subject: Don't Let Myths About Braces Scare You [print this page] There are many myths when it comes to braces so here we will be dispelling them to make you more comfortable getting braces for yourself or your child. The first myth is that the tighter they are, the better they do.
You may think that tighter adjustments and heavier forces will move your teeth faster. While a certain level of force is necessary to move teeth, a force level that is too high may start to damage the bone and surrounding tissues.
Too much force may cause some teeth to move the wrong way and increase overall time you need braces. The next myth is that they have to hurt or feel tight to actually work.
Well, not exactly. In the old days, only stiff wires were available.
When tied to the dental braces, these stiff wires exerted heavy forces leading to more pain and discomfort for the patient. Now, with new technologies and flexible wires, there is significantly less discomfort associated with tooth movement.
Super-elastic wires of the present day can be bent into all different shapes and still spring back into their nice U-shaped form. If you have crooked teeth, the super-elastic wire can be connected to your crooked teeth and provide a steady light force to straighten them without needing to change the wire very often.
With the limited wires of the old orthodontia days, if a wire was used that put too much pressure on a tooth, the bracket would either pop off the tooth or the wire would be permanently deformed and not move your teeth at all!
You may think that wisdom teeth cause crowding. If this was true, then your teeth would never get crowded after your wisdom teeth were extracted.
In fact, people who never developed wisdom teeth or who had their wisdom teeth removed may still see their teeth get crooked over time. Teeth just tend to drift forward over time regardless of whether or not you have wisdom teeth.
It is not necessarily true that only braces can straighten teeth. With new technology, it is now possible to have straight teeth without ever having to wear braces.
Invisalign Braces (which are actually clear aligners and not braces at all) are the most popular way to straighten teeth without braces. However, before you get too excited, know that Invisalign does have its limitations.
For example, Invisalign may not be the best orthodontic option for fixing some bite problems or severely crooked teeth. The best way to see if Invisalign can straighten your teeth is to find an Invisalign orthodontist and schedule a consultation.
Many people who get braces to close gaps between their teeth have the unrealistic expectation that the gaps will start closing as soon as they get braces. Often times, these patients are disappointed after a few months when their spaces have not closed, or have even gotten bigger.
The issue with closing spaces is that is takes a controlled system of orthodontic braces and wires to close spaces. Often, the teeth need to be totally aligned before the spaces can begin to close.
Getting your teeth straight and your bite right is just half the battle. Keeping your teeth straight after getting your braces off is the rest of the battle.
Teeth are connected to the bone by elastic fibers. As the teeth are moved into their new straightened positions, some elastic fibers are stretched and others are compressed. After your braces are removed, these elastic fibers will tend to push and pull your teeth back towards their original position. That is why retainers are required when braces are removed to keep your teeth straight.
Many patients think that having a mild overbite is a bad thing and this is wrong. People with zero overbite (whose teeth bite together in the front) actually start wearing down their front teeth over time. So a small overbite actually protects the front teeth from wearing down.
Of course, a large overbite can be problematic so a small overbite of only two to three millimeters is ideal. While it may seem like an easy fix to just put on braces on the lower teeth to straighten them, sometimes having only lower braces can cause problems.
Hopefully reading this information will make you more comfortable getting braces so you can be on the road to health teeth!
