THE MAGIC OF ORTHODONTICS

A mouth full of straight, healthy teeth can have a positive impact on many facets of your life. Your smile is typically the first thing others notice about you, so having confidence in your grin will boost your self-confidence in social and professional settings.

Aside from helping you look your best, a straight smile is also beneficial from a practical standpoint. Properly aligned teeth help you to bite, chew, and speak more effectively. In addition, straight teeth are easier to care for, which helps to keep your mouth free of bacteria that can cause tooth decay and lead to other serious diseases.

An orthodontist can usually start detecting bite problems in children around the age of seven. The most common bite problems include underbite, crossbite, and excessive overbite, in which the upper and lower teeth fail to align and close in the proper position. Other bite problems include open bite, and crowding or excessive spacing.

To correct these common bite problems, our team will have to move your teeth into their proper positioning. Orthodontics involves utilizing appliances to reposition teeth gradually by applying light, constant pressure on the teeth. This force can be exerted by traditional braces (metal wires supported by brackets attached to the teeth) or semi-rigid clear plastic aligners called Invisalign.

Though undergoing orthodontic treatment as a child is most ideal, teeth can effectively be moved at any stage in life, so it’s never too late to consider orthodontic treatment. In fact, about 20% of today’s orthodontic patients are adults.

Technologies used by orthodontists are always advancing, and the latest developments — including tooth-colored ceramic braces and clear Invisalign aligners — are designed with discretion in mind.

Orthodontic appliances are less evident than ever before. Traditional wire and bracket braces are still the method of choice for teens or when major movements are needed in the mouth, but Invisalign aligners are perfect for any small to moderate adjustments.

Traditional braces — with wires and brackets — remain a popular method to straighten teeth, but they are no longer the only option. At Colorado Orthodontics, our orthodontists specialize in the following varieties of braces:

Clear Braces: Clear braces use brackets made from ceramic or plastic. Aside from the slim archwire, they are barely noticeable.

Lingual Braces: Lingual braces work just like traditional wire braces except that they’re bonded to the back side of your teeth so no one can see them from the front.

Invisalign Aligners: Invisalign technology employs a digital scan of the user’s mouth to incorporate a series of clear plastic aligners to straighten the teeth. Invisalign aligners form-fit the teeth and are virtually invisible.

Another benefit of Invisalign is that they are removable, which means the user can remove the aligner to eat and drink, and to brush and floss the teeth. This means there’s no need to change your normal diet because food will not get stuck in your aligners.

Whether fixed or removable, differing orthodontic appliances have advantages and disadvantages in particular situations. We’ll discuss all your treatment options and help you choose the appliance that best fits into your lifestyle and budget.

Once your orthodontist determines your treatment is completed, it’s imperative to wear your retainer as directed. Teeth will naturally try to drift back to their original position, but a retainer will keep them in their new, straight positioning forever.

The last thing you’d want after completing your orthodontic treatment is to undo all your hard work because you didn’t wear your retainer! In the majority of cases, we will simply ask you to wear a retainer when you’re sleeping at night. Wearing your retainer helps you keep your gorgeous new smile looking sharp for a lifetime!

If you have any questions about braces, Invisalign, or any other element of Colorado Orthodontics orthodontic treatments, please contact us today at any of our two locations!