How Braces Work
If you're like most people, even the thought of braces can make your teeth hurt. If you have nightmare images of torture chambers made to look like an Orthodontist's office where metal braces of steel bands are hammered onto each of your teeth in a slow, painful session that lasts for hours and hours and hours… Wake up! This is the 21st century.
Seriously, dental braces aren't the end of the world; they're the beginning of a whole new smile. You don't have to be anxious about discomfort, self-conscious about huge metal bands in your mouth, or fearful about getting cavities when you seek the orthodontic expertise of Dr. Arleen Azar-Mehr serving Granada Hills, Reseda and Chatsworth. Call for an appointment at (818) 886-6666 or contact us online today.
New Wires, Small Brackets, Beautiful Smile
Orthodontic braces work by applying a certain amount of force on your teeth. The force is created by wires placed in the slots of brackets that are securely bonded to your teeth. There are 5 kinds of force applied to your teeth:
- Translation: The bodily movement of teeth
- Rotation: The spinning force of a tooth along the "center of resistance" which is defined as the mid-point in the root of a tooth.
- Tipping: Uses a combination of rotation and transitional forces
- Intrusion: The force required to move a tooth into the bone
- Extrusion: The force required to move a tooth out of the bone
Today's dental braces are small brackets bonded to your teeth with fluoride releasing glue instead of the wire bands used only a few decades ago. The fluoride in the glue helps reduce the risk of cavities while you wear the brackets.
Even more exciting for today's orthodontic patients is the use of heat activated nickel titanium wires that react to your body's natural temperature. Your body temperature causes the wires to generate a constant but gentle force. This technological advance reduces the amount and frequency of necessary wire adjustments, meaning fewer visits to your friendly Orthodontist. Heat activated nickel titanium wires are more efficient than stainless steel wires, they reduce the amount of pain associated with braces, and some patients (especially teenagers) think they look good.
With less pain involved, you have every reason to correct your bite and improve your smile with Dr. Arleen Azar-Mehr serving Granada Hills, Reseda, Chatsworth, Porter Ranch, Northridge, Mission Hills, Woodland Hills, and Santa Clarita. Call for an appointment at (818) 886-6666 or contact us online today .