to meet their treatment goals.
Braces are the most common type of orthodontic appliance used, and consist mainly of brackets attached to each tooth, and archwires connecting the teeth to each other.
Today’s brackets are often smaller and more comfortable than in the past, and can be made almost invisible as well. They are most often made of metal or ceramic, and are bonded to the teeth in the same way modern fillings are.
Retainers are a custom-made piece of metal or plastic. Dental retainers are designed to match the shape and alignment of your teeth. It’s an important part of post-braces care as it helps to keep the teeth straight. It takes sufficient time for the bones, gums, and muscles to adapt to the change; although braces would have successfully straightened your teeth. Usually, people wear retainers for a few years after taking off the braces to keep straight teeth. The time frame for wearing a retainer varies for every individual.
Basically, there are two types of retainers – fixed and removable. Fixed retainers are custom-fitted wire which is bonded to the tongue side of upper/lower teeth. Whereas, removable retainers can be taken out and put in on a daily basis. They can be made of metal wire, plastic, or even clear retainers.
