Understanding Orthodontic Treatment: How Braces Work
Almost everyone knows that orthodontic treatments, such as braces, straighten teeth to create a beautiful smile. However, not many know how the process works.
Crooked teeth can detract from the aesthetic appeal of your smile. The nooks and crannies created by crooked teeth can be tricky to clean, increasing the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Malocclusions, or unaligned teeth, can also affect your bite, which is how your upper and lower teeth come together when you bite down.
Orthodontic treatment works by applying consistent yet gentle pressure to move your teeth to the optimal spot in your jaw. Braces are an orthodontic treatment that can give you a healthy, attractive smile.
How Braces Straighten Teeth
You have undoubtedly seen many people with traditional braces, which feature stainless steel brackets and wires. An orthodontist cements a bracket onto each of the patient’s teeth. More specifically, they place the bracket on the tooth’s crown, which is the white part of the tooth visible above the gumline.
Next, the orthodontist feeds a thin wire through the brackets. The wire, known as an archwire, creates a consistent force that gently pulls the tooth in the right direction. Tiny elastic bands, known as ligatures, keep the archwire in place.
The orthodontist will tighten the braces every 4 to 6 weeks to keep teeth moving in the desired direction. Tightening includes replacing the archwires to adjust the tension applied to the teeth, as the force needed to move teeth changes throughout the treatment. Near the end of treatment, patients may be able to visit the orthodontist less often, usually every 8 to 10 weeks, depending on the patient’s progress and needs.
How long does it take braces to work?
Depending on the severity of the malocclusion and the patient’s expectations, orthodontic treatment can take anywhere from a few months to three years or more. Other factors, such as the patient’s oral health and age, can shape treatment time. Your orthodontist can help you determine how long your treatment may last.
Orthodontics Work Below the Gumline
While braces apply pressure to the crowns of your teeth, the teeth straightening happens below the gumline in a process known as bone remodeling.
Below the gumline, muscular bone tissue holds the roots of the teeth in place. This bone tissue is alive, constantly breaking down old, weaker tissue and replacing it with more muscular, newer bone tissue. Healthcare professionals refer to this as bone remodeling.
Bone remodeling is a natural process that constantly occurs with all the bones in the human skeleton. Teeth straightening uses this process to create healthy, beautiful smiles.
The process works by transferring pressure from the crowns of teeth to the jawbone. The archwire pulls on the brackets, which causes gentle pressure on the crowns. The force of this pressure moves down the crown, into the root, and then into the jawbone. The pressure causes the bone in front of the tooth to break down, allowing it to move slightly towards its intended position within the jaw. As the tooth moves, the bone tissue behind it rebuilds with more muscular tissue to hold it in its new position.
Special Bone Cells Help Braces Work
Two types of cells in bone tissue allow for bone remodeling:
- Osteoclasts – break down old bone tissue to make room for the new cells
- Osteoblasts – build new bone tissue; can also reshape and heal bones
A third type of bone cell, osteocytes, senses the force applied to the bone. These cells regulate the bone remodeling process by triggering a chemical reaction that tells the osteoclasts and osteoblasts when to start and stop their work.
Ponte Vedra Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics Offers Braces to Create a Healthy, Beautiful Smile
For more information on how orthodontic treatment with braces works, consult with Ponte Vedra Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics. We offer a comprehensive approach to pediatric dentistry and provide orthodontic treatment, orthodontic braces, and Invisalign braces to help our patients smile brightly!