Popular Types of Orthodontics Used in Dentistry

Orthodontics can fix almost all teeth alignment issues. Poorly aligned teeth can ruin the way that your smile looks, and they can also leave you more vulnerable to a variety of oral issues, like tooth decay and gum disease, because it is harder to remove plaque from teeth surfaces.

Improperly aligned teeth can also make simple tasks, like eating, speaking, and breathing, more challenging. Orthodontics can help resolve those issues and improve the way that your teeth look.

Popular orthodontics used by dentists

Here are popular orthodontic devices that a dentist might recommend.

1. Braces

Braces have been around for centuries and are still considered the most effective orthodontic devices. However, many people would rather avoid wearing braces due to the poor aesthetics. Braces are made up of metal brackets, which are cemented to each tooth, and wires, which connect the brackets on a dental arch.

But braces are one of the few orthodontic devices that can fix teeth alignment issues caused by the patient’s jaw being poorly positioned. In fact, they can be used to treat most orthodontic issues. They work by gradually pushing the patient’s teeth, moving them into more optimal positions over the course of the patient’s treatment.

2. Ceramic/clear braces

Clear/ceramic braces are just like metal braces, but the metal components have been swapped with more aesthetically pleasing ones. Instead of metal wires and brackets, patients get transparent wires and clear or tooth-colored brackets. The result is a set of braces that is not as noticeable as a set of conventional braces.

3. Clear aligners

Clear aligners are one of the most popular orthodontic appliances used nowadays. These are transparent, rigid mouth trays that apply force on the wearer’s teeth the same way that braces do. They tend to be more comfortable for the wearer than braces, though, and the devices can be removed by the wearer, so they do not get in the way of meals or oral hygiene. It is virtually impossible to notice when a person has clear aligners on their teeth, making them an ideal option for those looking to straighten their teeth without drawing any attention to themselves.

Treatment with clear aligners involves getting multiple sets of aligners. Each set is worn for a couple of weeks, which is about the time that it takes for the set to push the patient’s teeth as far as they can. Another set of aligners take over from there until the patient has gone through all of their aligners.