Not all of us were born with perfect smiles. But don’t worry, proper oral hygiene practice and support of orthodontic treatment will absolutely result in healthy, shining straight smile.
Orthodontic treatment is a complicated procedure, which only can be processed by orthodontists. All orthodontists are dentists but all dentists are not orthodontists. The orthodontists are experts in the diagnosing, preventing and treating dental and facial irregularities, or “malocclusion. They are skilled in treatments that will bring teeth, lips and jaws into proper alignment.
The average orthodontic treatment time is around 1 to 3 years, which varies per patient, depending on the amount and type of care needed. After orthodontic treatment is finished, patients must wear retainers to preserve the orthodontic results.
Steps of orthodontic treatment
Step 1: Orthodontic profile
After Orthodontic clinical examination and consultation about patient concerns, orthodontic records like Panorex, X-rays and impressions of full mouth are required to make patient’s orthodontic profile
Step 2: Diagnosis
Based on detailed orthodontic profile of the patient, the orthodontist starts analyzing and diagnosing. Then the orthodontist customizes digital treatment plan with the support of digital orthodontic software.
Step 3: Placement of orthodontic devices
The orthodontist will recommend custom orthodontic devices to gently move the teeth into proper alignment. Orthodontic appliance may be fixed or removable. Traditional fixed braces are affixed, which utilizes individual dental brackets connected by an archwire. After thorough teeth cleaning, the orthodontist places the necessary orthodontic devices on the teeth with specialized adhesive.
If patients choose invisible orthodontic method, the orthodontist will give the first pair of clear aligners.
Step 4: Periodical appointments with your orthodontist
It is essential to visit the orthodontist at the designated intervals. In every visit, the orthodontist will regularly adjust it to ensure adequate and continual pressure is being applied to the teeth. Some complicated cases may require other specialized orthodontic devices in later visits.
The interval between two appointment is usually 6-8 weeks. You should attend all appointments with your orthodontic until the treatment ends.
For invisible orthodontic treatment, the patient follows the appointment for check-up and new pairs of clear aligners
Step 5: Braces removal
When teeth are straightened and jaws relation is fully corrected, the orthodontic treatment is finished. It is the time the orthodontist remove the braces.
Step 6: The retention phase
The orthodontist will next indicate custom retainers. The goal of the retainers is to ensure that the teeth do not shift back to their original positions. Retainers need to be worn for a specified amount of time per day for a specified time period. During the retention phase, the jawbone will reform around the realigned teeth to fully stabilize them in the correct alignment.
