Aligners are a much newer orthodontic appliance compared to others, but their popularity is growing rapidly. Like braces, they are used to help straighten and align teeth. Aligners can be used for mild to moderate cases of overbites, minor bites, open bites, crossed bites, and clenched teeth. When someone mentions “orthodontics” or “orthodontist”, people are often quick to capture images of a mouth full of traditional metal braces.
However, today's orthodontists can offer their patients more than just traditional braces. Advances in technology, specifically in the field of tooth alignment or jaw repositioning, have provided orthodontists with many treatment options and approaches to address these common problems. One of the main treatment approaches used by orthodontists to align and straighten teeth is traditional metal braces. Traditional orthodontic appliances are comprised of brackets, wires, and bands that straighten teeth and are continuously tightened for a prescribed period of time.
Harman also offers patients near Midtown, KC, treatment with light-colored ceramic braces for patients who don't want their devices to be noticed, and even fun light-colored bands for their younger patients. Braces may also be indicated for patients with overbites, underbites, or overcrowded or hollow teeth. Many patients use braces to achieve a perfect smile. When baby teeth are lost earlier than normal, space fillers are used so that adjoining teeth do not grow into the space intended for the adult tooth.
These space maintainers are used to keep the space open until more childhood teeth fall out and adult teeth begin to grow. Fixed space maintainers work with a band that is attached to a tooth and a wire that extends through the space to the tooth on the other side to stretch and keep the space open. Aligners like Invisalign are clear plastic trays that fit around your teeth and apply constant pressure to straighten them and contribute to your beautiful smile. Jaw repositioning devices, sometimes called splints, are used to adjust the upper or lower jaw so that the entire jaw structure works more naturally.
Harman uses this device for patients with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). Sometimes, a patient's lips and cheeks can put pressure on their teeth and cause pain or discomfort. H2O orthodontics recommends lip and cheek protectors for these patients to help keep the lips and cheeks away from the teeth and, therefore, reduce or eliminate the pressure, pain, or discomfort experienced by the patient. A palatal expander is used to widen the curve of the upper jaw.
It is a plastic tray that fits the palate and helps to better align the bones and joints of the mouth. After orthodontic treatment with braces or Invisalign, Dr. Harman suggests using a retainer to prevent teeth from returning to their original position. Retainers are a plate placed on the palate; a wire runs through the outside of the front teeth.
The retainers can also be constructed as a plastic aligner. Most of the time, these aligners are worn overnight. The helmet, usually, is a strap that is placed around the back of the head that is attached to a metal wire in the front of the mouth. Orthodontists prescribe a helmet to patients who need to slow jaw growth and ensure that the patient's teeth are in the right place and fit well inside the jaw.
Clear aligners like Invisalign are the most popular alternative to adult braces. Invisalign can repair anything from minor overbites and underbites to serious malocclusions. An orthodontist will provide you with a series of transparent, removable “molds” that cover your teeth. If you are interested in orthodontic treatment services from our orthodontists in Grand Rapids and Grandville, MI, call Armbrecht & Wierenga Orthodontics today at (61) 455-4800 for a free consultation.
An expert orthodontist examines the teeth and jaws to determine what needs to be corrected to give the patient the best possible smile. While there is no official manual (at least for someone other than an orthodontist), there are actually ways in which a professional and experienced orthodontist can help straighten your teeth without traditional metal braces. When planning treatment, an orthodontist can take x-rays or impressions of your teeth to get a better idea of how your teeth are misaligned. These tests will inform your orthodontist about how to proceed with your treatment and which orthodontic interventions are best for you.
An orthodontist is a type of dentist with additional training to correct misaligned teeth, bite problems, and jaw irregularities. Once the orthodontist makes an impression of the teeth, specially designed aligners are made for each stage of treatment. An orthodontist can help you find the right treatments and devices to realign your teeth safely and efficiently. .
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