Braces Las Vegas help to straighten crooked teeth, close gaps between teeth, and correct an overbite. They can also help to reduce gum disease by making it easier for patients to brush and floss their teeth.
In addition, misaligned teeth and jaws can lead to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues. By realigning your teeth and bite, braces can relieve this stress.
Brackets are the small metal or ceramic pieces that hold arch wires in place. These wires apply a gentle but steady pressure on the teeth, which helps to guide them into alignment and achieve an attractive smile. Brackets may be fixed (never removed) or removable (like aligners). Today’s brackets are smaller, less noticeable and more comfortable than those of the past. They can also be customized to match a patient’s smile.
While a broken bracket isn’t necessarily an emergency, it can cause discomfort and affect treatment time. It’s a good idea to contact your orthodontist as soon as you notice a loose bracket, as they will have the tools and expertise necessary to fix it. In the meantime, you can use sterile tweezers to move a loose bracket back into place gently. Be careful not to touch it too much, as this could cause more discomfort and damage the adhesive.
Brushing and flossing are important for everyone, but they become even more crucial while wearing braces. Food particles can easily get trapped between the teeth and gums, so it’s vital to remove them regularly. Brushing twice daily and flossing once each day will ensure that you don’t have any leftover bits of food, which can cause pain or gum irritation.
Another common cause of broken brackets is eating hard or sticky foods like popcorn, nuts, chewy candy or ice. It’s important to follow your orthodontist’s instructions about what you can and cannot eat during treatment. In addition, patients should always wear a mouth guard before participating in any sports to protect their teeth and lips.
Finally, it’s essential for patients to avoid biting their nails or clenching their teeth. Both of these habits can cause a patient’s brackets to break. In addition, they can also lead to abrasions in the mouth, which can slow down treatment and cause more discomfort.
The wires in braces exert a steady, small amount of pressure to guide teeth into their proper positions. The network of brackets and wires is carefully sized to give your mouth just the right amount of pressure: too little and your teeth wouldn’t move at all; too much and the changes would happen too quickly, leading to discomfort.
Arch wires pass through slots in the center of each bracket and can be metal or transparent. They are coiled in varying sizes so that the orthodontist can apply a different level of pressure as needed. In the early stages of treatment, arch wires are thinner and more flexible so that they can bend easily and apply a more subtle force to the teeth. Once the bite is established, orthodontists progressively replace these thinner arch wires with thicker ones that are more resistant to bending.
While you wait for these wires to be replaced, it is important not to bend or break them. If you do, you may need to come in for a visit so that your orthodontist can reposition the brackets and reinsert the arch wire in a more stable position.
Aside from the shape and thickness of the wire, orthodontists also vary the stiffness of the arch wire by adjusting its length. This allows them to change the amount of pressure on certain sections of the teeth or on the entire dental arch.
Another option is to use thermal wires which are activated by temperature. These are very useful in the initial phase of treatment for highly crooked teeth as they can be cooled to become more elastic, then warmed up to their natural state so that they can help the teeth to align properly.
There are several other factors that influence the size of a particular arch wire, including its diameter and cross section. These can have a significant impact on the amount of force that it applies to the teeth, and can be adjusted by the orthodontist with the use of ligatures.
If a wire sticks out of a bracket, it can poke into the cheek or gum and cause irritation. To remove the offending wire, locate it with a pencil eraser and gently push it in a direction that is more comfortable for you. Once the wire is in a more suitable position, it can be secured with orthodontic wax.
Ligatures are the tiny rubber bands that keep the archwire firmly slotted in place on the brackets of each tooth. They can also add tension that helps move a tooth in the desired direction. Ligatures are available in a range of fashion colors as well as clear options that help patients maintain a discreet look throughout their orthodontic treatment.
The most common ligatures are designed to make certain letter parts that tend to clash with each other look more attractive. For example, the end of the hook on the lowercase f often encroaches on and sometimes collides with the tittle over the i. Ligatures fix this problem by altering the shape of the fi combination to a tidy form that blends seamlessly with the surrounding letters.
Many font designers include a suite of standard and discretionary ligatures as part of their typographic repertoire. For example, the font Meno includes a suite of standard and historical ligatures as well as a non-kerning alternate f. This allows users to choose the style that best fits their needs.
While the main purpose of wearing braces is to straighten crooked teeth and correct issues with overbites and underbites, they have another important benefit that can’t be ignored: the ability to properly balance bite forces. This limits undue wear and tear on the natural teeth, reducing risk of tooth damage, tooth decay, infection, and even tooth loss.
To see how different ligature types affect the performance of a tip, a study was performed that examined the stiffness and maximal moment (the maximum amount of force that a ligature can withstand before breaking). The study compared elastomer ligatures to steel ones. The results showed that, in general, the ligatures made of steel presented higher values for both parameters. Furthermore, ligatures made of elastomer were found to have significantly less stiffness than those made of steel. This is because the ligatures made of elastomer stretch more easily than those made of steel, which causes them to lose their shape. This makes it difficult for orthodontists to insert the tip of the wire into a bracket hole.
After undergoing an orthodontic treatment like braces or Invisalign, the soft tissue and jaw bones around teeth need time to adapt to their new positions. Wearing retainers accelerates this process, so teeth don’t relapse to their previous positions and the bite is stabilized.
Retainers are custom-made to fit into the mouth and are very comfortable. They also have a low profile, so they don’t stand out as much as traditional braces. You can remove your retainer while eating and brushing, but be sure to keep it in place for the rest of the day and when sleeping. It’s important to wear your retainer according to your healthcare provider’s instructions to ensure it does its job.
There are two main types of retainers: removable and fixed. Both have their pros and cons, so the type of retainer that’s best for you will depend on your specific needs.
A removable retainer is a thin piece of clear plastic that fits over your upper and lower teeth. They’re typically the most popular type of retainer, and healthcare providers often prescribe them for patients that have had their front teeth straightened with braces. Removable retainers are easy to clean, but it’s important to remember to put them back in place after you’re done eating and brushing. A retainer case is a great way to make it easier to remember, as you can place your retainer in the case when not wearing it.
Fixed retainers are a permanent fixture inside your mouth, consisting of a wire that’s bonded to the back of your upper or lower front teeth. They’re most commonly used for repairing malocclusions, such as crowded, rooted, or spaced teeth, or for correcting the alignment of your bite after having your upper and lower teeth straightened with braces. They can be difficult to maintain because you can’t take them out, but some patients find they work more effectively than a removable retainer and are worth the extra effort.
When you get your retainer, it’s important to follow your healthcare provider’s instructions for cleaning it. They’ll give you a special rinse to help clean it, and they may recommend using a dental soaking solution or a toothbrush to clean hard-to-reach areas of your retainer. Be sure to keep your retainer clean to avoid plaque build-up, which can lead to gum disease and tooth decay.