FAQs

Skipping out on getting your braces tightened means that your braces will stop working and that any results you’ve gained will actually be reversed. Braces put pressure on your teeth through the wires that connect the brackets placed on your teeth. As they exert pressure and the teeth start to shift, the wires exert less pressure. In order for the teeth to keep shifting, retightening is required. If you don’t get them retightened, quite simply, you won’t get any results.

There are no serious side effects of getting your braces tightened, but it’s normal to feel after-effects like soreness in your jaws and teeth; gum sensitivity, pain and discomfort when you open your mouth to eat or drink. It will also be uncomfortable to bite and chew food. These effects can be eased by applying an ice-pack to your jaw or painkillers (which must be approved by your orthodontist).

Fruits that are high in sugar can be bad for your teeth because the sugar turns into bacteria which can attack cavities, infection and dental decay.

The sugar also attaches to our teeth in the form of plaque which also breaks down the enamel in your teeth. Not all fruits are extremely high in sugar. The lower the sugar content in the fruit the better it is for your teeth. Fruits that are high in sugar are grapes, cherries, and mangoes.

What we eat is always going to be closely connected to our oral health.

When we eat foods high in sugar and acids, we harm our teeth because these foods corrode enamel and create bacteria which can lead to cavities and decay.

When wearing braces, it is especially important to keep highly acidic and sugary food and drink away from your teeth.

Braces and retainers are used mainly for corrective measures, but orthodontics can also be used to prevent dental problems from developing in children.

Orthodontists can assess children to identify any jaw alignment problems. For example, splints and mouthguards can be used to control behaviours that affect jaw alignment.

If a child sucks their thumb, they can be given a special type of mouthguard to stop it from leading to the development of overbite.

No, gaps in teeth or diastema don’t naturally close without orthodontics or corrective dentistry. Trying to fix it at home won’t yield any meaningful outcome at best, or it might cause harm at worst. If you go to your dentist they can help you evaluate the gap, and come up with the best way to close or fill it. For smaller gaps, a dentist can use dental bonding, and for larger gaps between teeth, you might need a dental implant or braces.

Yes. If you have tooth gaps, clear aligners can be used to close them. The dental appliance is worn by the patient throughout the day, and they slowly push the teeth back together and close the gap overtime. Traditional braces can also correct a gap tooth, but the difference is that they are visible and can be a pain to eat with. If you want to find the right solution for your diastema talk to your dentist and orthodontist.

Diastema is the medical term for a gap in your teeth, whether it’s a big gap or a small one. Diastema can be caused by several different factors; periodontal disease, the result of thumb sucking, injury or genetics. Diastema can make people shy to smile and make them feel self-conscious about their appearance. Orthodontics and corrective dentistry can be used to close the gaps between teeth. You can wear braces or Invisalign to correct the diastema, or get fillings or dental bonding to close small gaps.

If your orthodontist has recommended orthodontic treatment, it is usually a good idea to start as soon as the four front teeth have come through.

The treatment usually takes around 6 – 12 months to complete. After the orthodontic treatment, a retainer will be made to protect their teeth. A second stage of treatment may occur once the adult teeth have fully come through.

Like full adult braces, small square silver brackets are attached to the surface of the front teeth and sometimes a band around the molars at the back of the mouth. A special wire is connected between the brackets and bands to help with the moving of the teeth.

Your mouth is full of germs and plaque that feed gingivitis, so just brushing your teeth alone is not enough. Focus on the other areas of your mouth. You need to brush and massage your gums, cheeks and tongue as well. Spit if necessary before you begin. Using your toothbrush, start to gently brush the gums above or below your teeth. Do a gentle, vertical brushing in the direction of the brackets. After this, turn the brush to face your cheek. The cheek is harder to brush so use your other hand to secure it if you need to. Turn the brush downwards and brush the soft bottom and gums where your tongue rests. Brush underneath your tongue, and then the roof of your mouth. Finally, stick your tongue out and brush it. Spit and rinse your mouth and toothbrush.

Once you’ve finished brushing your teeth, make sure to rinse your toothbrush because the last thing you need to do is feed gingivitis with bacteria and food particles left on your toothbrush. Always rinse your toothbrush under hot water. Run your finger up and down the bristles to rid of any food particles you left behind from last time. Store your toothbrush upright and where it the bristles can air dry.

To be extra vigilant you can soak your toothbrush in chlorhexidine mouthwash to kill more germs.

It is recommended that you replace your toothbrush every three months or more frequently if you brush harder and your bristles become worn down. When the bristles are frayed, the toothbrush won’t do as good a job at cleaning your teeth. If you have an interdental toothbrush, you will also want to replace the head often. If your orthodontist doesn’t give you a replacement, they are available at some stores. It’s great to carry one around with you.

Orthodontics is the specialty of dentistry focused on the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of problems in alignment of the teeth and jaws.

Orthodontics is beneficial to both adults and children alike. Straight teeth can help an individual to effectively bite, chew and speak. Properly aligned teeth and jaws can help to prevent physical health problems occurring in the future as well as contributing to healthy teeth and gums now.

An orthodontic problem is called a malocclusion, meaning ‘bad bite’.

Orthodontics uses a specialised understanding of growth and development of the teeth and jaws, factoring in each patients’ individual needs. Just as each of our patients is unique, so is every mouth. Everyone grows at different rates and into different sizes and shapes. A good orthodontist balances these principles to achieve the optimal result.

The most well-known removable retainer is the Hawley retainer. It is comprised of a metal wire that usually fits around the six anterior teeth to keep them in place. It is kept in place by an acrylic plate that fits into the palate. The advantage of this retainer is that it is possible to adjust the metal wires to complete treatment and continues any minor movement of the anterior teeth that is required. It is also extremely rigid which allows for prosthetic teeth to be added onto it if needed. The main disadvantage of this type of retainer is that it can interfere with speech.

Another common type of removable retainer is the vacuum formed retainer (VFR) made out of PVC material which is more economical and faster to make. This clean or transparent retainer will fit over the entire arch of the teeth or canine to canine that is produced from a mould. They are similar in appearance to Invisalign trays though those are not considered as retainers. The VFR retainer is clear and virtually invisible, providing aesthetical value to the wearer. It is advised to wear them at night, removing the retainer to eat as it covers the chewing surface of the teeth. During the first few days of wearing their VFR retainer, many people experience extra saliva in their mouth. Speech may be difficult initially but will improve as one gets used to wearing it.

It is true that maintaining good oral hygiene with crooked and crowded teeth is a lot more difficult, making you prone to cavities and gum disease. Once your teeth are straighter, cleaning them will certainly become easier but it is no reason to take less care of your chompers. Once your teeth are straight, you won’t suddenly lose periodontal disease or have a lower risk so it is important to establish a good oral hygiene routine whether you have braces or not. The more you do it, the easier it gets and the better the health of your teeth and mouth.

Treatment times often vary between patients depending on what their oral needs are. Mild problems can sometimes be treated in just a few months, while more complex problems can take closer to two years. On average comprehensive orthodontic treatment usually takes between 12 and 18 months. However, many adults only want cosmetic improvements to their front teeth, which can be achieved within a shorter timeframe – closer to six months. Your orthodontist will be able to give you a more accurate idea of how long your treatment should take when you come in for a consultation.

Invisible braces are a term used to describe a range of more inconspicuous braces. These include clear fixed braces, clear aligners and lingual braces – which are fitted behind your teeth. Although none of these is actually invisible, they are extremely discreet.

Lingual braces are placed behind your teeth making them virtually undetectable. Clear aligners like Invisalign blend in with your teeth and are not very noticeable. Clear fixed braces are made out of a tooth colour ceramic and though they are more visible, they are still less visible than their metal counterparts

There are many types of fixed or bonded retainers which include:

• Reinforced fibres
• Fixed canine and canine retainer (boned to only canine teeth)
• Multi-strand retainers (bonded to every tooth)

A fixed retainer usually comprises a passive wire that is bonded to the lingual-side of the incisors – usually only the lower depending on the patient’s bite. They cannot be removed. A fixed retainer is usually prescribed where active orthodontic treatments have affected great changes in the bite and there is a risk of reversal occurring. They are usually kept in place for life. The disadvantage of a fixed retainer is that tartar build-up and gingivitis can occur quite easily due to the difficulty of flossing. Floss threaders are the ideal way to pass through the small space between the retainer and the teeth.

An overbite occurs when the upper teeth are too far in front of the lower teeth. It can be due to a large upper jaw, a small lower jaw, protruding upper teeth or a combination of these factors. Orthodontists call this a class 2 problem. Typically, the jaw growth pattern is inherited, but can be worsened by habits such as thumb-sucking.

Underbites (a class 3 problem) occur when the lower teeth bite in front of the upper teeth. The lower jaw may be too big and / or the upper jaw may be too small. Underbites are usually inherited.

Crowding usually stems from a discrepancy between the space available in the jaw and the size of the teeth. Aside from appearance, crooked teeth may be associated with gum problems and a higher risk of decay due to difficulty in cleaning.

Like crowding, generalised spacing may be related to a tooth-to-jaw size disharmony. Localised spacing can be caused by protrusion of front teeth, or prominence of the fleshy tissue between the front teeth. Other contributing factors include unusually narrow teeth and missing or impacted teeth.

In a deep bite, the upper front teeth cover most or all of the lower front teeth. Sometimes the lower front teeth may even touch the roof of the mouth and cause trauma to the gum. Excessive front tooth wear is a common consequence of an untreated deep bite. Deep bites can also cause gummy smiles and jaw joint pain.

In an open bite, there is an opening between the upper and lower teeth. This condition may exist in the front teeth, in the back teeth, or in both. Tongue thrust, speech problems, allergies, and breathing difficulties might be the cause of an open bite. An open bite can make eating more difficult, such as taking a bite of a sandwich.

Normally the upper teeth bite outside the lower teeth. This is true for both front and back teeth. Crossbites occur when this situation is reversed and upper teeth bite inside the lower teeth. Back tooth crossbites usually result from a narrow upper jaw or sometimes a wide lower jaw. They can occur on one or both sides of the mouth. Sometimes the true bite is edge-to-edge but the lower jaw is moved to the side so that it seems as if only one side is affected. This posturing can cause the jaw to grow abnormally. Front tooth crossbites can also cause this problem if the teeth clash together when the jaws close. Excess tooth wear is the most common result of a front tooth crossbite. Early treatment is always advisable for any crossbite.

Cleaning your braces are as easy as following these five steps:

1. Angle your brush down onto your braces and apply pressure so the bristles slide underneath the wire and between teeth.
2. Brush in small circles – spend about 10 seconds on each tooth. Do this for both top and bottom rows.
3. Clean the area between gums and the braces. This is important as this is where the food collects.
4. Brush the chewing surfaces and insides of your teeth.
5. Rinse your mouth out

The fluoride in the toothpaste can help to strengthen your teeth allowing them to be resistant to attacks from acid and sugar. It also offers protection from decay.

Your teeth and braces will always collect food as you eat. The bacteria in your mouth can quickly change the food particles into plaque which forms acid that attacks your teeth while toxins attack your gums. From this demineralization (white marks on teeth) occurs as well as tooth decay and inflamed gums.

To prevent all of this from occurring, it is recommended that you brush your teeth after every meal and snack.