Many adults are focusing on improving their personal health. They're taking vitamins, exercising, and even straightening their teeth with braces! Adult braces not only make your teeth and smile look better but they often improve chewing. This promotes better digestion and health.
Before starting braces a patient must first have a written treatment plan designed specially to meet this patient's particular problems. It is done using braces records taken from the patient during a special 3 hour diagnostic appointment. We take impressions to make orthodontic models of the patient's teeth, photographs to document the relationships of the teeth, and several types of x-rays to geometrically analyze the patient's skull and its relationship to their teeth. The dentist studies the information and approximately two weeks later the patient is invited back and a treatment plan presentation is done. At this time the details about their braces are carefully reviewed and a final cost for the care is determined.
The development of both tooth bonding and the miniature orthodontic bracket has revolutionized braces. Many previous concepts and myths about treating adults have been disproved so that many adults are now enjoying the benefits that braces can provide. Once brackets are bonded to a patient's teeth an orthodontic wire is then attached to the brackets. The wire forms a beautiful rounded arch but this ideal arch form is deformed by twisting it into the brackets. The wire then wants to return to it's original beautiful shape and pushes or pulls the attached teeth on it's way back. Each month a stronger wire is placed into the brackets so that the attached teeth will continue to move. Finally, the attached teeth form a beautiful rounded arch.
After the upper and lower arches are rounded they must next be made to fit together using elastics which are attached to both the upper and lower arches at the same time. This slides the teeth along the archwires until they fit better. This is a very simple way of viewing braces but is just intended to give you an idea of how braces work. There are many modifications to correct different orthodontic situations and each case is treated for that patient's situation. After the adult braces are completed retainers are constructed which the patient must wear full time, except for eating, for a year and after that at night. Almost always, adults must wear their orthodontic retainers for their lifetime.
If you're at all interested in improving your smile and bite, be sure to make a free orthodontic consultation appointment with Atlanta Cosmetic Dentist, Dr. Mark Allan Padolsky, by calling 404-874-7428.