There are many questions individuals who have never gotten orthodontic braces wonder about and of course one of them is how do braces actually affix to the teeth. Some people can be concerned or maybe even a little bit nervous about the idea of something being permanently attached to their teeth, at least permanent until the orthodontic office removes them. So how are braces actually attached to the teeth and is there anything to worry about?
Braces bonding
The truth is that braces mounting has been a long time orthodontic procedure with decades of history behind it. And while fundamentally it has stayed the same,the fact of the matter is that the technology has improved significantly, making it faster, cheaper, easier, and less invasive than ever before. There has never been a better time to get orthodontic braces done and improvements to the bonding process of this procedure are no exception.
But what are some of the different braces for teeth brackets and is there any difference in the way they are bonded? Before we ask those questions though, let’s check in with experts in orthodontic medicine and see what the professionals have to say.
The number of patients needing orthodontic treatment is increasing, and health professionals often have to place brackets on various surfaces apart from the enamel (Alzainal, AH et al.,2020).
Some orthodontists use orthophosphoric acid on teeth, while others consider laser etching to be better for avoiding enamel decalcification (Alzainal, AH et al.,2020).
The number of patients seeking orthodontic care increased from 14% to 27% between 2010 and 2014, based on a 2015 survey conducted by the American Association of Orthodontics (Alzainal, AH et al.,2020). That’s a lot of bonding of brackets!
Braces for teeth
As we can see, there is continuing to be an increase in orthodontic treatments and the technology available to do it better with every passing year. But what are the different braces available for you, and what kind of orthodontics will be best for your needs?
How do orthodontists bond braces to teeth Photo by cottonbro from Pexels
There are several different varieties of braces for teeth and tooth brackets. There are traditional metal braces with metal brackets that attach to the front of the teeth. Ceramic braces are designed to be more tooth colored and so less noticeable than traditional metal braces, and they also are bonded to the front of the teeth. The last major style of braces is lingual braces. Lingual braces attach to the back of the teeth and are bonded utilizing glue. They are the most aesthetically pleasing of all types of braces since they are nearly totally invisible as they are bonded to the back of the teeth instead of the front like the other two.
By talking with your orthodontic office you can discern a good indication of what type of braces options would best for you based on what your needs are, what’s your budget is, and what level of aesthetic comfort you are most satisfied with. This may cause some individuals to wonder why you wouldn’t just simply get the highest aesthetic level available? The answer that is quite simple, an increase in aesthetics almost always includes an increase in price. The better looking something is, the more costly it is and so finding that right balance of aesthetic quality and your personal comfort level is absolutely essential.
How are braces put on with bonding in orthodontics?
The braces bonding technique will be different depending on the type of braces utilized. Let’s go through the major types and discuss the different ways in which they are bonded. For starters, there are traditional metal braces. Traditional metal braces, as the name suggests, are very traditional and are by far the most common type of braces. Something interesting about utilizing traditional metal braces is that to bond their brackets to the teeth oftentimes glue is utilized. This is not your average hardware super glue though; this is a very special type of orthodontic glue with several unique qualities.
First and foremost is that it is safe for oral use. This glue is powerful but non-toxic which obviously is an important aspect since it’s going to be in contact with your mouth. Another one of the important facets about this type of glue is how quickly it dries. Utilizing lasers, your orthodontist can swiftly dry the glue nearly instantly making it far faster to get your orthodontics installed utilizing this method. One last facet to be aware of is that the glue does in fact taste terrible. However despite the fact it’s not as flavorful as the fluoride treatment you might get at your dental office it is, as mentioned before, it is totally safe and will not harm you.
The next major type is ceramic braces. Ceramic braces utilize tooth colored ceramics which can be thought as a type of orthodontic glass or plaster almost. It’s important to know that like the glue, this material is also non-toxic and will not pose any problems for your oral health, and it has improved aesthetics as well since the ceramic can be a variety of colors from white to porcelain and even ivory to help match the vast majority of teeth colors available.
Bonding teeth after braces
After your braces treatment is complete there may be one or two other little touch-ups that you’re interested in having done. One of them is bonding. This is different than braces bonding as bonding teeth is actually a cosmetic procedure designed to help touch up any potential minor issues that you may notice with your smile. Some individuals may have a crack in their teeth, or perhaps a chipped tooth, and in some cases might even have one tooth that is simply longer or shorter than the others.
Bonding is a process that can put a type of veneer on your teeth which can help to hide these types of issues. For people for whom the look and aesthetics of their smile is incredibly important, they will get their teeth bonded after braces, especially if they happen to notice any white spots left on their teeth after braces. Braces can sometimes leave white spots where decalcification has occurred or where simply the enamel has not gotten as stained.
Tooth brackets
When braces are attached utilizing the bonding material and brackets, they cover up that area of the enamel. Covering up that area can cause it to change colors in regards to the teeth space around it. Left on its own, this issue will sort itself out and your teeth will eventually have a similar color all around as the white spot will go away. However, some individuals do not like to wait and so getting teeth bonded after braces is a very popular treatment.
Summary:
Orthodontic treatment with braces is very common and is a popular way to correct different orthodontic problems.Braces work by applying tension through the metal wires and brackets to the teeth to move them into the right positions.
Dental braces are affixed to the teeth, and some people may be wondering how the orthodontists ensure that the braces remain bonded to the teeth, while ensuring that the tension necessary to straighten the teeth remains unchanged.The answer to the question lies in the bonding process which is an interesting one.
Before the bonding, the orthodontist near me will ensure that your teeth are well prepared so that the braces stay on. You can speak to your orthodontist at your initial consultation to discuss any questions you may have regarding the process.
There are two main types of bonding that orthodontists use to affix the braces to the teeth.
They are direct and indirect bonding, which differ in certain respects as their names suggest.
Direct bonding involves affixing and placing metal brackets right onto the teeth the first time.
Indirect bonding involves the use of a plaster model of the teeth to guide the positioning of the brackets before transferring them onto the teeth.
Reference:
Alzainal, A. H., Majud, A. S., Al-Ani, A. M., & Mageet, A. O. (2020). Orthodontic Bonding: Review of the Literature. International journal of dentistry, 2020, 8874909. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8874909
