tips for adjusting to dentures

Braces are used to straighten teeth, close gaps, and fix bite problems, and there are two main types of braces you can choose from if you have any of these issues. The first option is traditional braces, and these involve metal brackets and wires. If you're an adult and do not want to have metal in your mouth, you might be more inclined to look into invisible braces. Invisible braces can correct most of the issues listed above; however, they have limitations. If you have one or more of the following three issues, you might be better off choosing traditional braces for your teeth.

Major Gaps

If you suffer from gaps between your teeth, invisible braces can help you close them as long as they are not too big. Closing these gaps is not only important for looks, but it is also important if you want to keep your gums healthy. When gaps are present, the gums are not protected, which means gaps can lead to gum damage and disease.

To determine if invisible braces would work, your orthodontist is likely to measure the gaps you have between your teeth. If the gaps are larger than 6 mm, using invisible braces might not be a good solution. The key to this measurement is that it includes the measurements of all gaps on either your upper or lower jaw. When there are minor gaps present between teeth, using invisible braces can be effective for closing the gaps.

If your teeth do not have a lot of other issues that need to be fixed, you might be able to still use invisible braces to close the big gaps you have; however, you may have to go through an extra step. The extra step would involve getting veneers for the teeth adjacent to the gap. Using veneers would close the gap without making your teeth move, and this service could be used after the invisible braces have fixed all the other issues with your teeth.

Severely Rotated Teeth

Braces are used to straighten and align teeth, and this often involves rotating teeth to the proper positioning. There are times when teeth erupt and grow in angled positions. In other words, they did not grow straight. They may be turned to the left or to the right, or they might be facing outwards or inwards.

A tooth in this position must be rotated in order for it to be straight, and traditional braces are great for achieving this. Invisible braces can also rotate teeth; however, there are limitations. When a tooth is rotated out of place more than 20 degrees, it is hard for invisible braces to correct it. This is why your orthodontist may recommend traditional braces if you have any teeth that are severely rotated.

Major Jaw Deformities

One reason some people get braces is to fix bite issues. This can include fixing an underbite, overbite, or open bite, and braces in general can fix these issues as long as they are minor problems. If you have any type of major jaw deformity, your dentist may suggest getting the deformity corrected first by going through oral surgery to have your jaw repositioned. This is not typically needed, but there are times when it is necessary.

After having oral surgery to correct your jaw, your dentist might be able to complete the process of straightening your teeth by using either traditional braces or invisible braces.

Invisible braces are a great way to straighten teeth if you do not have major problems with your teeth, but traditional braces can be better for certain situations. To learn more about this, contact a cosmetic dentist in your area to schedule a consultation appointment or visit websites like http://tlcdentalohio.com.