If you’re considering braces, you may have heard the term arch wire used. But you probably have no idea what that means!
In this article, explain what orthodontic arch wires are, the purpose they serve, and what types may be used in your braces. And if you’re interested in straightening your teeth without the use of wires, we can fill you in on that as well.
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Achieving a healthy and beautiful smile with braces is an exciting journey — but also a journey that comes with discomforts and unexpected symptoms, including dry mouth.
If you have braces and experience some side effects such as a dry, cottony feeling in your mouth, there are solutions that can allow you to remain more comfortable until the braces are off.
by DR. JOSEPH THOMPSON | Featured on Ask an Orthodontist
A lot of people enjoy watching sports and participating in sports activities. It’s exciting when we see our team or the underdog come back and win the game. Some parents are concerned about their children playing sports while they have braces on their teeth. The question often asked is, “Are there any limitations or sports that my child can’t participate in?” During orthodontic treatment with braces, a child can play any sport. However, we have to be careful to protect our lips and teeth from injury. The best way to protect our teeth is with an orthodontic mouth guard.
Orthodontic mouth guards are different from a regular mouth guard. First the regular mouth guard is thermoplastic. Before using it, you have to heat the regular mouth guard and bite into it to create imprints of your teeth. This is a problem with orthodontic treatment. As the orthodontist moves your teeth, the regular mouth guard will try to move the teeth into an old position going against the tooth movement we want. Or eventually the teeth will move so much that the regular mouth guard will not fit any more.
Interested in getting braces? An initial consultation will provide an opportunity to ask questions about orthodontic treatment such as:
Contact us for a free consultation and Biermann Orthodontics will set you up with an evaluation!
by Krisha McCoy, MS on Everyday Health
Many adults with crooked teeth think they missed their opportunity for braces during childhood. But dental professionals now readily use braces to help correct dental problems at any age. In fact, adult braces are more popular today than ever before.
When Adult Braces Can Help
Adult braces can be used to correct a variety of dental problems, including:
Dental braces can create oral health problems such as gingivitis and decalcification (white marks), which lead to more serious issues.
You can minimize or prevent oral health problems caused by dental braces with good dental and orthodontic care.
First Day in Braces: Silke from Sidney, Australia
Here are some weird and wonderful things I thought I’d share with you about my experience with braces so far. I’ve had my braces on for 3 and a half months now. My teeth have moved quite dramatically already. I never expected it to happen so quickly. Anyway here’s my list of hopefully helpful tips for anyone out there thinking of getting braces:
Lots and lots of people have not even noticed I have braces. This surprised me because before getting them, I envisioned explaining my metal mouth to everyone and their dog. I told people at work I was getting braces and believe it or not, one girl was jealous! She says she has always wanted braces. She has perfect teeth but even asked her dentist if she could please get braces. Now that I did not expect.
Ceramic braces are brackets that are made to easily blend in with your teeth hence making them unnoticeable. Unlike the metallic and clear braces, these are made to look like your teeth hence more preferred. The ceramic braces are also favored due to their ability to align teeth much faster than the metallic and clear brackets. However, as much as we would like to have these unique ceramic braces, they stain easily if not well taken care of. You need to know the factors that lead to staining beforehand, so you can prevent your ceramic braces from staining in the future. Unfortunately, some people learn through experience which should never be the case.
This cannot be emphasized enough. This is a practice that should be trained even to small children due to its importance. Making it a habit to brush your teeth with braces immediately after meals ensures that the food color and flavors are washed off hence leaving the mouth clean. This will also prevent tooth decay which is higher due to food getting trapped in between brackets.
Orthodontic braces perfect your smile by applying constant, steady pressure to move your teeth into proper position. The brackets and wires attached to your teeth are limited in the direction of the applied force, however. Some situations, particularly to correct bite problems, require the upper and lower rows of teeth to move relative to each other. Rubber bands, or elastics, hooked to the brackets apply tension in directions brackets and wires cannot achieve alone.
Elastics apply constant pressure to align the teeth in a perfect bite, states the website Rubber Bands for Braces. The lower jaw must move relative to the upper teeth for proper alignment. Braces alone only move teeth along the upper or lower arch.
Braces are a fact of life for many people—according to a study done by Orthodontics.org, approximately 4 million people in the United States are under orthodontic care at any given time, and 80 percent of teenagers will wear braces. Braces can cause tooth pain, though it’s typically not severe and doesn’t last for very long.
What Are Braces For?
Braces help straighten crooked teeth, close gaps and spaces, and correct over-bites and under-bites. They’re typically worn by younger teenagers, but can be put on at any age. Depending on the severity of the correction, braces come in several different styles, including metal, clear, behind-the-teeth and “invisible.”
How Do Braces Work?
According to KidsHealth.org, standard braces straighten teeth with a combination of metal brackets, wires and rubber bands. Metal brackets are glued to the front of the teeth and then connected with a wire that helps move teeth side to side. Colored rings called litigating modules go around the brackets to hold the wires in place, and can be changed frequently to match outfits or for holidays. Rubber bands are used to move teeth forward and backward and can be stretched from front teeth back to molars, or from top teeth to bottom teeth.
As you enter the world of orthodontia, you’re learning a whole new vocabulary. You want to make sure you’re informed about these unfamiliar terms so you’ll understand what’s happening throughout the process.
Your orthodontist may have told you that you need to have spacers before your braces go on. What does this mean?
We’ll explain what orthodontic spacers are and what they do, and we’ll also answer any questions you might have about them as you prepare for this step.
Braces are the best way to straighten crooked teeth and properly align your bite. Before getting braces, your teeth need to be prepared. One way your orthodontist may get your mouth ready for braces is by placing orthodontic spacers between certain teeth. Most people who get traditional braces will need these.
Some of your teeth may need brackets that are attached to metal bands going all the way around the tooth. The bands are usually used only on molars. If the space between your molars is very tight, it will be difficult for your orthodontist to put these bands on your teeth. Therefore, space must be opened up to fit the bands in, and this is where spacers come into play.
Orthodontic spacers stay between your teeth for several days until they have moved your teeth slightly apart — just enough to get the bands in between. You’ll need to wear the spacers 24/7 until your orthodontist removes them.
Orthodontic spacers are very small and may be made of two different materials:
To insert rubber spacers between teeth, your orthodontist will use a small tool to stretch them out and then wiggle each one into place between your molars. Metal spacers are typically wedged into place using orthodontic pliers.
You may feel pressure or pinching as your spacers are moved into place. Your orthodontist will make adjustments as needed to ensure that the spacers fit properly in between your teeth.
Removal of the spacers doesn’t take long at all. If they’ve done their job, there will be a little extra space between the affected teeth and your orthodontist will be able to easily pop them out with a small tool.
Spacers usually stay between your teeth for several days — sometimes for as long as 10 days. The spacers will be taken out before your braces are put on.
Many people have remarked that spacers were the worst part of the entire process and do hurt more than braces. Perhaps that’s not very encouraging, but remember, they’re only in your mouth for a short period, so you can deal with it. They’ll be in, then they’ll be out, and you’ll be done with that part. Hang in there, because you’re on your way to a better smile.
Orthodontic spacers may be painful because it feels like you have something stuck between your teeth — and you do! In some cases it may feel more than just uncomfortable; there may be aching or throbbing. If so, you can take a pain reliever (such as ibuprofen) as needed. Studies have reported that the first two days with spacers tend to be the most painful, so you can look forward to the process hurting less as more space is created between your teeth.
There are certain foods that orthodontists recommend you avoid while you’re wearing braces. These typically include hard or chewy foods such as:
You should also avoid these types of foods while wearing orthodontic spacers, as they could cause the devices to fall out.
While you have spacers in your mouth, you should brush your teeth very carefully. Rinse your mouth with water before and after brushing to help remove any pieces of food or plaque.
Don’t bother trying to floss between the teeth that have orthodontic spacers, because it will be impossible. But you can still carefully floss your other teeth.
Since you won’t have your spacers in for more than a week or two, we hope that you’ll be extra careful and they’ll stay in place until you need to have them removed. If some of them do fall out before your removal appointment, contact your orthodontist to find out what to do. You may need another set installed, or it could be the case that you now have enough space between your teeth for the brackets you need.
The cost of orthodontic spacers is generally included in your overall fees for braces. Your total cost for braces generally depends on factors such as:
To find out how much you can expect to pay for orthodontic spacers and braces, contact our office.
If you’re a resident of Beaverton or the surrounding areas who is ready for expert orthodontic care for yourself or your children, contact Biermann Orthodontics to schedule an appointment at our award-winning practice. We have transformed thousands of smiles in the nearly two decades we’ve been in business, and we’d love to help you.
Whether you need orthodontic spacers to prepare for your traditional braces or you’re interested in Invisalign or some other orthodontic treatment, you’re in good hands with Dr. Biermann and his staff. Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation.
Looking for an orthodontist in Beaverton, Oregon? Biermann Orthodontics is a cutting-edge orthodontic practice that serves Beaverton and Molalla, OR, and focuses on providing world-class customer service and efficient treatment. We strive to create stunning smiles in the shortest amount of time without ever sacrificing quality.
Visit our Locations page to find a clinic near you, or schedule an initial consultation.
503-690-0722
17885 NW Evergreen Parkway, Suite 200
Beaverton, OR 97006