Orthodontic Treatment with Braces

Orthodontics to straighten teeth is now recognized as an important and everyday treatment for reasons other than aesthetic concerns alone. Correct dental position (occlusion) creates a stable jaw joint (TMJ). This means lower incidences of jaw joint pain and symptoms and provides an even distribution of force around all teeth in the mouth. This in turn contributes to improved oral hygiene, helps prevent severe dental wear, chipping and fracturing of the edges of teeth, and also assists to correct head and neck posture.

Orthodontics involves the wearing of conventional fixed appliances such as braces or removable appliances such as Myofunction or Invisalign - see Myofunction and/or Invisalign ® pages.

Orthodontics may be used purely to straighten teeth due to crowding, wear, excessive overbite, over-jet, deep bites, open bites or even crossbites, however in other cases it may be used to correct a skeletal abnormality.

Braces

Braces are usually placed at around the age of 12-14 years of age. Other appliances may be required at an earlier age to encourage growth or expansion. Therefore it is vital to have your child assessed early, particularly if you have any concerns regarding positioning of teeth or shape of the jaw. Orthodontic treatment generally takes an average of 24months to complete, however in cases of minor crowding, treatment time may be considerably less.

Orthodontics can be suitable for any age group - children right through to adults. Current technologies and techniques mean age is no longer a barrier to treatment with orthodontic braces or other techniques such as Invisalign ®.

While receiving orthodontic treatment it is very important to care for your tooth and gum health by having your teeth professionally cleaned and examined every 6 months. Combining regular dental visits with good oral home care is an integral part of your investment in your new smile.