Dentist In Hornsby
Braces is an application place by either an orthodontist or a general dentist in Hornsby who provides orthodontic services to align or straighten teeth. The aim is to reposition crooked teeth for functional or cosmetic purposes and overall improve the individual dental health.
This could mean fixing gaps between teeth and correcting; underbite, overbite, cross bite, open bite and deep bite. Using constant force and pressure on the teeth it helps shape and move the teeth to the desirable position.
There are four elements to this application which involves brackets, bonding material, arch wire and ligature elastic. The teeth are moved by the constant pressure from the arch wire to the bracket and in terms loosening the tooth where new bone is grown to support the new position.
Springs or rubber bands may be also used to help assist more force in specific directions. At Hornsby Dental, they have a general dentist that provides orthodontic services, whereas the more complex cases can be referred to an orthodontist near Hornsby.
The main three different types of braces are the traditional metal wire, the lingual braces and clear removable aligners.
The traditional metal wire braces is the most common type and it can be made out of stainless steel, titanium or gold plated. These braces use brackets and archwire to firmly move the teeth. The metal brackets have rubber band ties to help hold the wire in place.
Lingual braces are similar to traditional braces, however instead of bonding the brackets at the front of the teeth it is bonded to the back of the teeth. Thus giving it an invisible look and an alternative for cosmetic braces.
Clear removable aligners or famously known as Invisalign uses trays to gradually and progressively move the teeth into position. This type of braces is extremely popular with adults providing an invisible look and feel. However clear removable aligners are only available to simple cases which do not involve extraction or jaw expansion.
The process for braces starts from a consultation with your general dentist at Hornsby. The dentist will inspect the teeth and if suitable x-rays, molds and impressions are recorded.
These records are to be analysed and defined with a proper course of action, which will be discussed with the patient’s next appointment. Each individual’s case is different and depending on the complexity of the case the treatment can vary from six months to two years.
Usually a week or two before the banding, separators are placed to spread apart the back molars to provide enough space for the bands. Brackets will be applied with adhesive materials or dental cement to bond the tooth and bracket together.
A curling light is used to harden the bonding material. Archwire is then threaded through the brackets and is fixed with rubber bands or elastic. The wires can be bent, shaped and tightened to achieve the desirable outcome and are to be changed every three to six weeks depending on the case.
The same consultation step is required for clear removable retainers and Hornsby Dental is able to provide this service along with 3D digital progessive video for the final outcome.