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At Amblecote Dental Care, we provide orthodontics for the straightening and moving of teeth.
What is orthodontic treatment?
Orthodontic treatment is a way of straightening or moving teeth, to improve the appearance of the teeth and how they work. It can also help to look after the long-term health of the teeth, gums and jaw joints, by spreading the biting pressure over all the teeth.
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Why should I have orthodontic treatment?
Many people have crowded or crooked teeth. Orthodontic treatment will straighten the teeth or move them into a better position.
This can not only improve their appearance but also the way the teeth bite together, while also making them easier to clean. |
In some patients the upper front teeth can stick out and look unsightly. These ‘prominent’ teeth are more likely to be damaged, but orthodontic treatment can move them back into line. In others, the way the upper and lower jaws meet can cause teeth to look unsightly and lead to an incorrect bite. Orthodontic treatment may be able to correct both.
When the teeth don’t meet correctly, this can put strain on the muscles of the jaw, causing jaw and joint problems and in some cases headaches. Orthodontic treatment can help you to bite more evenly and reduce the strain.
How is treatment carried out?
Orthodontic treatment can be done by many sorts of appliances, which most people know as ‘braces’.
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What is a removable appliance?
Simple treatment may be carried out with a removable appliance (a plate that can be taken out to be cleaned).
It has delicate wires and springs attached, which move the teeth using gentle pressure. |
What is a functional appliance?
It is sometimes possible to change the way the jaws grow, using orthodontic appliances. These functional appliances use the power of your jaw muscles and can help with certain types of problem.
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What is a fixed appliance?
Often, teeth need to be guided more accurately than they can be using a removable plate. So fixed appliances are used. These have brackets and bands temporarily stuck to the teeth. A flexible wire joins all the brackets and allows the teeth to be moved. It is not possible for the patient to take the appliance out and so it is called a fixed appliance. |
What are ‘invisible braces’?
Lingual orthodontics (invisible braces) uses orthodontic brackets attached to the lingual (inside near to the tongue) surfaces of the teeth.
Benefits include totally hidden appliances, bite opening and better anchorage control. Speech can be slightly affected although less so as the appliances are improving in design and techniques. See the photos below which show the hidden 'invisible' braces.
Online Leaflets
Want general information on a condition or treatment?
Visit the British
Dental Health Foundation where they have over 40 online
leaflets.
Online Resource
Want to find out about dental treatment? Want
to know how to look after your teeth better?
Visit the new BDA
Smile web site.
3D Education
Want to learn about dental anatomy, conditions,
treatments and good oral health?
Visit the BDA's cutting edge 3D Educational web site. |
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