Many people think of braces as an unpleasant experience and look to all the new orthodontic options available to replace them. Although it’s true that the braces experience may not be the best, there are times when traditional braces are necessary. They’re a proven technology that can be used in any situation to accomplish difficult tooth movements to produce the results you want.
Skill in using traditional braces allows us to treat more complex orthodontic cases than we would otherwise be able to take on. It also means that we will never recommend an inappropriate orthodontic treatment just because that’s the only option we have. If you want to learn whether braces or orthodontic option is best for you, please call (314) 678-7876 (Downtown St. Louis) or (314) 678-7876 (Clayton) today for an appointment with St. Louis cosmetic dentist Dr. Chris Hill at City Smiles.
Why Choose Braces
Braces are an old technology, but they’re not outdated. They remain a valuable orthodontic option. In fact, people continue to tweak this orthodontic approach with new high-tech variants like Six Month Smiles. In many cases, they offer us the characteristics we need to achieve your treatment goals.
Power: With the brackets bonded to teeth and the metal arch wires, braces can deliver more raw power than other orthodontic treatments. This can help us achieve difficult tooth movements with large back teeth (molars) that might not be possible otherwise.
Control: Over the centuries of experience working with braces, people have developed techniques for achieving virtually any type of tooth movement necessary. It not only allows us to apply force in exactly the direction we want, but it allows us to apply the exact amount of force we want to achieve the goal we want.
Predictability: Any time you work with a biological system like your body’s bone remodeling mechanism, there is some uncertainty. But with centuries of experience, the body’s response to braces has been well-documented and we have a better idea of what to expect. We can predict your treatment time and final results with great accuracy.
Flexibility: Thanks to the power and control offered by braces, the treatment can be used to achieve virtually any type of tooth movement. Other options may not work as well when teeth need to be tipped, rotated, raised, or lowered, but braes can handle these types of tooth movements with ease.
We recommend them when they are the best option for achieving your treatment goals.
Drawbacks of Braces
Despite all their functional benefits, they do have some drawbacks that might not make them the technique of choice. Some reasons why people don’t want to get braces include:
Appearance: People don’t want to have visible metal wires and brackets on their teeth. Although the treatment is more subtle than it used to be, this remains a concern for people.
Discomfort: Some people dislike the feeling of brace even more than the appearance. Although we expect some level of discomfort with all orthodontic treatments–they are pushing your teeth to force your bones to reshape, after all–not all treatments have the additional discomfort of metal brackets and wires.
Hygiene: Cleaning around braces can be difficult. If not properly cleaned, they can trap oral bacteria and food particles on teeth, increasing the risk of cavities and gum disease. Avoiding this risk requires exhausting hygiene.
Diet: When you have braces, your food choices become limited. To some extent, this is just practical, because some foods are likely to get trapped in them and make them harder to clean. But other foods can actually damage your them, so they have to be avoided.
Because of these drawbacks, many people prefer orthodontic treatment with Invisalign, which allows you to straighten your teeth without brackets or wires.
To learn whether braces or another orthodontic option is right for you, please call (314) 678-7876 (Downtown St. Louis) or (314) 678-7876 (Clayton) today for an appointment with St. Louis cosmetic dentist Dr. Chris Hill at City Smiles with offices downtown and in Clayton.
