ORTHODONTICS
More and more people are concerned about having teeth in perfect conditions. The fact that the teeth are aligned correctly will not only affect from an aesthetic point of view but will also have importance in the functional and joint aspects
Orthodontics is the discipline of dentistry that studies the movement of the teeth. That is, orthodontic treatment corrects dental malposition. It is responsible for building beautiful smiles by bringing teeth, lips, jaw bones to a harmonious relationship.
Well-aligned teeth improve function, are easier to clean, and therefore, are easier to maintain in the long term.
Orthodontics can solve these problems through the use of fixed or removable appliances, which in addition to the aesthetic improvement provide the conditions for a healthy function.
Children, adolescents, youth and adults, all can enjoy the simplicity that characterizes today's orthodontics. Currently there are very hygienic, aesthetic and painless options. From traditional orthodontics with metal braces, to the most avant-garde orthodontics with the latest invisible orthodontic technology called Invisalign.
If the problem is addressed at early ages when there is still bone growth, devices are used to stimulate or inhibit the development of the jaws (Orthopedics). The purpose is to correct or at least prevent a malocclusion of bone type from becoming worse. These treatments usually require a second phase with fixed appliances in order to place the teeth in their ideal position once the final pieces are present in the mouth.
TYPES OF ORTHODONTICS
We propose you to know the wide range of solutions and techniques that exist today. We have different types of orthodontic appliances available for the alignment of your teeth. We offer solutions for every person.
Brackets
They are the most used devices to align teeth. In recent years, Orthodontics with braces
has evolved significantly, now offering more modern and comfortable brackets, with self-ligating
systems, which reduce friction and discomfort. They even allow to replace metal with more
aesthetics that provide greater discretion during treatment, such as ceramics and sapphire.
Invisalign
Now, there are more comfortable and invaluable solutions to align your teeth. Thanks to
the fact that Invisalign aligners are practically invisible, no one will notice that you are improving
your smile. They are removable, that is, they are removed during meals and when you have to brush
your teeth and then put them back on.
The aligners are made of a biocompatible and practically transparent plastic that provides
a great discretion and comfort at the time of wearing them. No one will notice that you are wearing
orthodontic appliances!
Lingual Orthodontics
It is the most discreet fixed orthodontic method and is as effective as other known ones. It is the procedure chosen by those patients who have a high aesthetic requirement.
These are braces that are placed inside, on the inside of the tooth, and are made to measure for each patient. As it is a case of custom brackets with the minimum necessary size, it becomes comfortable and does not interfere in the speech
Functional Orthopedics
They are exclusively aimed at children. This treatment is carried out through devices, both removable and fixed, that guide growth by improving the conditions of the mouth and improving the position of the child's teeth.
They are applied to suppress early, habits that usually bring consequences in the
dentition, altering their alignment and therefore producing severe malocclusions, more difficult to
treat in adulthood.
The optimal age for orthodontic and orthopedic treatments is between 7 and 16 years old, when bone growth has not ended and it is easier to correct malocclusion problems. Periodic reviews will allow to determine the ideal moment.
Whatever your need, we can offer the best alternative for you.
Children's Orthodontics
During periodic visits with the pediatric dentist we can detect early complications and solve them as soon as possible:
• Problems derived from habits: children with a thumb sucking habit, who breathe through the mouth, interject the tongue when swallowing, use a pacifier or a baby’s bottle after two years.
• Genetics: Malocclusions of genetic origin.
These problems can be corrected with fixed or removable appliances. The time of use
varies depending on the problem and the characteristics of each child.
Between 7 and 11 years is the best time to guide the growth of the jaw and improve the tone of the
musculature of the face. The correction of the placement of the teeth can wait for the moment in
which the child already has all the final pieces.
In this stage, we perform functional or interceptive orthodontics, using different orthopedic control devices to coordinate the growth and position of the jaws, balance the forces of the temporomandibular joint, achieve a harmonious facial aesthetic, protect the teeth from premature wear and from problems of gums. We also improve dental hygiene and placement of teeth.
Orthodontics can solve any problem related to the alignment and bite of the teeth, such as crowding, separation, open bite, overbite or crossbite.
Orthodontics allows moving the teeth to a correct position with respect to their bony bases. Therefore, if your maxillary bones have an adequate size and occupy a correct position, any malocclusion you have can be corrected by orthodontics. However, if your maxillary bones have developed in the wrong way, orthodontics will not be able to completely correct your problem, as it can only act in front of the teeth. It is in these cases when the possibility of resorting to orthognathic surgery must be assessed. This is the specialty within Dentistry that allows modification of the bones of the face so that they have a suitable size and position.
Besides, if correcting the dental position the maxillary bones must be modified, it is necessary to carry out a joint treatment of orthodontics and orthognathic surgery.
In this way, the teeth will be aligned thanks to the orthodontics and the face will have a harmonious aspect, since orthognathic surgery will have been used to modify the position and / or size of the maxillary bones.
The result of the treatment can be maintained through life. However, for this it is essential to use retainers once the brackets have been removed.
This is because the teeth have a natural tendency to move and it is necessary to establish a "brake", with the use of retainers so that they do not return to the position they had before the treatment.
Once our braces are removed by our orthodontist, it will determine how long we should wear the retainers.
In general, two types of retainers are placed:
We offer the highest quality orthodontic treatments in a pleasant and close environment. We keep our patients fully informed in all stages of the treatment process. Patients are very important to us and we do everything possible to ensure that we are up to date in the treatment we offer.
The decision to perform an orthodontic treatment is a transcendent decision, that is why it is important to be treated by a specialist orthodontist and have access to the best possible treatment to solve your problem. At The White Loft each patient receives their treatment from a specialist orthodontist with experience in different types of treatments.
Orthodontists are qualified dentists who, after graduating from dentistry, continue with additional full-time education in an accredited orthodontic residency program which is supervised by experienced orthodontists. This education lasts 3 or more years. With learning about dental movement (orthodontics) and cranial facial development (dentofacial orthopedics), orthodontists are the experts in dentistry to align the teeth, modify the growth of the jaws and monitor the facial and dental development.
Orthodontists diagnose, prevent and treat dental and facial irregularities. Orthodontists treat a wide variety of malocclusions (dental or maxillary malposition). They are responsible for creating spectacular smiles giving an optimal shape and function.
Early signs indicating the moment of an orthodontic examination.
An Orthodontist can solve most dental problems at any age. The American Orthodontic Association recommends that children see an orthodontist no later than age seven.
Orthodontic treatment is appropriate for both children and adults. As long as the teeth are healthy, we can correct their position at any age. However, it is true that some orthodontic diseases are easier to treat if they are treated at a younger age, when the jaw and maxilla are still developing. Therefore, we recommend a visit to the Orthodontist around 7 years of age, not necessarily to start the treatment, but to plan it.
The duration of an orthodontic treatment varies depending on the case of each patient, that is, the problem to be corrected.
The orthodontic treatment can last 12 months, 18, 24 or 30 months depending on the route that the teeth have to make through the alveolar bone, always respecting the biology of each patient. However, slight malpositions may only take a few months. The total time will depend on the severity of the problem, on the anatomy of the patient and also on their collaboration.
Once the treatment is finished, the use of a retainer is always indicated, either fixed on the inside of the teeth or removable at night, to prevent the teeth from returning to their initial position.
For a good diagnosis of the case and to be able to plan it in time, we must bear in mind that the orthodontist will have to take photographs, radiographs or study models to be able to communicate the diagnosis to the patient and what the best treatment option is.
We must know that despite all these tests and once the treatment time has been planned, this may vary depending on the patient's cooperation. Attending appointments scheduled by the specialist, will be another factor to take into account if we want good results. If you cannot attend any scheduled appointment, you should try to replace it with another one in the shortest possible time.
To start all orthodontic treatment, the patient must have an integral health of his mouth, both the teeth and the gums, must be healthy. If the patient presents any oral pathology, this should be treated before placing the orthodontics, especially when using the Invisalign aesthetic orthodontics, since in these cases, there should be no alteration on the tooth surface during treatment, because if produces some change on the dental surface. This will interfere with the adjustment of the Invisalign orthodontic aligners. Although not all cases can be solved with orthodontics, since in very severe situations, it will be necessary to go to surgery, orthodontics is usually the solution most of the time.
We recommend avoiding hard foods that can damage dental appliances and cause them to detach. In the same way, we should try to avoid certain habits like biting our nails. Every time an appliance is damaged we must visit the orthodontist and the treatment can be extended. The orthodontist will provide you with a kit with the instruments you need for dental appliances and follow hygienic instructions.
Apart from the indicated care, a patient with a dental appliance can make a totally normal life. It is not very different from someone who does not wear it. These patients should take a more thorough care, if possible, with the cleaning of the teeth, since these devices tend to retain more food and bacteria, so they should be alerted to avoid the formation of dental plaque. Periodic reviews are very important for the orthodontist to control all these parameters.
In the case of removable appliances, the care is basically the same as the fixed ones, with the difference that the patient can wash them and brush them out of the mouth.
During orthodontic placement, the patient will not feel any pain, this procedure does not require the application of anesthesia.
Regarding the evolution of treatment, in some cases, tooth movement can generate a slight discomfort, which is perfectly controllable with the use of anti-inflammatory analgesics.
These are transparent aligners, fully customized, which the patient must change every few weeks so that the teeth gradually align themselves. They must be taken at least 22 hours a day to fix the positions and only remove them to eat, so neither diet nor dental hygiene are affected during treatment.
Before eating they are removed in a simple way, they are stored in the box so they do not break or bend. It is not necessary to deprive yourself of anything during the treatment, just remember to put them back after the meal and after brushing your teeth. To drink it is not necessary to take them off, only if you drink hot drinks like coffee or tea, which due to heat can damage the plastic, but for cold drinks there is no problem.