Orthodontics (from Greek orthos "straight or proper" and odous
"tooth"), is the science and art of straightening teeth and
correcting disproportionate jaw relationships so that the teeth
and soft tissues develop to their full functional and aesthetic
potential and an uninhibited and attractive smile results.
Nothing connects two people more than an attractive smile and
an engaging smile can make first impressions, lasting
impressions.
We are one of the oldest
dental practices in Bristol, established in 1947. We use the
very latest in braces technology to improve smiles. We plan
treatments by keeping the patients in the for-front. The
treatments are discussed in a simple, easy to understand
manner, and with the help of illustrations and pictures. We
make sure that all treatments are clearly understood by the
patient.
Traditionally braces have required elastic 'ties' to hold wires
in the bracket slots. These 'ties' increase friction which
leads to the generation of high forces to move teeth. Higher
forces cause increased discomfort and hinder tooth movement and
prolong the treatment time.
In contrast,
Damon braces have done away with the need for these 'elastic
ties' to hold wires in brackets as these advanced brackets
incorporate an inbuilt slide mechanism which holds the wire in
the brackets. Thus friction is greatly reduced and consequently
the forces applied have reduced thereby reducing the discomfort
associated with orthodontic treatment.
Another benefit of reduced friction is that treatment can be
finished much more quickly as compared to traditional braces
because the teeth move more easily as the friction is reduced.
It is estimated that treatment times may reduce by about 30% as
compared to conventional treatment. The Damon system also uses
high-technology memory-shaped wires that minimize the need for
uncomfortable periodic "tightening." With the damon system, the
wires move freely within the brackets for fast and comfortable
tooth movement.
The Damon CLEAR brackets are
made of Ceramic and are transparent for excellent esthetics.
The Damon system uses light, continuous force wires
with tieless brackets. The gentle pressure exerted and space
gained by expansion of arches discourages the need for tooth
extractions in the vast majority of cases. It is one of the
most innovative system in Orthodontics and it's already been
used to treat more than 3 million cases around the world.
Traditionally, braces have consisted of metal brackets and
wires. However, some people, especially adults have feared the
idea of "train tracks" and a "metal mouth"
so much that they refuse to wear braces altogether, missing out
on the possibility of a beautiful smile. It is for this reason,
cosmetic brackets were invented.
Cosmetic
braces are made of Ceramic which is a translucent glass like
material known as Transparent polycrystalline alumina (TPA). It
was originally identified by NASA and a company called Ceradyne
in developing the technology for tracking heat seeking
missiles. Ceradyne then partnered with Unitek/ 3M to develop
cosmetic brackets made of TPA.
Ceramic
braces are the cosmetic alternative to metal braces and far
less noticeable than conventional metal braces. They are nearly
invisible when viewed at normal distances, thus providing a
more attractive and esthetic option for the wearer. Since
ceramic is non-porous and 99.9 percent pure, these braces are
extremely resistant to staining or discoloration and the
brackets maintain their original appearance all the way through
to the end of treatment.
As with traditional
metal braces, small elastics are used to hold the arch wire
onto the ceramic brackets. The small elastic ties are
transparent but they may stain after a period of time
particularly with curries, coffee and red wine. In such
instances tooth colored ligatures are used to hold the wires in
the brackets These do not stain.
Another
development in ceramic brackets is self ligation i.e. a bracket
design that does away the need for elastics to tie the archwire
to the bracket (which increases friction). This new ceramic
bracket has a built-in sliding door which fits over the arch
wire. Since self-ligating braces do not need elastics (which
can stain), they are more esthetic than conventional ceramic
brackets. An excellent example of such a cosmetic bracket is
the Damon Clear system. Self ligation also speeds up the
treatment time.
In more esthetically
demanding situations a special archwire can be used which is
coated with a tooth colored polymer to conceal the metallic
appearance of the archwire.
Advantages of Ceramic brackets :
Ceramic braces are the cosmetic choice for a majority of
adults. Some people also feel that ceramic brackets are more
comfortable than ceramic brackets and cause less irritation to
the gums.
Disadvantages of
Ceramic brackets :
Ceramic is abrasive to tooth
enamel and also brittle. Because of these reasons ceramic
brackets usually are only used on the upper teeth if the bite
is "deep" on the front teeth. In such instances a special
bracket is used for teeth in lower jaw which is half composite
and half metal which prevents any abrasion of the upper teeth.
However if the bite is "open" and there is no interference
between upper and lower teeth, ceramic brackets may also be
used for lower teeth. Ceramic brackets are also a more
expensive option than metal brackets. In cases of severe
orthodontic problems metal braces are preferable because of
their higher strength than ceramic braces. Treatment can last a
few months longer with ceramic braces.
Lingual braces are braces that are fitted on the inner surfaces of teeth, where they cannot be seen.
They are recommended for patients who want to improve their smile but do not want to be seen in braces. They are completely hidden. They are particularly popular with actors, models, public speakers and anyone who doesn't want their braces to be seen. Lingual braces are every bit as effective as normal braces and the treatment times are generally about the same.
It may take a little time to adjust to speaking with the lingual braces, but the tongue will soon adapt to having brackets on the backs of the teeth. As with all orthodontic systems, there will be some discomfort to be expected for the first 7-10 days.
This will always differ from patient to patient; the majority of cases will take around 12-24 months but can take as little as 6 months in some cases.
You should be able to eat normally but it's advisable to avoid anything particularly chewy or hard, such as toffees, chewing gum and crusty bread. You should also avoid fizzy drinks.
Invisalign® is an invisible way to straighten teeth without the need for metal braces, utilising instead a series of clear, plastic "aligners" which slowly move teeth over time. It is an esthetic and comfortable way to straighten teeth and improve smiles.
Invisalign works to correct your teeth through a series of
invisible, removable, and comfortable plastic aligners.
After treatment planning and identifying treatment goals the
radiographs, photographs and dental impressions of the
patient's teeth are sent to the The Invisalign® laboratories
with a prescription for treatment. The dental impressions are
then scanned into a computer to make 3-D models of teeth and
gums. An advanced computer software is then used by the
technician to move the digital images of teeth according to
the prescription from the dentist. The software then
simulates this movement in stages, moving different teeth,
slowly and at different times until the final result is
achieved. The dentist can then check this simulation and make
any changes to make sure that they are happy with the
proposed correction before the personalised set of aligners
are made.
The aligners are worn sequentially and
each aligner moves teeth incrementally and is worn for about
two weeks, then replaced by the next in the series until the
final position is achieved and teeth are straightened and
smile improved.
The most obvious advantage of this treatment is cosmetic as
the plastic aligners are completely transparent and fit
snugly on the teeth making them almost undetectable. This
makes the treatment particularly popular among adults who
want to straighten their teeth and improve their smiles
without the look of traditional metal braces, which are
commonly worn by children and adolescents.
Another
advantage of the system is that the aligners are removable so
that one can eat, brush and floss the teeth with ease which
allows maintenance of better oral hygiene than traditional
braces.
A third advantage is that the aligners are
more comfortable to wear because they lack of metal
components associated with the traditional brace systems.
Though majority of treatments with Invisalign take from 6 months to 2 years to complete, some more complex treatments may take longer and involve more expense than traditional braces because of the need to fabricate and larger number of plastic aligners. The cost may vary from £1800 upto £5000 depending upon the complexity of the treatment.
6 month orthodontics is the term given to short term
orthodontic treatments that align the front teeth leading to
a more esthetic and pleasing appearance.
This treatment requires highly specialized mechanics. The
straightening of front teeth, closing gaps, aligning tilted
and tipped teeth and vertical leveling of front teeth is
prioritized and at Kings Road Orthodontic centre, we utilize
a variety of systems to achieve the desired result. These
are:
» Invisible brackets that are fitted to the underside of the teeth
» Clear positioners made of a plastic/ polycarbonate material, which are transparent and move teeth without being visible on the teeth
» Cosmetic brackets made of ceramic, which can be either completely transparent or translucent
» Specially designed aligners with small springs to straighten the teeth
The aim of 6 month orthodontics is to straighten front teeth in the shortest time possible resulting in a more attractive smile.
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