Categories: Types of Braces

3 Benefits of Corrective Braces

Corrective braces have been around for decades, and they remain one of the most effective ways to correct teeth alignment issues like overbites, underbites, and crossbites. These devices help to improve teeth alignment issues by gradually pushing your teeth to a better alignment.

Braces are made up of two main components: brackets that are cemented to each of the patient’s teeth and wires that connect the brackets on each dental arch. The tighter the wires are, the greater the force being applied to the patient’s teeth.

Historically, braces have typically been made with metal components, but this created poor aesthetics. Fortunately, less conspicuous options, like clear braces, have been developed. These devices are identical to traditional metal braces, but they come with tooth-colored or clear brackets and transparent wires instead of metal parts. It makes it a lot harder to notice the contraption on the patient’s teeth.

3 Benefits of straightening your teeth with corrective braces

Here are some of the benefits of addressing orthodontic issues with dental braces:

1. Protects against tooth decay and gum disease

Poorly-aligned teeth are more complicated to clean than straight teeth. The poor alignment of teeth can lead to some teeth overlapping against others, creating hard-to-reach nooks and crannies that cannot be reached with the bristles of a toothbrush.

This allows bacteria and plaque to build up on teeth surfaces, increasing a person’s risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Tooth decay is caused by the acids in oral bacteria, while gum tissues being infected by bacteria causes gum disease.

2. Better option for kids

Teeth straightening treatments are usually more effective on kids since their jaw is still developing at that stage. While some children might prefer to have their orthodontic issues addressed with removable devices like clear aligners (which provide the most discreet treatment option), that typically is not the best solution for young patients since aligners require lots of commitment on the patient’s part.

Clear aligners need to be worn for at least 22 hours each day, and treatments can last up to two years. Many children might struggle with keeping up with such devices for so long, and they might lose a few aligner trays over the course of their treatment.

Corrective braces are fixed in place once attached to the patient’s teeth, so there is no need to worry about the child not wearing their appliance as recommended.

3. An improved smile

Braces can be used to fix a wider range of orthodontic issues than clear aligners, like those caused by jaw abnormalities. Treatment times with braces are often somewhere between 12 to 36 months, and the patient ends up with a more attractive smile. Patients might need to wear a retainer after their treatment to keep their teeth in their new positions.