Are you in line for getting your braces? Braces may take a while to be removed, but you should feel motivated by its outcome. Braces correct the appearance of your teeth through orthodontic treatment. It fixes any signs of crookedness or crowding of teeth, as well as overbites, underbites, or incorrect jaw position. With proper dental care and due time, you’ll soon be smiling confidently with your teeth at its best.

If you have mixed emotions about whether to feel excited or scared, take the time to relax and read about what to expect when you get your braces. Your dentist may have already briefed you about what to do after getting your braces. However, it helps to read more about it. Read on below to know eight essential facts about your braces.

1. Putting on spacers

Not every patient needs spaces, but if your back teeth are positioned too close together, your dentist will put spacer or rubber bands between them. You will have to wear them for at least a week before your dentist can start working on your braces. There may be some discomfort in your back teeth and jaw to enable the space between your teeth to expand. However, the pain is considered more as a soreness of the jaw than a toothache.

2. Placing the brackets

Your dentist will first clean your teeth thoroughly and dry all the surfaces to provide a clear view for working on your braces. The initial step is to attach brackets, which can either be metal or ceramic devices that hold the wires in place. The dentist will attach the brackets by putting glue in the center of each tooth and setting it with a blue light. After the glue sets, your dentist will place the bracket where the glue is positioned.

3. Sliding on the bands

After the brackets are positioned, it’s time to slide the metal bands around the molars, the farthest part of your mouth. The metal bands will serve as anchors to keep the braces intact. You might feel a little pressure as the orthodontist maneuvers the band, but it can be adjusted until you feel comfortable.

4. Attaching the rubber bands and archwires

This is the process where rubber bands are attached together with the archwire. For most people, personalizing their rubber bands with different colours every visit is their favourite part of getting braces. After attaching the archwires, the orthodontist will wrap a rubber band, otherwise called a ligature, around each bracket. Then, the orthodontist will proceed to cut off the end of the archwire.

5. Placing attachments

Attachments serve as handles that guide your teeth toward a specific direction. This is attached to problem teeth that are crooked or misaligned. This process will grip your teeth by attaching small tooth-coloured attachments as well as mounds of bonding material at the back of your mouth. The bonding material will serve as a link to connect your upper and lower teeth to help maneuver your teeth to the right place.

Conclusion

Your orthodontist may recommend conventional braces that will correct your teeth to make it aesthetically pleasing. For exceptional cases, your dentist might suggest lingual braces or clear alignment systems that will reposition your teeth. Consult your dentist about the right dental plan to achieve your desired set of pearly whites.

If you are looking for a dental clinic in Edmonton where you can get braces, get in touch with us to see how we can help.

Posted in Dental News & Advice