Braces are needed when someone has crooked, misaligned teeth and want straighter and more beautiful teeth. They are a great teeth straightening treatment done to not only visually enhance the appearance of teeth but also make them easier to clean and manage. Not getting dental braces in a timely manner can exacerbate oral problems leading to issues related to bite, chewing, speaking, decay, toothache etc. Before going for the treatment, you would obviously have some questions, concerns and doubts which you can remove by consulting an orthodontist who specializes in getting braces done on patients. When you know about the treatment, things become a lot easy and comfortable with braces.
Here are some key things to know before getting braces –
You can have braces at any age
Yes, you can have braces at any age, or at any stage in life. Braces are fit for any age to correct misaligned or crooked teeth, provided your teeth and gums are strong enough to hold up them. The only problem with braces will be when you have poor dental health or weakened gums. So, you should first get your dental health checked before thinking of braces.
Braces are much more than just straight teeth
While braces are indeed worn for fixing crooked teeth and getting the teeth straight, their utility and benefits often go beyond that. When you have braces, it will help take away the pain in the jawbone; can fix the problem of bleeding gums in some cases and can fix loose or jagged teeth. They are also great for treatment of crowded teeth, impacted teeth or gaps in the gum line.
Braces can also fix your bite
Crooked or misaligned teeth can negatively affect your bite and make it unhealthy. When bite is affected, it means you mouth will not be able to function correctly. Worse still, bite issues can lead to TMJ related headaches and may pose difficulty with chewing and speaking as well. That’s why any problem with the bite needs to be treated at the earliest to stay on top of dental health and this is where braces can help a lot.
Trust only an orthodontist for braces
If you plan to get braces, make sure you visit only an orthodontist, not any dentist as they are expert on dental movement and can fix the problem in the best way possible. Orthodontists also specialize in the functional of the jawbone and know everything about how the teeth move in the mouth. You can always trust them for right oral consultation, fitting and proper monitoring of dental braces.
Invisible braces are not necessarily the best option
Most patients with crooked or misaligned teeth these days just want invisible braces for cosmetic purposes. They fixate on getting concealed braces even if they are not always the right option. Patients don’t even listen to the recommendations of dentists and want plastic brackets and aligners no matter whether they are compatible with their teeth or not. Well, you should not make this mistake and let the dentist decide what works best for your case for desired results.
Cost and treatment times differ with braces
Dental braces are not cheap and if you are planning one, make sure you have plans and payment schemes to minimize the burden. But yes, the cost can vary and in most cases, it will depend on the expertise of the dentist, age of the patient, oral health of the patient, location of the clinic and complication of the situation. While two years is the average time period for braces treatment, the cost can vary somewhere between $3,000 and 6,000, and you should ready yourself accordingly.
There will be some pain with braces
Some pain will be there with braces particularly with wearing and getting used to them. More so, soreness and aching is common as braces lead to pressure against the teeth and create new sensations as well. As your mouth will have metal or plastic, sores on the inside of the lips and gums are common which can take at least a couple of weeks to subside. So, always consult top dentist Greenpoint and take their advice seriously when it comes to braces and their right choice.