Dental braces for straightening teeth

Braces are a non-removable orthodontic device for the treatment of dental anomalies. Orthodontic treatment is a slow and complex process. The force is created by a metal arc installed in the grooves of the braces. Work productivity increases if the doctor and patient find each other. The design of the bracket system, the doctor’s experience and the patient’s responsibility lead to correct occlusion and stable results.

The material was verified by Anna Rimkevich, senior product manager at Ormco Russia.

A brace system is a tool for correcting a bite in the hands of an orthodontist. Teeth move under the influence of a constant weak force. To speed up the movement of teeth, the doctor uses additional elements: springs, chains, bite pads and elastic rods. After completion of treatment, a correct bite and an aesthetic smile will delight the patient for many years.

The result of orthodontic treatment

The goal of treatment with braces is to form the correct closure of teeth in the sagittal, vertical and transversal planes. In 1972, physician Lawrence Andrews formulated six keys to optimal occlusion in the permanent dentition. When correcting incorrect position of teeth and correcting the relationship between the upper and lower jaw, orthodontists of the 21st century are guided by the signs identified by the researcher:

fissure-tubercle contact of the molars of the upper and lower jaws;
crown angulation;
crown inclination;
lack of tooth rotation;
tight approximal contacts;
parallelism of the occlusal plane of the upper and lower jaw to the true horizontal.

The orthodontist forms the correct occlusion, improves the torque of the teeth and the exposure of the incisors. As a result of treatment, the doctor expands the dentition and creates an ideal smile.

What is an ideal smile? When a person smiles, the anterior teeth, premolars, and mesial surfaces of the first molars are visible. The cutting edges of the incisors and canines of the upper jaw follow the contours of the lower lip and form the arch of the smile.

result of bite correction

Reasons for visiting an orthodontist

You should consult a doctor called an orthodontist (he is the one who installs braces) in the following cases: violations of the aesthetics of the dentition, complications that arose after the prosthetic procedure or damage to the soft tissues of the oral cavity, malocclusion, frequent thumb sucking, speech disorders, twisted teeth, incorrect position of the upper or lower jaw.

A timely visit to a doctor will help in many cases to avoid prosthetics and eliminate the reasons that prevent this procedure.

History of the creation of braces

Doctors of the ancient world of the 9th - 6th centuries BC straightened teeth using improvised devices. In 1728, surgeon Pierre Fauchard published a study, one chapter of which was devoted to orthodontics. In the 9th century, the American Edward Engle created the first prototype of the braces system. The scientist invented four devices:

E-arc gold alloy;
modification of the E-arch with pins and tubes;
ribbon arc;
edgewise braces.

The operating principle of the structures underlies the operation of 21st century braces.
The E-arch, which expands the dentition, was made of a gold alloy and fixed into rings installed on the molars. Each tooth was tied to an arch with wire. Subsequently, Engle refined the design: adjustable tubes appeared on each tooth and pins on the arch. The pins fixed the arch into the slots, the doctor adjusted the pins, and the teeth moved. The system was not actively used in clinical practice, and the E-arm remained an intermediate option.

Later, an American scientist created a ribbon arch. Engle replaced the tube design on each tooth with a vertical rectangular groove. The crowns of the teeth tilted under the influence of the arc, but the roots remained in place. The limitation in the width of the groove and the low elasticity of the arc did not allow the torque to be controlled.

In 1928, Edward Engle designed the edgewise braces system. The scientist compared the geometry of the groove and the arc and replaced the ribbon arc with a rectangular wire. Engle established the slot size of 0.022 x 0.028 inches, which is what 21st century orthodontists use.

Edgewise braces were not wide enough to rotate the tooth under the force of the archwire. To achieve the result, orthodontists installed two braces on the tooth at once. The design formed the basis of ligature systems. With the development of orthodontics at the beginning of the 20th century, the gold alloy from which the arch was made was replaced by stainless steel. The increased rigidity of the steel compensated for the reduced arc thickness. A groove size of 0.018 x 0.025 inches has appeared, which, along with 0.022 x 0.28, is used in practice by orthodontists.

Damon Clear with arc

How do braces straighten teeth?

It is designed by nature that our teeth can change position - independently or under the influence of external forces. Thanks to this property, orthodontic treatment with braces becomes possible. Its principle is the following.

Based on the patient’s clinical picture, the doctor plans a trajectory of movement for each tooth; one bracket is responsible for one dental unit.
During the process of fixing the braces, the clasps are connected to each other by an arch with shape memory, which it tends to take over time.
Under the influence of the arc, the dentition begins to take the desired position.
During treatment, the archwire is replaced with a more rigid one to increase the impact.

How do braces work?

The system consists of brackets fixed to the teeth, into the groove of which an orthodontic arch is inserted, and additional elements. On the sixth and seventh teeth, the doctor installs buccal tubes to secure the ends of the arch. The force on the tooth depends on the rigidity of the arch and the position of the arch in the bracket groove, the use of additional metal and elastic elements:

metal ligatures;
chains;
springs;
bite pads made of composite material or bite braces;
buttons;
hooks;
additional arcs;
elastics.

Damon Q2 with hook

Metal ligatures press the archwire tightly against the bracket, and springs and elastic chains create the force to move individual teeth. Using additional elements of the system, the doctor controls the impact on each tooth.

The arc straightens and pulls the bracket, the force is transmitted to the tooth and causes a process of aseptic inflammation in the surrounding tissues. Osteoclast cells destroy bone at the junction of the root and the alveolar wall. On the other side of the tooth, osteoblast cells synthesize new bone tissue. The balance of osteoblast and osteoclast activity ensures natural tooth movement. Braces direct and accelerate the physiological effect of the force of the arc and additional elements.

arc in groove Damon Q2

The operating principles of self-ligating and ligature systems differ. Self-ligating passive braces provide physiologically adequate force to move teeth due to low friction of the archwire in the closed space of the groove. In self-ligating braces with an active type of ligation, the clip and the arch press against each other. In classic ligature braces, the arch is held tightly in the groove by elastic or metal ligatures.

Fixing the system

Before installing braces, the orthodontist conducts a diagnosis and agrees on a treatment plan. The doctor refers the patient to professional oral hygiene. The procedure is necessary to keep the enamel under the braces intact.

The doctor treats the area of fixation with orthophosphoric acid and applies a primer. The primer contains fluorine compounds that penetrate the enamel. Fluorine molecules are embedded in the crystal lattice of hydroxyapatite enamel and reduce permeability to carious bacteria. Before fixation, the doctor applies light-curing materials, for example Blugloo, Grengloo, Enlight, to the base of the bracket.

Fixation methods

The doctor fixes the braces directly or indirectly. Regardless of the method, installation is painless for the patient.

In the case of the direct method, the orthodontist positions each bracket according to anatomical landmarks, the projection of the root in the bone tissue and the inclination of the tooth manually. Next, the material is illuminated with a polymerization lamp. The patient spends 30 to 50 minutes in the chair.

With the indirect fixation method, the manipulation takes 10–15 minutes and does not cause discomfort to the patient. The procedure consists of several stages:

The orthodontist manually positions each bracket on plaster models of the jaws;
transfers braces to a silicone tray;
applies adhesive to braces;
During the visit, he moves the elements of the system from the tray onto the prepared enamel and illuminates it with a polymerization lamp.

Fixation of the structure is a key stage of treatment, regardless of the method used. The orthodontist adjusts the width of the teeth and creates an aesthetic smile arch through the correct positioning of each element of the system. Braces work out torque, rotation and angulation. The doctor installs the arc into the slots and releases the patient until the next activation.

Removing braces

After completion of treatment, the long-awaited moment comes - removal of braces. Using special atraumatic forceps, the orthodontist peels off the bracket from each tooth with one movement of his hand. The patient hears a click and the bracket painlessly moves away from the enamel surface.

Next, the doctor grinds off the remaining glue and polishes the enamel to return the tooth to its original appearance. Grengloo bracket bonding material reduces the excessive impact of rotating instruments during polishing: removing adhesive from the tooth surface does not cause additional damage to the enamel. When there is no green material left, the enamel surface is cleaned.

Doctors from the Department of Orthodontics at the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in Iran conducted a study and compared the differences in enamel damage after removing two brace designs - with a mesh-type base and with posts.

Researchers have scientifically substantiated the influence of the design of the bracket base on the adhesion strength to the enamel. According to the results of a study by orthodontists, at the base with columns the degree of adhesion to the enamel is higher. At the same time, braces with a mesh base cause less damage to the enamel when removed.

Doctors of the 21st century prefer systems with a mesh base to reduce the number of enamel microcracks during debonding. An example is the Damon Q and Damon Q2 self-ligating braces and the Mini Diamond ligature systems. Ormco's patented bracket base treatment makes removal safe for the enamel.

Damon Q2 with mesh base

Types of braces

The structures are classified according to the material of manufacture, location in the oral cavity and type of arch fixation. Here are examples of each type of braces.

Material of manufacture

1. Metal braces . Self-ligating Damon Q and Damon Q2 are made from 17-4 stainless steel alloy. In addition to orthodontic products, the high-strength alloy is used in the aviation and chemical industries. An example of metal ligature braces is Mini Diamond and Orthos.

Damon Q2 with lid open

Mini Diamond model

2. Devices made of bioinert titanium alloy . This material is chosen if the patient is allergic to nickel or chromium. An example is the classic Titanium Orthos braces.

3. Ceramic systems . Damon Clear/Clear2 translucent braces are made from durable polycrystalline aluminum oxide (PCA). The period of adaptation to foreign structures in the oral cavity increases, since Damon Clear is larger than metal Damon Q.

translucent Damon Clear

4. Braces made from artificially grown sapphire . Inspire Ice transparent ligature devices have durable wings that do not break off under stress.

transparent ligature Inspire Ice

Location in the oral cavity

The orthodontist fixes the braces vestibularly or lingually. For vestibular localization, the elements are glued to the visible part of the teeth. An example is Damon self-ligating braces. Lingual systems are installed on the dentition from the tongue side, the design is invisible to others. The adaptation period to internal braces is longer than to vestibular systems: it is not easy for the tongue to get used to a foreign structure in the oral cavity. An example is STb braces. Due to the fact that the bases of the braces are made individually according to exact impressions of the jaw, the cost of lingual systems is higher.

vestibular ligature braces Mini Diamond on typodont

Arc fixation type

The arch is attached to classic edgewise braces with elastic and metal ligatures. Ligature braces correct the position of individual teeth and correct complex dental anomalies. The ligatures press the arc tightly against the groove, increasing friction in the system. Example – Mini Diamond and Orthos.

ligature Orthos made of metal

Self-ligating brackets hold the archwire without ligatures: the cover of the structure closes and closes the groove space. In devices with a passive type of ligation, the groove does not interfere with the movement of the arc, the cover is motionless, the arc slides without obstacles, and friction in the system is minimal. The Damon Q and Damon Q2 systems work out the parameters embedded in the braces and start the physiological process of moving teeth.

closed Daimon Q

In active self-ligating structures, the clip puts pressure on the archwire and has a mechanical effect on the entire system. Teeth move in an adequate force zone under the influence of load vectors.

How to fix crooked teeth without braces?

Today, dentistry offers several alternative solutions that allow you to straighten teeth without braces:

Restoration: correction of defects in the dental crown using composite materials. Provides quick results at an affordable price, but will last about five years, and the color of the material will change over time.
Veneering: fixation of plates on teeth that are almost indistinguishable from natural enamel. The method is used instead of braces for small curvatures or large gaps and is not suitable if the patient has complex dental curvature or malocclusion.
Installation of removable braces. Essentially, these are orthodontic structures that do not need to be worn constantly. However, calling them braces is not entirely correct; these are completely different systems.

Which braces are more profitable to install?

Self-ligating and ligature braces correct the bite and correct complex dental anomalies. Non-ligating systems are more expensive, but the installation of self-ligating structures reduces the number of visits to the clinic. At a lower price for edgewise braces, the patient visits the orthodontist an average of 24 times during treatment, 2.5 – 3 years. When installing self-ligating systems, approximately 12 visits to the doctor are required. The course lasts from 1 to 2.5 years.

Clinic management is often not ready to purchase expensive systems and pay for additional training for orthodontists. Doctor A.V. Tikhonov economically substantiated the advantages of installing ligature-free braces. The orthodontist compared the rate of arch replacement during activation of self-ligating structures and traditional models with ligatures. On average, removing and installing the arch takes 8 minutes. 14 sec. on classic systems and 1 min. 21 sec. – on self-ligating ones. Usually the arches are changed on the upper and lower jaws - the duration of the manipulation is doubled.

treatment on Damon Q2

According to the researcher, taking into account the reduction in treatment time and the number of visits to the doctor, ligature-free braces are more economical for the clinic and the patient. The ergonomics of working with the ecosystem of Damon braces and additional elements reduces the appointment time and the total financial costs of the person visiting the clinic.

What are braces?

Braces, or rather brace systems, are dental structures for eliminating malocclusions and problems with incorrect position of teeth.
Alignment with orthodontic braces began to be practiced back in 1776 in France, but the heavy structures used then interfered with speech and extended beyond the mouth. More than a hundred years later, the device was radically improved in America. Today, the classic system looks different and consists of three main elements: ➢
braces - clasps that are attached to the teeth
➢
orthodontic arch
➢
fastenings (ligatures) for coupling the arch with the clasps

Phases of orthodontic treatment

Orthodontic treatment consists of four stages:

leveling;
basic mechanics stage;
detailing and completion;
retention.

Leveling

After fixing the braces, the leveling stage begins: the doctor installs round arches. The sequence of arch replacement is standard; if necessary, the orthodontist adjusts or supplements the protocol.

Protocol for replacing wires during treatment with Damon:

0.014″ CuNiTi – 10 – 12 weeks;
0.016″ CuNiTi – 6 – 8 weeks (intermediate arc if necessary)
0.014x0.025″ CuNiTi – 10 – 12 weeks;
0.018x0.025″ CuNiTi – 4 – 6 weeks;
0.019x0.025″ TMA or SS.

arc in groove Damon Q

0.013″ wires are typically used for severely crowded teeth. The higher the degree of crowding, the more difficult it is to install the arch into each groove. For moderate to mild crowding, the doctor begins treatment with an arc with a cross-section of 0.014″.

Round arches of low rigidity are made from a thermoactive nickel-titanium alloy with the addition of copper. The temperature of the oral cavity activates the physical properties of the metal, and the arc straightens to its original state. The doctor changes the arches in accordance with the treatment protocol. Thanks to the initial arches of low rigidity, the alignment of the dentition occurs, the rotation and position of individual teeth are corrected.

Correctly selected braces torque at the beginning of treatment reduces the number of visits at the final stage.

Basic Mechanics

After the leveling stage, the doctor installs rectangular arches. CuNiTi arches with a cross section of 0.014″, 0.016″ and 0.014x0.025″ are used to completely correct tooth rotations, begin to practice angulation and torque, and create the shape of the dentition. Steel, TMA and nitinol rectangular archwires are used to stabilize the dentition, close spaces, control torque, angulation and rotation.

girl with Damon Clear

During the basic mechanics phase, the doctor sometimes needs to re-bond the braces. This is a standard manipulation that does not cause any difficulties for the orthodontist. The position of the teeth and the vector of force application change, the doctor re-fixes the braces so that the teeth move in the right direction. At this stage, a complex change in the bite occurs; the doctor prescribes elastics. The doctor bends the arches, closes the interdental spaces, makes occlusal linings made of composite material, secures the hooks and installs microscrews.

Final stage

At the final stage, the doctor carries out the details: corrects the position of individual teeth, bends the arches and re-prescribes the scheme for wearing elastics. At the final stage, the doctor uses rectangular TMA 0.019x0.025″ archwires to create detailed bends and then softly transition to 0.019x0.025″ steel archwires, if necessary. A large selection of Damon torque options due to the implementation of the braces prescription allows the doctor to reduce the number of bends on the arches. The orthodontist corrects torque: the vestibulo-oral inclination of the tooth in the sagittal plane. Steel arches with a cross section of 0.019x0.025″ fill the groove, and the bracket fulfills the parameters laid down in the groove.

Retention period

To consolidate the results of orthodontic treatment, the doctor installs a retainer - a metal wire on the palatal and lingual surfaces of the anterior group of teeth. At the age of 25, the formation of the bones of the facial skeleton ends. Up to this age, patients wear a retainer twice as long as treatment with braces. After 25 years, a wire retainer is installed on both jaws for life. Regardless of age, doctors recommend wearing a transparent retention mouthguard at night. If the patient does not follow the doctor's recommendations during the retention period, the teeth may return to their original position.

When and how are braces removed?

The doctor decides when to remove braces. It depends on the:

state of the dentition - a small degree of defect (one or two crooked teeth) is restored faster than complex malocclusions;
the age of the patient - correction is most quickly carried out in adolescence; in adults this is a longer process;
type of braces - the fastest correction process occurs when using Damon System braces.

On average, for a complete correction of the dentition, an adult will need to wear braces for 2 to 3 years. In adolescence, this period can be reduced to a year or even several months. Only an orthodontist removes braces; removing the system yourself is prohibited.

The procedure for removing braces is painless. Stages:

application of a special retractor-mouth dilator;
removal of ligatures and arches with tweezers;
removing locks from each tooth one by one;
cleaning crowns from dental glue-cement using a special attachment for a drill;
application of paste with fluoride and calcium to the crowns of teeth to strengthen the enamel.

The doctor can remove braces from only 1 jaw, or from both at the same time.

What to do after removal

After the braces are removed, the teeth may partially return to their original position after some time. This is especially common in adults. To prevent this from happening, special devices are prescribed to hold the teeth in the correct position:

non-removable devices – retainers; are metal arches fixed to the inner surface of the teeth; they are invisible to others, do not cause discomfort and the patient quickly gets used to them;
removable devices - mouthguards; These are transparent plastic caps that can be removed and put on independently; You need to wear it at least 18 hours a day.

The doctor decides how long you need to wear retainers or mouth guards. Sometimes it takes twice as long as wearing braces.

Very often, patients are interested in questions about whether it is possible to whiten their teeth immediately after removing braces. Most dentists believe that it is better to carry out such a procedure no earlier than after 4 months, since the enamel must strengthen after prolonged injury. But everything is individual, and if the defects were small, the time of wearing braces was several months, the orthodontist may allow whitening to be carried out even after a month.

When a patient has been missing one or more teeth for a long time, this leads to bone tissue atrophy and a decrease in the bone cell of the tooth. If the patient wants to have a dental implant, he will first need to expand the bone cell using braces. After removing the braces, implants can be installed immediately, since the implanted titanium root will hold the teeth in the correct position.

Find out more about modern dental implant methods in our blog.

How to choose a brace system

The primary task for the patient is to find a doctor with whom a trusting relationship will be established. The orthodontist will conduct a diagnosis, discuss a treatment plan and offer several braces to choose from. The doctor recommends braces based on the patient’s financial capabilities, the complexity of the clinical case and the anatomical features of the dentition. The decision-making is influenced by the doctor’s personal preferences - some specialists work only on self-ligating braces using the straight arch technique, others prefer a multi-loop arch and ligature structures.

young man with Ormco translucent self-ligating braces

Ceramic and sapphire systems are chosen to partially camouflage orthodontic treatment. Bite correction with clear braces takes longer than with metal Damon Q braces due to the higher friction of the archwire and ceramic groove bottom.

treatment with Inspire Ice

Features of treatment for adults and children

Many parents make mistakes when they do not promptly treat malocclusion in children. Doctors say the earlier the correction begins, the more effective the result will be.

It is considered ideal to see an orthodontist for children as young as 2 years old. In this case, he will be able to identify possible congenital malocclusions already at the stage of growth of baby teeth (it is by this age that most of the dentition appears in children). At this age, correction is not done with braces, but with special aligners or mouth guards. Timely implementation of such a procedure helps to avoid many problems in the future.

For adult patients, doctors most often install permanent types of braces, mostly made of metal. They are considered the most durable and effective. When installing such structures, the patient often feels discomfort, so if necessary, the doctor can use anesthesia.

Photos of teeth before and after braces

Trust in a doctor consists of many factors: reviews and recommendations from friends, a well-conducted consultation, doctor’s certificates, diplomas and awards, photos of clinical cases “before” and “after” of treatment with braces published on the Internet. Doctors actively maintain groups on social networks and blogs on clinic websites, post videos on YouTube, and post photographs with the results of orthodontic treatment.

deep bite

high crowding, flat profile

moderate crowding, asymmetry

high degree of crowding, open bite, posterior crossbite

case without removal

bilateral crossbite with a high degree of crowding of the anterior group of teeth in the upper jaw

Alternative to treatment with braces

An alternative to braces is aligners. Transparent hard aligners are used to move teeth in cases where the patient has increased aesthetic requirements. The aligners are made in the laboratory on a 3D printer based on an impression of the jaws. Patients change aligners in the order specified by the doctor. The disadvantage of aligners is the high cost of treatment, but the advantage is the aesthetic component: the aligners are invisible to others. Treatment with aligners takes longer and is suitable for clinical cases of mild to moderate complexity.

The doctor attaches attachments made of composite material to the teeth, on which the mouth guard presses. The teeth move slowly; halfway through the treatment, the orthodontist takes an impression of the jaw and sends it to the laboratory to make new aligners.

How do braces differ from each other?

Type of braces	Materials	Differences	Price
Metal	metal alloy	reliable and cheap	from 50,000 rubles*
Ceramic	ceramics	the most inexpensive of aesthetic	from 70,000 rubles*
Sapphire	artificial sapphire	beautiful and relatively inexpensive	from 100,000 rubles*
Lingual	gold + metal	completely invisible	From 150,000 rubles*

*Prices are indicative in Moscow and only for the bracket system.

Partial bracket system

For children in the period of changing temporary teeth to permanent ones, a “2 by 4” system is installed. Braces are fixed on four incisors and two molars. The design is used to close large interdental spaces when there is insufficient space for permanent teeth, early removal of temporary teeth to save space. Often, a 2-by-4 system prepares a child for primary orthodontic treatment with a full brace system. Braces are fixed at 6–7 years of age, when the first permanent molars erupt.

There is no age limit for orthodontic treatment. At any age, braces are firmly fixed to the enamel, and teeth move. Implants or ankylosed teeth in the mouth serve as support and do not move or participate in orthodontic treatment.

Braces for extracted teeth

It is possible to install an orthodontic structure in the absence of one or more teeth, but it depends on the specific clinical picture. For example, it is quite possible to straighten a slight curvature in the frontal zone, even if there are no molars in the row. But is it possible to use braces to close a void when supporting teeth are missing? In this case, installing a system makes sense only if we are talking about 6, 7 and 8 teeth. If the figure eight (wisdom tooth) is missing, movement is impossible, since the chewing teeth will not be enough for full functioning.

Duration of treatment

How long do you wear braces? Treatment with ligature structures averages 2.5 – 3 years. Self-ligating devices are usually worn for 1 – 2.5 years. The duration of treatment depends on the model of braces, the experience of the doctor, the complexity of the clinical case and cooperation with the patient. If you do not wear elastics and do not follow the orthodontist's recommendations, treatment will slow down.

girl with Mini Diamond metal braces

The patient comes to the appointment with the regularity specified by the doctor. At the initial stage of treatment with a self-ligating brace system, the intervals between visits are 8 – 10 weeks. During the basic mechanics phase, the patient visits the orthodontist every month. When installing ligature structures, he comes for activation at least once a month at each stage of treatment.

teenagers with Ormco braces

Five factors that influence how long you wear braces

The total time that patients wear braces is 1-3 years. How many months or years it will take in your case can only be predicted by an orthodontist (after examination and medical history). In advance, you can independently calculate the approximate time for which the structures are worn, taking into account five main factors:

Patient's age.
Type and complexity of violations.
Type of bracket system.
Qualification of an orthodontist.
Care and implementation of recommendations.

Each of the factors has its own characteristics, which are worth considering in more detail.

Patient age

The specific time of use after installing braces is determined based on the clinical picture and individual characteristics of the jaw structure. But, you can rely on average data that is natural for different ages of patients:

Children
. Due to the pliability of the dentofacial apparatus, which occurs at the age of 12-16 years, all processes to correct the bite occur quite quickly. Most often, 0.5-1 year is enough to correct moderate severity.
Teenagers
. During the period of active formation of the dental system, you can count not only on the effectiveness of the result, but also on the minimum time to achieve it. On average, adolescents aged 18-23 years need 3-8 months less to achieve the desired result than older patients.
Adults
. Since in an adult the dentofacial apparatus is already fully formed, regenerative processes in tissues are slowed down and the rate of metabolic processes decreases, orthodontic treatment will take 2-3 years.

The question of how long braces should be worn may also arise in older people - the use of these orthodontic structures can be shown as one of the preparatory stages before prosthetics. In this case, you will have to wear braces for several years.

Type and complexity of violations

Braces can solve a number of problems with bite and uneven teeth. Depending on the reasons why you are installing orthodontic structures and the severity of the defect, the time for using braces may vary:

Alignment of one or more teeth
. If it is necessary to shift (change the position) of units in a row, you will have to wear braces for an average of 1.5 years.
Elimination of distal bite
. This pathology can be diagnosed with different stages of complexity. Depending on the severity of the defect, wearing orthodontic structures lasts 1-3 years.
Elimination of diastema
. If the gap between the incisors is not a cosmetic defect and does not require masking (for example, with veneers), but treatment, then the doctor will prescribe braces. How long it takes depends on the age of the patient. The average period is 1-2.5 years.
Correction of deep bite
. One of the most difficult cases that braces can solve. In childhood this will take about 1.5 years, and for adults – up to 3 years.

In the case of crowded teeth, dystopia and other dental defects that require the use of braces to resolve, the time frame is determined individually and varies between 1.5-3 years.

Type of bracket system

The chosen type of braces also influences how long to wear orthodontic systems:

By material
:
Metal
. The strongest modern system that applies optimal pressure to tissue. It is used to correct even complex defects within a period of 1-1.5 years.
Plastic
. They are fragile and require the utmost care. You will have to wear these braces for 12-18 months.
Ceramic
. Durable and do not cause allergies. Used to correct simple defects. Requires extended wear time - up to 3 years.
Sapphire
. They require particularly careful oral care. The impact of such systems lasts 1.5-3 years.

At the location of fixation
:

Lingual

Vestibular
. They are attached to the outer surface of the teeth. Used for 1-2 years.

Type
:

Ligatures

Unligated
. They are worn longer than ligature ones - up to 2.5 years. This option is chosen by those who, while wearing braces, care about the aesthetics of their smile, and who are willing to sacrifice extra time wearing the system for the sake of beauty.

Most often, patients are shown several options for braces, from which they can choose the one that suits its appearance and price. Not the last factor will be how long you will have to wear braces and whether you are willing to deliberately increase the wearing time for the sake of aesthetics or want to correct the defect in the shortest possible time.

Qualification of an orthodontist

The time that you will have to wear the brace system and obtaining the desired result directly depend on the experience and qualifications of the specialized doctor:

At the consultation stage
. It is important to get the right advice on choosing a brace system based on your clinical case. Not only indications, but also contraindications should be taken into account.
At the preparation stage
. A lot depends on the quality of taking impressions and setting the task for the laboratory specialist. Only an experienced orthodontist will be able to do all the preparatory steps correctly.
At the installation stage
. The braces themselves are attached strictly to certain places and at a certain angle - depending on the position and inclination of the teeth. The doctor’s lack of relevant experience will increase the time of wearing the orthodontic structure and will not give the desired effect of treatment at all.

By choosing the right clinic and specialist, you increase your chances of getting a perfect smile and a healthy bite as quickly as possible.

Care and implementation of recommendations

Keep in mind that how long you need to wear braces depends on your responsibility. For example, a late visit to change wires may stop or slow down treatment. And an irresponsible attitude towards oral hygiene can lead to the development of caries and other diseases, which will require immediate solutions to problems. And, since braces can interfere, they will have to be removed, reducing to zero all the results achieved so far. The chipping of one of the braces can also increase the wear time - while the analogue is being made, the result will slow down or stop altogether.

Not only failure to follow the recommendations of an orthopedic dentist, but also force majeure situations can lead to early removal of orthopedic structures. For example, the occurrence of allergic reactions to the design (most often to metal models) or the need for a surgical solution to correct the anomaly.

If you take the orthopedist’s recommendations responsibly and visit the clinic in a timely manner for the necessary manipulations with the arches, then you will be able to wear braces for the shortest possible time.

How to brush teeth with braces

Regardless of the type of braces and the number of visits to the clinic, a person needs to carefully monitor their oral hygiene. Orthodontic patients follow a diet. Doctors recommend eliminating sticky foods: toffee, halva, nougat, chips, chewing gum, consuming with caution and cutting hard vegetables and fruits into pieces. It is not recommended to drink coffee, red wine and other drinks with dyes. Orthodontists advise avoiding cold or very hot foods: sudden temperature changes damage metal and sensitive ceramics in the oral cavity.

With braces, brushing your teeth becomes more difficult. Using circular movements of an orthodontic toothbrush, the patient removes food debris and plaque from the vestibular surface of the teeth and the space around the bracket. The internal and chewing surfaces are cleaned with a manual toothbrush. The space around the braces and in hard-to-reach places is cleaned with a monotuft brush and dental brushes. Doctors advise using superfloss and irrigator.

It is necessary to brush your teeth three times a day after meals and perform professional oral hygiene in the clinic every 2 to 4 months. By following the doctor's recommendations and maintaining oral hygiene, the patient speeds up treatment.

Braces do not damage the enamel; caries occurs as a result of poor hygiene. The intensity of plaque depends on the type and size of the structure, but the main factor is the patient’s willingness to brush their teeth thoroughly and regularly. Caring for the oral cavity with small self-ligating appliances is easier than with ligature structures. Food remains under elastic and metal ligatures, which leads to the formation of caries.

Hygiene while wearing

Even if you are just about to install braces, it will be useful to learn some less familiar cleaning methods:

First, buy a set of orthodontic toothbrushes;
Secondly, you will need a waterpik. This is a small device that is mounted on the bathroom wall and cleans the interdental spaces with a stream of water under pressure;
Third, you will need superfloss. It removes food particles and plaque from between the teeth, where the toothbrush cannot reach;
Fourth, buy a set of brushes; they can be used to clean areas where it is impossible to reach with a toothbrush or floss.

Getting used to braces

The patient gets used to the braces system in the mouth within a couple of weeks. When the physiological movement of teeth begins, people experience discomfort due to aseptic inflammation of the bone. Patients with self-ligating braces stop feeling pain after a couple of days; when installing ligature structures, the discomfort goes away on the sixth day. The level of discomfort is influenced by the pain threshold, which is individual for each person.

Sometimes, at the initial stage of treatment, nitinol round wires cause discomfort. A glass of cold water relieves discomfort. Due to the physical properties of the thermal activity of the metal, the tension decreases and the discomfort goes away.

The metal of nitinol arcs is in one of two phases. When the temperature changes, the crystal lattice of the alloy changes from the martensite state to the austenite state and back. The doctor inserts a thermoactive arc into the grooves of the braces; under the influence of the temperature of the oral cavity, the arc straightens and gently pulls the teeth along with it. If the discomfort persists for a long time, the doctor prescribes painkillers to the patient.

What toothbrushes should you buy to care for braces?

For complete care, one v-shaped brush is not enough. In order to be sure that the teeth under the braces system are perfectly cleaned, you need to have several more types of brushes in your arsenal.

Interdental.

This type is used to clean spaces between brackets as well as areas under metal arches. Interdental brushes are available in different sizes, so they can also be used for deep cleaning of interdental spaces.

Mono-beam.

The mono-beam brush has a curved shape, thanks to which it can reach even the most difficult to reach places. This type of brush is intended for caring for braces, not teeth. Even the smallest clasps and ligatures will be perfectly clean with daily use of mono-tuft brushes.

It is worth knowing that any type of brush will wear out several times faster. This is due to the fact that when cleaning a metal system, the bristles can be pulled out. Therefore, you will have to change all care accessories much more often than recommended on the package.

Treatment with braces during pregnancy

Pregnancy is not a contraindication for treatment. During pregnancy, women take vitamins that support bone health. Metabolic processes in a woman’s body accelerate, and teeth move faster. Before installing braces, the orthodontist sends the patient for sanitation and professional oral hygiene. To strengthen the enamel, remineralizing therapy is carried out.

Pregnant women, unlike other patients, do not take painkillers to overcome discomfort during tooth movement at the leveling stage. During pregnancy, women often suffer from gingivitis and bleeding gums. Diseases complicate hygiene and are relative contraindications to orthodontic treatment. Sometimes, in order to avoid possible risks, bite correction is postponed until after the birth of the child.

Removing teeth before installing braces

Sometimes, according to the orthodontist, it is necessary to remove teeth to make room for dentition correction and improve the facial profile. The orthodontist makes the decision about removal after diagnosis and discussion of the treatment plan with the patient. Photometric analysis of the face, examination of X-ray images and diagnostic results help the doctor make the right conclusion.

The complexity of the clinical case affects the need for removal. The choice of prescription in Damon braces in some cases allows you not to remove teeth. To achieve correct occlusion without tooth extraction, the doctor corrects the bite, installs microscrews and performs separation.

When is the best time to get braces?

And although it is recommended to correct the bite in childhood, it can be successfully done as an adult. Remember: the best time to get braces is now. If you are thinking about this, make an appointment with an orthodontist and find out what a professional thinks about your situation and what methods exist to solve it.

What will happen if you leave everything as it is? If you can come to terms with the peculiarities of your smile in the mirror, then it will be difficult to avoid real problems. Severe crowding and curvature create hard-to-reach areas that are almost impossible to clean with a brush at home. Plaque accumulates there and, over time, caries forms. The trouble is that such places are difficult to notice. Therefore, people with malocclusions who rarely visit the dentist are often unpleasantly surprised by the number of caries lesions. Such inflammations must be treated as soon as possible - caries destroys the enamel and becomes very painful at serious stages of development.

In addition, incorrect positioning of teeth provokes exposure of roots, uneven abrasion of enamel and other troubles. They usually appear over time, already in adulthood, after 40–50 years. That's what braces are for.

So, the conclusion is obvious: if you have a reason to think about braces in Krasnoyarsk, start by consulting a doctor. Maybe the problem will be solved faster than you think. Or it may turn out that nothing needs to be corrected.

How much do braces cost with installation?

Orthodontic clinics use different pricing policies. Pricing is based on the composition of the service and the frequency of payments. In some orthodontic centers, the cost of treatment includes the price of braces, while in others they pay for the system separately.

treatment on the Orthos design

There is an option for a one-time payment for the course of treatment and a scenario in which the patient pays monthly for system activation. For the patient, from the point of view of economic justification, full payment is more profitable, since the final price is not affected by fluctuations in the ruble exchange rate and changes in the price list in the clinic.

The cost of activation of ligature and self-ligating braces is approximately the same. Payment for treatment using classical systems with ligatures consists of 24 visits to the doctor and the relatively low price of the structure. Self-ligating devices are more expensive, but require the patient to go to the clinic only 12 times. Convenience of design, reduction of treatment time, the number of visits to the doctor and the time that the patient spends in the orthodontist’s chair give self-ligating devices qualitative advantages.

The cost of the course is determined by the orthodontist after diagnosis and drawing up a treatment plan.

Head of the St. Petersburg clinic “Full Order”, candidate of medical sciences Tikhonova A.V. compared the effectiveness of treatment under the scheme with a one-time payment “All inclusive” and with payment by visits.

We provide an approximate comparison of ergonomics and financial efficiency of treatment for various price options. Prices are set hypothetically, taking into account the estimated average market prices for St. Petersburg at the time of publication of the manual.

information from the book “Myths about the Damon system” by orthodontist A.V. Tikhonov

The results of the study indicate that the all-inclusive one-time payment scheme is preferable for the doctor and the patient. Payment for results allows a competent orthodontist to quickly complete treatment and increase the profitability of the practice, and the patient to receive a beautiful and healthy smile earlier.

perfect smile with Inspire Ice

How to get a tax deduction for treatment with braces

For three years, Russian tax residents can claim a tax deduction for treatment with braces. Taxpayers receive a refund from the state in the amount of 13% of the amount spent on their own treatment, treatment of minor children, parents or spouses. Only the personal income tax that the taxpayer paid to the state for the last year is returned.

Package of documents for the tax office:

declaration 3-NDFL;
certificate from place of work 2-NDFL;
documents from the clinic - a copy of the treatment agreement, a copy of the clinic’s license, a certificate of payment for treatment, cash receipts.

A person who has undergone orthodontic treatment and is claiming a refund must file a tax return by the end of April.
The state returns 13% of the maximum 120,000 - 15,600 rubles. The material is for informational purposes only and is presented for informational purposes. It does not replace consultation with an orthodontist and is not a guide to correcting dental anomalies.