How long do you wear braces on your teeth: features and duration of correction

Reading time 7-8 minutes

Author of the article: Tsurkan Victoria Olegovna

Specialization: Dentist-orthodontist

Total work experience: since 2015

• Stages of defect correction and expected results
• How long should you wear traction braces?
• Brief summary

When deciding on the use of orthodontic structures, patients are often interested in how long they wear braces on their teeth. Since the timing is determined individually, it is important to answer the question of what affects the duration of wear and what results to expect during the treatment process and after its completion.

How long does it take to install braces?

It is possible to answer exactly how long it will take to install braces for an adult or a teenager only after a preliminary consultation with a doctor. The fixation process itself usually takes 1-1.5 hours for any patient. Non-ligature structures are placed faster. Everything is purely individual and depends on each specific case.

However, it is first necessary to treat inflammatory processes in the mouth and have it professionally cleaned. Some designs are made individually, which also takes time: 1-2 weeks.

Does teeth straightening hurt?

The installation of braces itself is painless, but requires patience because it takes about an hour.

For 7-10 days, teeth may hurt when biting. The body must get used to foreign objects. In general, you live your old life, you just notice pleasant changes in yourself.

Control visits are needed to correct the process and form the correct position of the teeth. Usually after changing the arch the pain goes away within 3-7 days. It all depends on individual sensitivity.

For some, wearing braces is only unpleasant, for others, on the contrary, it is painful, and some do not feel anything.

How long do you wear traction on braces?

Rods (or rubber bands in other words) on brace systems are special rubber rings that are worn separately. Their purpose is to enhance the traction of the power arc to obtain faster and better correction results. The elastic bands are placed on the teeth approximately 4-5 months into orthodontic treatment. How long the braces are worn during the day depends on the clinical case: either 12 hours at night or around the clock.

Methods for attaching rubber bands:

• - on identical teeth of different jaws;
• - for 2 teeth in one jaw and 1 in the second;
• - square on 4 teeth (2 on top and 2 on bottom);
• - a combination of several options at once.

How long elastic bands are worn on braces is determined individually, but you need to plan for at least several months .

Braces care

You should pay close attention to your oral hygiene while wearing braces to avoid the risk of tooth decay or other complications. To care for your teeth and braces, use special devices: brushes, brushes, and irrigators to effectively remove pieces of food between the structural elements. Floss (special thread) is good for removing food debris between teeth. When using braces, you should also exclude from your diet some foods that have increased coloring properties. This way you will protect the elements from more frequent replacement. For example, ceramic braces have an increased tendency to pigmentation.

The principle of bite correction using a brace system

The classic system consists of directly braces (clasps), a power arch and ligatures. The clasps are fixed to the front surface of the teeth using an adhesive base. An arc is passed through them and secured with ligatures. In non-ligature designs, the arc clamps are already present on the clasps themselves.

The arch is the main element that ensures the movement of teeth. It is first given the “correct” shape, to which, thanks to the properties of the material, it tends to return. This ensures constant pressure on the teeth. As the periodontal ligaments and bone tissue gradually adapt to this traction, they become in the desired position.

FAQ

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Is it true that hospital jersey is difficult to put on?

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What is the cost of anti-embolic jersey?

The better the quality of the knitwear, the higher its cost. The quality of knitwear is measured in the long-term preservation of compression properties. Also, a number of advantages can affect the cost: special knitting for a comfortable stay in the product, antibacterial properties, good fixation on the leg, and the like.

What factors affect wearing time?

1. 1. Age. Bone tissue and ligaments in adolescents are more plastic, so eliminating bite problems of any complexity before the age of 18 requires an average of 3-6 months less time. This does not mean that complex defects cannot be corrected for an adult, but more time will have to be spent.
2. 2. Complexity of the defect. The severity of the anomaly and its type also affect the timing of treatment. Even the most advanced cases of crowding are corrected faster than problems with jaw closure.
3. 3. Type of system. The material and design of braces affect the timing. Non-ligature metal structures are the fastest to correct. Lingual ones take the longest, but they are invisible.
4. 4. Doctor's experience. Optimal selection of the system, correct installation, control of tooth displacement - parameters that depend on the experience of the orthodontist. In our clinic, doctors are constantly improving their skills, so they can correct your bite in a minimum amount of time.
5. 5. Patient compliance with recommendations. Following a diet and proper care of systems are also important. Damage to structures and the development of caries can cause a suspension of correction or a decrease in the effectiveness of treatment.

Can you continue to live with crooked teeth?

Crooked teeth are more vulnerable to tooth decay and periodontal disease. If teeth grow incorrectly, their surfaces become excessively worn down when eating, which worsens the malocclusion. Therefore, sometimes it leads to serious diseases of the temporomandibular joints.

In addition, if you suffer from frequent headaches, chondrosis, or have tinnitus, it is better to check your bite.

Type of braces and duration of treatment

Depending on the type of system, the duration of treatment varies:

1. 1. Metal: the fastest and most effective.
2. 2. Ceramic: due to fragility, they last a little longer than metal.
3. 3. Sapphire: quite fragile, which increases the wearing period.
4. 4. Lingual: the longest wearing period is 2-2.5 years, but the best aesthetics.
5. 5. Self-ligating: on average 1-1.5 years.
6. 6. Ligature: longer than non-ligature, but the exact period depends on the material.

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Minimum and maximum wearing time

The average period of wearing braces is 1-1.5 years. You need to be prepared for this even before visiting the orthodontist. During the initial consultation, the doctor determines the specific duration of the correction, but the timing may change during the course of treatment.

The minimum period for wearing braces is 6 months. This usually applies to children with minor defects. But it is not possible to determine how long braces can be worn. Usually doctors talk about 2.5-3 years. The known record of correction by the system: 9 years and 8 months.

How long should children wear braces?

The child’s dentofacial apparatus is easier to correct even in difficult clinical situations. Therefore, the duration of correction is significantly less than for an adult. 12-16 years old needs to wear braces can only be found out at an appointment with an orthodontist, but rarely longer than 2 years .

How long should adults wear braces?

The dental system of an adult is much less susceptible to external influences. There are several reasons for this:

1. 1. The dentofacial apparatus is fully formed.
2. 2. Bone tissue is denser.
3. 3. Restorative processes in tissues are slowed down.
4. 4. The speed of any exchange processes is reduced.

18-30 should wear braces . Even minor defects may require treatment for 1.5-2 years. Advanced cases can take 3 or more years to resolve.

When can you remove braces?

The process of occlusion correction consists of several stages; the structures can be removed after completion of the last one. First, the teeth are aligned along the arch, then the main formation of the bite occurs (the teeth are moved forward or backward, gaps are removed, the position of the jaws is corrected), and finally minor defects are eliminated. An orthodontist removes braces in a dental office.

In some cases, braces have to be removed ahead of schedule:

• - development of inflammatory processes in the oral cavity;
• - allergic reaction to elements of the system (most often to metal);
• - poor oral hygiene;
• - the need for surgery to correct the bite.

If possible, after removing the treatment limitation, the system is reinstalled. Otherwise, an alternative method of orthodontic treatment is selected.

Oral preparation

The very first step before installing braces is a professional consultation with an orthodontist. The specialist examines the oral cavity, evaluates the teeth and gums. After this, he directs the patient to a panoramic photograph of the jaw. Having it in hand, the doctor receives a complete clinical picture and draws conclusions regarding the installation of orthodontic structures - whether it is advisable to prescribe the procedure in a particular case.

Braces are installed only on absolutely healthy teeth. Therefore, if the doctor identifies dental problems in the patient, they must first be eliminated. Treatment of caries may be necessary, including filling, and some other manipulations. Professional hygienic cleaning of the oral cavity is also required to remove plaque and tartar. Teeth must be clean and healthy before installing braces. Only after successful completion of the therapeutic process can the doctor prescribe the procedure.

How long do you wear retainers after braces?

Fixed retainer
Orthodontic treatment does not end after the braces are removed. Consolidating the correction result requires wearing special mouthguards (retainers). They fix the teeth in the correct position and prevent them from returning to their original incorrect position under the influence of chewing loads.

Retainers are removable and non-removable . The first ones are removed during meals, are noticeable and require self-discipline. The second ones are fixed and removed by a doctor and are not visible to others. As a rule, the patient is first prescribed permanent wearing of non-removable plates. Then he switches to using removable ones around the clock, gradually starting to wear them only at night.

Removable retainer

The orthodontist decides how long to wear the retainer after braces are removed. On average, the time it takes to consolidate the results with mouth guards is 2-3 times longer than the duration of the treatment itself: 3-6 years . For adults with corrected advanced malocclusions, retainers may be recommended for life.

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At what age is it better to start correcting a child’s bite?

The optimal age to begin orthodontic treatment is after the formation of the bite is completed (usually at 11-12 years). Why shouldn’t you follow the recommendations of some clinics that invite patients aged 7-9 years for treatment?

The answer is provided by the results of a scientific study of tooth growth and bite formation in children, which showed that the curvature of the dentition during the period of replacement of milk teeth with permanent teeth is not indicative and does not require intervention, since the dentition gradually straightens naturally (for example, the lateral teeth eliminate the gap between In front of them).

This, of course, does not mean that you should not visit a pediatric orthodontist if you see reasons for concern. The primary bite is formed by the age of 3-4 years, and from this age you can consult with specialists. But you shouldn’t start treatment unless there are good reasons for it.

Finally, a general recommendation: the patient does not have to agree with the doctor’s opinion in everything if it seems erroneous. Consult another clinic, get an alternative opinion, because we are talking about your health, about your appearance, about your money, finally. Get treatment from those you trust!