You may be wondering what are the braces everyone is talking about, and you came to the right place to get the answers.
When you look up braces in Houston TX, you will encounter a variety of orthodontic treatments in the market, but that can be summed up to 2 main alternatives: Fixed or Removable. The traditional fixed braces offer more control to the dentist to move the teeth, but they make oral hygiene complicated and that can have catastrophic consequences by the end of the treatment, rendering a beautiful aligned smile full of caries. The removable clear aligners are easier to wear and they allow patients to brush and floss properly, but unfortunately they get easily lost or forgotten to wear, slowing down the progress of the treatment. Braces or brackets are small dental appliances that are bonded to the teeth with the goal of improving their position, alignment and appearance. It may sound easy, but it actually requires a lot of planning from the dentist and also a lot of patient cooperation. Even when it seems the total deal, the brackets are just handles where the wires and elastics will hook to exert the force that will move the teeth inside the bone, pushing or pulling them into the desired position, so it's a team effort that is accomplished by using light pressure over time. And it's important to recognize this concept of "light pressure over time", because rushing the treatment or increasing the force will only produce damage to the teeth and supporting tissues, causing more harm than good. ​ The clear aligners are computerized custom trays that need to be changed every two weeks. The treatment is designed using digital technology that creates a predictive course of action and a full set of trays to be used in a sequence. Sometimes a reset of the treatment course is needed - remember it was a prediction - but there is always a chance to correct those small deviations from the set path. This type of orthodontics is better suited for adult patients who are more responsible about wearing the trays consistently, and may feel like braces are not very aesthetic for their work or social life. In a nutshell, bonded braces are better at controlling the movement and fine tuning, while the clear aligners are more aesthetic and allow for easier oral care. There are many reasons to get orthodontic treatment, for example when there is not enough space for all the teeth and they are crowded in the arch, or maybe the opposite is the reason, when there is increased spacing between them and the gaps look bad. Sometimes the space is not the issue, but teeth may be rotated or out of alignment, flared outward or inward due to inadequate muscle tonicity pushing the teeth out of position, or bad oral habits like thumb sucking exerting an abnormal pressure over the teeth and displacing them. In more severe cases the discrepancy is between the upper and lower jaw bones, which makes the treatment more complex, and if not corrected at an early stage during puberty, it may require surgery to correct it later in life when the bone is done growing. We all know and accept there are unfixable crooked things in life: crooked politicians, crooked roads, crooked trees, but your smile should be aligned and appealing. If you are looking for the best cosmetic dentist in Houston TX to improve your esthetics with braces, please consider Hi5 Smiles Dental on Highway 249 and Cypresswood Drive.
For a proper diagnosis, a full work up is usually needed, and it consist of intraoral and extraoral photographs, study models, and a cephalometric radiograph which provides the relation of the teeth and jaw bones to the skull, that way the teeth movements can be planned safely based on specific measurements. Once the treatment is started, its duration will depend on the severity of the case, the age, and the patient's cooperation. The most common scenario is the treatment lasting between 18 to 24 months. Be aware!!! Orthodontia is a long life treatment and completion only means your brackets are removed, but in order to maintain the achieved alignment, orthodontic retainers must be worn as prescribed to prevent relapse. At the end, you don’t want all that invested money to go to waste.
At Hi5 Smiles Dental we offer different treatment options, from traditional braces to clear aligners, to achieve that dreamed smile, that one you are not ashamed of showcasing at a social event or in a close up picture. Just be aware that you may or may not have a decision power on the type of orthodontic treatment you are getting, because at the end and in considering your best interest, the key is what you need to get the ultimate best result based on your specific set of problems. As one of the best cosmetic dentists in Houston TX, we do not believe in a one size fit all approach, we rather see each case individually from start to finish, making the results unique and astonishing.
We hope now you have a better understanding of what is all about with braces, so it’s time to remind you that life is too beautiful and too short, therefore it needs to be celebrated with joy and confidence, and nothing better than a well aligned set of teeth for all that. So, if you are looking for braces in Houston TX, at Hi5 Smiles Dental we can help you with clear and upfront pricing, dedicated care, and honest opinion about your treatment needs, don’t hesitate to call us for an appointment.