How Do Braces Work?
Temecula, CA
 It's important to understand how braces move teeth from one position to another to fully grasp why orthodontic treatment is needed.
Many patients who receive orthodontic treatment have a history of problems with eating and talking. Braces correct alignment, allowing proper functioning of the jaw and teeth. Treatment with braces often results in improved eating, drinking, and speaking for patients!
Roncone Orthodontics can educate you on how braces work in order for you to become more familiar with the benefits.
Different Parts of Braces
In general, braces have an arch wire, brackets, elastics and metal bands.
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The arch wire is the wire that runs across the dental arch. This is what exerts pressure in order to encourage the teeth into a more desirable alignment.
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The arch wire is attached to the teeth via brackets, in order to properly apply the pressure to each individual tooth.
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To ensure that the arch wire stays in place, small elastic bands wrap around the wire to secure it to the brackets.
When you see someone with colored braces, it will be the small elastic bands which have been colored and not the brackets themselves. The patient may also have two larger elastic bands running from the upper dental arch to the lower dental arch. This is usually only used for a short period during the treatment, to properly align the jaw before the teeth reach their correct positions.
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Finally, the metal bands secure the whole oral device to the dental arch, and are placed on either end of a dental arch. |
How Do Braces Move the Teeth?
The arch wire that runs across the dental arch actually applies constant pressure to your teeth over the course of your treatment plan. You may initially notice this pressure, as our Temecula area patients often experience a short period of discomfort during the first few days of their treatment.
This pressure is minimal, but continuous, which allows for the gentle encouragement of the teeth into a better position. The reason this realignment takes so long is that the gradual movement prevents the teeth from going back to their original position.
The new alignment is also preserved by retainers, which patients wear overnight for six months after the braces are taken off.
Our Temecula orthodontist will monitor your progress via semi-frequent appointments, usually every 3-4 months. Dr. Roncone will tighten and adjust the braces during these appointments to ensure the continual application of pressure.
If a patient is experiencing teeth crowding, which occurs when too many teeth are in a dental arch and some are aligned in front of others, then one or two of them may need to be removed. This will take place before the braces are placed and allows for the remaining teeth to have enough room to fit correctly.
Schedule With Your Temecula Orthodonist Today!
The way braces work is fairly straightforward. Although they have many small, intricate parts, they all function together to move your teeth into proper alignment. Contact Roncone Orthodontics at (951) 595-8291 to book an appointment. |
