Orthodontics is a specialized form of dentistry that focuses on correcting misaligned teeth. People with overcrowded teeth or overly large tooth gaps benefit from corrective treatments that realign their teeth. Here are some options you can explore when looking into orthodontics.
Early Orthodontics
Orthodontic care for children is just as essential as it is for adults. Proactive treatments for crowded or misaligned teeth help to prevent future complications. In addition, children as young as seven are ready to undergo screenings to start orthodontic treatments if necessary.
After a screening that determines how a child’s teeth are coming in, early orthodontic treatments can prevent issues by straightening current teeth to ensure that other adult teeth have the necessary space to erupt.
Braces
Traditional braces correct myriad alignment issues, including rotated, crooked, gapped, and overlapping teeth. Braces can also correct overbites and underbites, which gives patients better facial symmetry.
This popular orthodontic treatment includes metal wires, tooth brackets, and bands that slowly straighten teeth over time until they are properly aligned. Braces are a great way to get full bite function and a straighter smile if you are dealing with tooth alignment and bite issues. Braces usually take between one to three years to work.
Aligners
Clear Vivera® aligners are a great alternative to traditional braces. While aligners cannot correct every alignment issue, such as overlapping or rotated teeth, they are effective at fixing other bite and misalignment problems. As a result, clear aligners are popular among patients who prefer an unobtrusive way to straighten their smiles.
Vivera® aligners are clear, thin plastic trays that fit over your teeth and slowly pull them into place. Clear aligners look natural and are easy to remove when it is time to brush and floss.
Every couple of weeks, you will need an updated set of custom Vivera® aligners as your teeth shift. Aligners fix alignment issues more quickly than traditional braces do and can be replaced with clear retainers at the end of treatment for maintenance purposes.
Final Thoughts
Orthodontic treatments boost many people’s confidence by straightening their smiles. Malalignment can also interfere with chewing, and people can get back full bite functionality through orthodontic treatments.
Early orthodontics prevents and treats alignment problems in young children, while aligners and braces help older children and adults regain confidence by giving them healthier smiles.
At Stacy D. Johnson Comfortable Dentistry, we offer a comprehensive range of dental services, including orthodontics in Greenwood. Discover more about what orthodontic services we provide here.