Orthodontics

Orthodontics, the branch of dentistry concerned with the growth of the teeth, jaws and face, is in high demand.

According to the British Orthodontic Society (www.bos.org.uk) almost one million people in the UK started having orthodontics in 2011 and more adults than ever before want treatment.

Why? Orthodontic treatment is about making the best of your teeth; it’s about improving the harmony of your mouth and jaws. Once you can bite together correctly, you can eat more comfortably and care for your teeth and gums more easily. And your smile will benefit immensely!

With the help of the British Orthodontic Society, our clinic’s specialist orthodontist Andrew McGregor (UK qualified – see Our Team for more details – and General Dental Council registered: 80505) presents some key information which can help patients make informed choices about the topic.

Here are some of the most common reasons for and benefits from seeking orthodontic treatment:

• Protruding upper front teeth – one of the most common dental problems
• Crowding – a narrow jaw may mean there is not enough room for your teeth, resulting in crowding. Conversely, some patients have significant gaps between their teeth.
• Asymmetry – particularly when the centre lines of the upper and lower front teeth do not match, perhaps because the teeth have drifted or the position of the jaw has shifted.
• A deep bite – when your upper teeth cover the lower teeth too much
• A reverse bite – when your upper teeth bite inside the lower teeth
• An open bite – when your front teeth remain apart when your back teeth meet; the tongue is often still visible between the upper and lower front teeth.
• Impacted teeth – in some patients, secondary teeth come through in the wrong position or do not erupt at all. Orthodontic treatment can help bring these teeth into the correct position.
• Reducing the likelihood of damage to prominent teeth
• Enhancing facial aesthetics
• Accommodating impacted, unerupted or displaced teeth
• Preparation for advanced dental treatment, such as crowns, bridges or dental implants
• Reversing the drifting of the teeth in older patients who have suffered from advanced gum disease

Let’s now look into the treatment and how our clinic will look after our patients.

Every patient needs tailor-made treatment, planned by the orthodontist and agreed with you, the patient.

In order to decide what treatment is required for you, we will need to carry out a full assessment of your face and teeth which is likely to include x-rays, impressions (moulds of the teeth) and photographs.

Treatment can take 6-24 months so it is important you are happy from the outset with what is recommended.

Let’s look now at the types of brace which may be recommended.

A fixed brace – this is the most common type of brace today. Brackets are glued onto the teeth and linked by wires. The wires exert gentle pressure to move the teeth into a new position. The brackets can be metal or ceramic (tooth coloured). We use state of the art Innovation self-ligating brackets as standard.

A removable brace – this is sometimes used for correcting a simple problem, such as moving a single tooth or expanding the dental arch. It has a plastic baseplate with wires and springs attached. Removable braces need to be worn all the time except for cleaning or sport.

Functional appliances – these are used to harness the growth of the jaws and improve way the upper and lower teeth meet. There are several designs all of which fit on to both the upper and lower teeth and hold the lower jaw forward. They are mostly removable but should be worn as near to full-time as possible

Aligners – Aligners are thin clear flexible plastic ‘mouthguards’ which fit closely over the teeth. A series of these appliances is used to obtain incremental changes to correct the teeth according to a treatment plan developed by the orthodontist.

Because they are unobtrusive, aligner appliances are ideally suited to adult patients whose life-style or work commitments make it difficult for them to wear conventional appliances.

A proper orthodontic assessment, diagnosis and treatment plan is essential to successful aligner treatment, as with any other form of orthodontics.

Aligners need to be worn full-time, day and night except for meal times. Aligner treatments tend to take longer than conventional braces to achieve the same effect. It is important to seek an opinion from an orthodontic specialist who will be able to give authoritative advice on the options.

Lingual Appliances – Lingual braces are cemented on the inside of the teeth, next to the tongue and therefore cannot be seen. The system we use is for minor tooth correction, similar to that for Aligners. The advantages over aligners are that you are not required to take them in and out for eating, cleaning etc and they give the orthodontist more control over tooth movement which leads often to a better, faster result.

Retainers – at the end of treatment, all patients should wear retainers to hold their teeth in the new position. These can be removable or fixed and are an important part of treatment.