The teeth are not straight, do you need orthodontics?

With the improvement of living standards, people's demand for improving the appearance and function of teeth and jaws is becoming stronger and stronger, and more and more people are undergoing orthodontics. So, if you want orthodontics, do you have the following concerns?

Why do orthodontists need to extract teeth

When it comes to orthodontics, many patients are most worried about tooth extraction, so they also stay away from it. Some parents even refuse to receive treatment when they hear that their children need to have their teeth extracted for orthodontic treatment, thus delaying the best time for orthodontic treatment.

The main cause of tooth crowding is the imbalance between the amount of teeth and the amount of bone (the total length of the alveolar bone), that is, the perimeter of the existing dental arch cannot accommodate all the teeth in the arch, and the teeth can only be misplaced and crowded growing. In order to correct this kind of malocclusion caused by congenital or acquired reasons, it is necessary to extract the least effective tooth to provide the space required for alignment and adduction of other teeth.

Doctors usually choose to extract teeth that can solve the problem and have minimal impact on aesthetic function and chewing function, and the tooth extraction gap will be gradually closed during orthodontics, which will not affect chewing function and physical health. In addition, doctors usually design treatment plans according to the principle of "keep as good teeth as possible and extract bad teeth" in orthodontic extraction. Although tooth extraction reduces the number of teeth, it has little impact on the function of the teeth. After correction, the occlusal function of the teeth can be maximized and the aesthetics can be improved.

Of course, not everyone needs a tooth extraction. For a small number of patients with mild crowding and protrusion, a small amount of gaps can be obtained by standard treatment methods such as expanding the dental arch, pushing the molars back, and grinding a small number of teeth to complete the correction. It should be emphasized that the need for tooth extraction or treatment is determined by the doctor based on the comprehensive evaluation and analysis of the patient's dental condition, facial features, tooth volume, and bone volume.

How to choose braces

Many people struggle with choosing braces. How to choose between invisible braces and steel braces?

Invisible braces are tailor-made according to each individual's dental condition after the doctor scans the patient's teeth (or uses a silicone rubber impression) through an advanced intraoral scanner to obtain all the tooth shapes. Doctors and technicians animate the final and moving positions of teeth in computer software, use digital models and software to precisely control the final position of teeth, and monitor and adjust in time throughout the process. Although invisible braces look like a plastic shell, they seem to be no different from transparent film retainers. But it is actually an emerging material with polymers, elasticity and rigidity, which is comfortable to wear and applies force gently.

Steel braces are reinforced by the rebound of steel wires, while invisible braces are reinforced by extrusion and deformation of the diaphragm.

The key to correction lies in the skills and level of the orthodontist, and whether the designed correction plan is appropriate. And aligners, whether invisible braces or steel braces, or even more types of braces, are just tools for doctors to treat patients. Which type of braces is suitable depends on the patient's aesthetic requirements for braces and the expected cost of orthodontic treatment.

I also want to remind everyone that you must insist on wearing a retainer after the correction. After orthodontic treatment, the teeth are arranged neatly, and the patient hopes to remove the appliance as soon as possible, but removing the fixed appliance does not mean the end of the treatment. A retainer is made after treatment to prevent recurrence. Teeth do not exist independently in the oral cavity, but are suspended in the alveolar bone by some fibers and ligaments with a certain arrangement direction, called "periodontal tissue". During the orthodontic process, not only the teeth will move, but the periodontal tissue also needs to undergo a remodeling process to adapt to the new tooth position. Therefore, although the teeth have moved to the ideal position at the end of the orthodontic treatment, the remodeling of the fibers and ligaments has not yet completed, and it will take a certain amount of time to recover, during which external forces are required for maintenance.

Wearing a retainer is of great significance throughout the entire orthodontic treatment process and should not be taken lightly. Retainers generally need to be worn for about two years. If you do not wear the retainer as required, you may "fall short of success".

Will orthodontics make my face sunken?

With the improvement of living standards, parents pay more and more attention to the oral health of their children. So, at what age can children start orthodontics?

Generally speaking, the best age for correcting malocclusion in children is during the peak period of children's growth and development, 12-14 years old for boys and 11-13 years old for girls. During this period, the child's permanent tooth roots are gradually developed, and the occlusal relationship between the upper and lower teeth is also adjusted. A clear diagnosis of the type of malocclusion can be made. At this time, corrective treatment is short and effective. However, different types of malocclusion have different optimal ages for orthodontic treatment, especially for some malocclusions that affect jaw development, they should be detected and treated as soon as possible. As we often say "tooth pocket" or "ground bag", it can be treated at the age of 3~5, and there are severe mandibular retraction and deep overbite, which can be treated during the replacement period (7~10 years old). Early treatment should be carried out to avoid the occurrence of severe skeletal malocclusion.

Many parents worry that orthodontics will cause a sunken face. In fact, before orthodontic treatment, the doctor will conduct a comprehensive examination and diagnosis of the patient's craniofacial, jaw, and occlusion, and then formulate a reasonable orthodontic plan. By wearing an appliance, the patient's oral and jaw system can be restored to health and beauty. Therefore, regular orthodontic treatment generally does not lead to a sunken face.

But there are still 3 points worth noting:

1. If the treatment is not standardized, the incisors will be retracted too much due to improper operation, which may lead to a sunken face and even more serious problems.

2. Some patients are afraid of the brackets falling off during the period of wearing braces, so they don't dare to eat, which leads to atrophy of the masticatory muscles.

3. Most of the patients who complain about orthodontic sunken face are women over 30 years old. With age, especially women, facial fat gradually loses, and the zygomatic fat pad sags, resulting in protruding cheekbones, deepening nasolabial folds, and sunken cheeks. This is a natural aging process, not caused by orthodontics.