Braces treatment aren’t just for kids and adolescents. As long as the teeth, gums and supporting bones are healthy, orthodontic treatment can be undergone by adults. One is never too old for braces.
Why?
Everyone wishes for a perfect smile, but is the perfect smile all about esthetics?
Nope! Beauty in nature is a state in which everything is in harmony to coexist. The smile that we perceive as "beautiful", is when the teeth are in alignment and in proper biting position to aid the normal oral functions such as chewing and speech. (More on that in subsequent blog articles).
Adults, despite esthetic concerns about their misaligned teeth, seem to shy away from the thought of wearing braces. Many concomitantly disregard orthodontic treatment due to “unsightly” appearance of traditional braces. Apparent social awkwardness impedes one’s decision.
Cometh the hour, cometh the solution. Lingual braces. Fixed on the inner surface of the teeth, these braces are inconspicuous. Adults can carry on with their professional or social commitments without being conscious of their orthodontic braces. Unlike traditional braces which are "one size fit all", these lingual braces are custom fabricated to the patient's tooth anatomy and the orthodontist's treatment plan. As a result the final treatment outcome is relatively better and faster to achieve when compared to the traditional braces.
"What are cons?" one may ask.
Biased, as it may sound, truth is, there aren't any! The orthodontist will guide you if you are best suited for treatment with lingual braces.
"What should I watch out for?"
Speech interference upon starting the treatment is reported by many of my patients, but they all acknowledge to the fact that it returns back to normalcy within a few days. Thats no magic of science, but nature! The tongue eventually adapts to the braces. As with traditional braces dietary restrictions apply. One should avoid hard or chewy foods. The snickers bar, give it a pass. (More on that in subsequent blog articles). As with any orthodontic treatment nagging dull pain and discomfort will be present for the first few days upon commencing treatment. Endure it, its only momentary.
"How do we start?"
As mentioned earlier, the lingual braces are custom made in an orthodontic laboratory. Impression of the dental arches are taken by the orthodontist, and submitted to the laboratory. The lab usually takes about a month to process the work. On receiving the braces from the lab, the orthodontist will schedule your appointment for fixing the braces.
The lingual braces are fixed by a technique called Indirect-Bonding. Unlike traditional braces where the brackets are fixed one by one on each teeth, the lingual brackets come embedded in a tray which is seated in the dental arch and all the brackets are fixed simultaneously. The right way to fix lingual braces is only by the indirect-bonding technique, it ensures precise bracket positioning for good results.
To conclude, treatment with lingual braces is an option adults should consider. Results are predictable as with traditional braces since the tooth movement is under the orthodontist's direct control unlike commercially available products such as Invisalign.
A smile is an emotion... free it, flaunt it.
Express yourself confidently.
Ashwin D Rajan,
Orthodontist,
Crest Clinic Chennai.
Opmerkingen