Ortodontics - Braces

Brace treatment is available to adults as well as children. The youngest patient at Aster Med is 5 years old; the oldest one is 63. The treatment can start provided that the patient's gums and teeth are in good condition. The teeth should be healthy. Oral hygiene is very important; there should be no gums inflammation, any tartar or dental deposits should be removed.

Braces consist of special attachments called brackets which are glued (bonded) onto the teeth. These brackets can be metal or ceramic. The metal ones are more popular. They are cheaper and more precise, but unfortunately, they are visible. In our clinic a special kind of small brackets is used. It is comfortable and aesthetic. There is also a way to "cheer up" the braces by changing the rubber bands (which hold the wire) to funky colours.

For patients, who do not want metal braces for various reasons, we offer a more aesthetic version with transparent ceramic brackets. They are invisible on your teeth. The only visible part of these braces is a thin metal wire attached to the brackets that corrects the teeth position. The advantage of these braces is undoubtedly the aesthetics, however, it is less durable, so it can make your visits at the orthodontist more frequent.

The first necessary step to plan the treatment is detailed examination and its analysis. Most of the required examination takes place during the first visit. At the next visit, the examination results are presented to the patient, as well as the procedure that will take place. We explain how the treatment will go, how long it will take and inform about any additional operations or appliances. After that, the patient chooses the brackets and decides on the most suitable time to start the treatment. The orthodontist answers any questions related to the treatment.
Patients get used to braces after a couple of days. The teeth are sensitive to biting, the sticking out parts can irritate the mucous membrane of the cheeks and lips. The second and third days are the worst. A clear wax is used to protect the mucosa. It is usually used (glued to the braces) when the braces are first put on, or at other times when the lips or gums are irritated. The mucous membrane adapts to the new situation quickly. However, eating hard foods is not advisable at the beginning of the treatment. A soft diet may be a better solution during first few days.

During the whole course of the treatment patients should avoid eating sticky or very hard foods. They can damage the braces and make the cleaning difficult. Eating toffee, nuts and chewing gum are especially inadvisable. All kinds of aerated beverages can also cause problems because they include carbon dioxide, which weakens the glue bond and worsens the preservation of braces. The consumption of these beverages should be reduced for at least first few months of the treatment.

Patient who choose invisible braces should be also careful with some kinds of juices (for example blackcurrant) which are conducive to forming dental deposits that can be removed only by a dental hygienist. The same refers to people who smoke and drink o lot of strong coffee and tea.

Oral hygiene is the most important thing to remember while wearing braces. Brushing teeth with the braces on is more time-consuming and requires the use of some extra accessories, like an orthodontic toothbrush, interdental toothbrush, special floss. It is also advisable to have your teeth cleaned by a dental hygienist and fluoridated once every few months.

The average treatment time is 18 to 24 months. Once a month the patient should attend a routine check-up. In case of braces damage or other emergency situations, it is better to see the orthodontist immediately instead of waiting for the next routine appointment.

After the braces are taken off, the teeth are cleaned of the glue and they are polished. Usually, they are also fluoridated. The patient gets a retainer for the upper teeth and a thin bond retainer glued to the back of the lower and upper teeth. These are supposed keep the teeth in their new, correct position. This is called a retention phase, which lasts about 3 years. The first check-up takes place after 6 weeks; the next ones come after 3 and 6 months.