Dental Braces (Teeth Braces) Treatment to Regain the Perfect Smile - Teeth Braces Treatment in India

What Happens in Dental Braces Treatment?

Most people who visit a dental surgeon or orthodontic surgeon for braces treatment are already aware that they have dental misalignment and are prepared to start the treatment straight away. Dental braces treatment occurs in stages. 

The first stage is consultation, during which the dentist evaluates the dental condition of the patient and treats any cavities or gum diseases that are present. Once that is done, they will perform radiographic examinations like lateral cephalogram, OPG, bitewing and occlusal x-ray, etc., to determine the amount of correction required. If the patient requires jaw surgery like jaw expansion, then the orthodontist integrates that into the treatment plan.

Then, the brackets and jaw spacers are fitted into the mouth. The jaw spacers help make spaces between the teeth for wires and elastics. After the wires are placed in the brackets, most patients are only required to visit once a month. The initial adjustment period for braces is around 3 weeks. Once the treatment is done, the patient will have to wear a removable retainer or get a fixed retainer to help preserve the results of the braces treatment.

What to Expect After the Dental Braces Treatment?

Once the treatment is done, your brackets will be r emoved, and the bonding agent will be removed. The dentist will clean and polish your teeth and treat any gum issues that may be present. You may have mild sensitivity in your teeth for 2-3 weeks but it will abate in a little while.

If you are getting removable retainers, you will need to wear those for the recommended amount of time. Usually, patients are recommended to wear the retainers 24 hours a day for the first two months and wear them at nighttime after that for at least 6-12 months. However, if you get fixed retainers, then you should be careful about maintaining hygiene around them and make sure they do not break.

When are Dental (Teeth) Braces Required?

Dental braces (Teeth Braces) are elective and aesthetic treatments and are usually only performed if the patient desires them. Common dental or jaw issues dental braces can help treat are:

• Overjet 
• Overbite
• Anterior or posterior crossbite
• Spacing
• Overcrowding
• Open bite
• Diastema

How Can Dental Braces (Teeth Braces) Benefit You?

Benefits of dental braces (Teeth Braces) include:

• Dental braces correct the jaw position and dental misalignment resulting in a more symmetrical and beautiful smile and appearance. 
• Patients with wide tooth gaps and overcrowded teeth often have difficulty maintaining oral hygiene due to bent and rotated teeth. Once their teeth are aligned, it becomes easier for them to maintain their dental hygiene.
• Better oral hygiene helps prevent tooth decay and gum disease prolonging the life of natural teeth.
• Dental functions like chewing and biting become much easier when all the teeth are properly aligned and positioned.
• Edentulous dental arches undergo jaw resorption much faster compared to dentulous arches. Moreover, even the distribution of occlusal forces also helps prevent bone erosion in the upper and lower jaws.
• Unevenly aligned teeth can result in speech impediments such as lisping, whistling sounds while speaking, difficulty in enunciating words, etc. They also encourage oral habits like tongue thrusting, thumb sucking, lip biting, etc.

Different Jaw Surgeries that Can Supplement Dental Braces Treatment

Jaw surgery, also known as orthognathic surgery, help correct jaw deformities and realigns the jaw to support orthodontic treatment. The biggest benefit of jaw realignment surgery is that it improves facial symmetry and appearance. It is only performed after jaw growth has been completed, i.e., after 14 to 16 years for women and 17 to 21 years for men.

Benefits of jaws surgery include:

• Helps biting and chewing motions
• Corrects issues with swallowing and speaking
• Minimizes the wear and breakdown of occlusal surfaces of teeth
• Corrects bite issues in patients where orthodontic treatment is not sufficient
• Improves the lip contact, appearance, and fullness
• Relieves TMJ pain, clicking sound, and other problems
• Repair facial injury and birth defects, etc.

Jaw surgery is usually performed internally and does not leave any facial scars. It is usually performed roughly 9-18 months after the start of the braces treatment so that the patient has undergone as much dental correction as possible before the surgery.

Maxillary Osteotomy (Upper Jaw): It is usually performed for patients with a significantly receded upper jaw who are exhibiting a crossbite or open bite, or in patients with a toothy or toothless smile.

Mandibular Osteotomy (Lower Jaw): Similar to maxillary surgery, a mandibular osteotomy is performed for a significantly receded lower jaw in patients with a significant overjet, overbite, or underbite where just orthodontic treatment is not enough for satisfactory results.

Genioplasty (Chin): A genioplasty is performed for a severely receded lower jaw where just jaw correction is not sufficient, for example receding chins, chin misalignment, or chin excess. 

Recovery and Results After Dental Braces Treatment

Recovery from dental braces is usually covered under the last two stages of the treatment- debanding stage and retainer stage. The braces are removed and patient’s teeth are cleaned and polished. Any developing caries and gum diseases are treated simultaneously. You will feel mild gum sensitivity for a little 1-2 weeks but it will abate on its own and you will be left with a beautiful perfect smile. Finally, retainers are either fixed or provided. 

For fixed retainers, you need to maintain oral hygiene and visit a dentist every 6-8 months to make sure they are not broken. For removable retainer appliances, then you need to be compliant about wearing them as recommended by your orthodontist. Consult your dentist immediately if your appliance is broken or doesn’t fit.