Dental Braces

Types of Dental Braces

Clear Aligners

These are clear plastic removable plates that are worn in a sequence to move teeth without wires or braces from start to finish. They are almost invisible and can be removed for social occasions and for normal oral hygiene routines

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Clear braces

Ceramic braces are made of translucent (clear) material. They are incredibly popular among adult patients given their cosmetic appeal. They can however be more fragile and elastic ties can discolour between orthodontic visits.

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Self-ligation brackets

This is a new system of braces that is not only faster for your orthodontist to use but also can significantly shorten your treatment time. They look great and are smaller for greater comfort. Plus, they offer better hygiene than conventional braces.

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Metal braces

Metal braces are the most common type of braces, mostly made of stainless steel. Today’s metal braces are smaller, more comfortable and more attractive. Most patients like to dress up their braces with different coloured elastics that can be changed every appointment.

Why Dental Braces ?

Types of Malocclusion : Here, we highlight some of the more common teeth problems faced by many people today. If your teeth resemble any of the following, you should learn about the various braces that will help you correct these problems.

Spacing may be present due to the following scenarios:

Presence of smaller teeth or larger jaws
Congenitally missing teeth
Loss of teeth due to extractions or trauma

It may be unaesthetic and increases the risks of food trap between teeth that may lead to decay in the future.

Crowding may be present due to the following scenarios:

Presence of larger teeth or smaller jaws
Over-retained baby teeth
Presence of supernumeraries (extra tooth)

It is more difficult to brush and floss the teeth when there is crowding, hence increasing the risks of food trap between teeth that may lead to decay in the future.

Teeth that protrude out are unaesthetic and may lead to speech problems.
It increases the risks of trauma to the front teeth too.

This is usually due to teeth overcrowding and can be easily corrected with braces and extractions.

Deep bite causes trauma to the soft tissue behind the upper front teeth and that may lead to ulceration and pain.

It is advisable to correct the deep bite so that the soft tissue will not be injured when you bite.

Open bite can be due to habits such as thumb sucking or tongue thrusting. It can be associated with skeletal discrepancies such as a steep lower jaw.

This may cause difficulty in speech and the ability to chew efficiently.

It is advisable to correct the bite and change the habits so that you can chew and digest better.

Cross bite can be due to malpositioning of teeth or it can be associated with skeletal discrepancies such as a longer lower jaw.

It is advisable to correct the crossbite so that you can eat better and it can decrease the risks of joint or muscle pain. By treating it early, you may be able to avoid jaw surgery in future.