Traditional Braces Have you been told that you need braces? Are you wondering why you need braces? We’re here to answer your questions about braces, and why you may require traditional braces. All About Orthodontics® has some answers for you. Why Do I Need Traditional Braces?One of the reasons people need traditional braces is because their bite is misaligned. They may have an overbite, a crossbite, or an underbite. With a bite problem, your teeth may not meet where they should. Your upper teeth might go down too far over your lower teeth. Your lower teeth could come in front of your upper teeth. You might also need to have traditional braces because your teeth are crooked, or they are overcrowded. People have orthodontic problems for several reasons. You may have sucked your thumb, or you might have used a pacifier when you were young, and this may lead to problems with jaw alignment. If a blow to the face injured you as a child, you might also need braces. People who lose teeth because of an accident or injury may find they have issues with shifting teeth. Teeth shift to take the place of the teeth that are missing, which may lead to problems for your teeth alignment and your jaw. Sometimes, bite problems can be inherited as well. Advantages and Disadvantages of Traditional BracesResearchers note that traditional braces can be more effective than aligners or other types of braces. Traditional braces are fantastic for people who have extreme overcrowding of their teeth. Metal braces are a great way to move teeth, and we like to use metal braces when we need to move teeth a significant distance. We need the flexibility to move the teeth around, and braces allow us to move the teeth according to your treatment plan. Many people don’t want to get metal braces because they don’t like the look of the braces themselves. We understand, but we’d like to point out that braces are very different today than they were in the past. Metal braces aren’t as bulky as they used to be. You can choose to have transparent plastic brackets and thinner wires so that your braces can be much less noticeable. You can also get your brackets in different colors. Some patients also qualify for lingual braces, which go behind your teeth instead of in front of them. How Do I Care For My Braces?If you care for your braces well, you can shorten your treatment time, because we won’t have to replace wires and brackets, which can delay your treatment and extend your time in braces. While you are wearing braces, you need to avoid some foods. Hard, crunchy foods - such as fruits and veggies - can cause damage to your brackets and wires. You need to cut up your fruits and vegetables or avoid them altogether. If you love sticky, chewy foods, you need to avoid those as well, because they can pull your brackets and wires off. Be sure that you are brushing and flossing after every meal and before you go to bed. If you don’t brush and floss your teeth regularly, you may have discolored teeth when your braces come off. Be sure that you keep your monthly or bi-monthly appointments because it means that we will have the opportunity to check your braces, and tighten them if necessary. Do you have any questions? We love to answer questions. Give All About Orthodontics® a call at 586-999-8818 for Warren location or at 734-999-4774 for Southgate location. |
 Dentistry Made Affordable Warren586-999-8818 Southgate734-999-4774 Clinton Township586-834-8000 HoursMon - Fri: 9:00am - 7:00pm Sat: 9:00am - 4:00pm |
