If you have issues with your teeth, such as crookedness or gaps, then there are a variety of orthodontic treatments your dentist may discuss with you. If you want to get a jump on things and begin learning about some possible options you may have available to you, then you'll find this information to be helpful.
Braces
One of the most commonly recognized types of treatments for correcting certain orthodontic issues is braces. Braces can help with things like crooked teeth, gaps between teeth, crowded teeth, and other issues. While it's common to see children and teens wearing braces, adults can also have dental issues corrected with braces.
Braces work by slowly aligning the teeth by applying pressure to the teeth in a way that causes them to move over time. Once the braces are put on your teeth, they will apply enough pressure to cause shifts, but once those shifts have been made, then the pressure will become less and the shifting will stop occurring. This is why you will need to go to the dentist regularly to have the braces tightened up more, so they keep applying the necessary pressure.
Clear aligners
A clear aligner serves the same purpose as braces but will be much less invasive. These aligners can be easily removed, so you can take them off to floss, sleep, and for other reasons. Also, the clear aligners allow people to see your teeth right through them, so they may not even know that you are wearing anything when you have them in. Aligners are designed to put pressure on teeth to shift them like braces do, but they don't apply quite the same amount of pressure and this means they can take longer to accomplish your dental goals. You will also need to get your aligners swapped out throughout the process, so pressure consistently stays on your teeth.
Retainers
Retainers are appliances that you will wear once you have gone in and had your braces taken off, or after you have worn clear aligners and are ready to stop wearing them. A retainer is a custom-made appliance that's made from plastic and metal to offer you a precise fit. The retainer will fit on the top and bottom teeth, and it will help to prevent your teeth from shifting back to the positions they were in before you went through treatment.
Contact a local orthodontist for more information on orthodontic treatment.
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