You have just been to see your dentist and you were told that you need orthodontic treatment. But what does this mean?
Orthodontic treatment is recommended for various reasons, one of the most common ones being crooked or misaligned teeth but your dentist might mention that you present with:
- overcrowding (teeth are bunched up together and seem not to have enough space)
- spacing (gaps in between the teeth)
- bite misalignment such as an overbite (when your upper teeth protrude too much over your lower teeth) or an underbite (your lower teeth protrude more than your upper) etc.
All of these can be corrected with orthodontic treatment such as braces or aligners and your dentist will most likely refer you to a specialist in teeth straightening, an orthodontist.
You will be booking an appointment to see the specialist, but what happens once you arrive at the orthodontic practice? Here are the most common stages of orthodontic treatment:
- You check-in and you’ll be asked to complete a medical history form
- You will then see the orthodontist who will assess you and discuss the findings as well as the different options for treatment
- The next stage will be to take some further information and records of your teeth such as a 3D scan or impressions, dental photographs and a full mouth X-ray.
- Your orthodontist will analyse your records and draft out a treatment plan
- You will then come back to the practice to have the braces/appliance of your choice fitted
- Appointments every 6-12 weeks are usually necessary to adjust your appliance and check on the progress of the treatment. For removable appliances you or your child might need to be seen less often
- Once your teeth are aligned, you will have the appliance removed, your teeth will be thoroughly cleaned to remove any dental material that was used to fit the appliance and impressions or a scan of your newly straight teeth will be taken.
- The scan or impressions are used to create a set of retainers (plastic trays moulded on your teeth) which you will have to wear for an indefinite period of time to ensure that your teeth remain in their final aligned position. You may also be fitted with fixed retainers (based on the recommendation of your orthodontist) which are small wires glued on the back of the front teeth, usually on the bottom but can also be fitted on the top.
- You will continue to be reviewed by your orthodontist at regular intervals for a period of 1 year after your braces/appliances have been removed. After this period of time you will be discharged but you can always come back to the practice should you require any assistance with your retainers.
Orthodontic treatment is beneficial to people of all ages as it improves their oral health, educates them on how to take care of their teeth and boosts confidence so do not hesitate to call us on 01474 358104 if you have any questions or if you wish to arrange an appointment to see an orthodontist.