What Should One Know Before Getting Braces?

Braces

Oh, how we wished for orthodontics to be a walk in the spark. We love helping patients reach their goals of a beautiful and well-aligned smile, but wishing for something doesn’t always mean the road is simple. The teams of specialists and the patients themselves have to face many challenges in ortho and may sometimes wonder if they’re ideal candidates for the treatment or not. What should you know before getting braces? Can you get braces with missing teeth?

Let’s take a look at a couple of things that can interfere with your orthodontic treatment’s efficiency and what we can do about it.

Can You Get Braces With Missing Teeth?

The answer is yes. In fact, we would highly suggest that you get your braces if you have missing teeth to avoid the drift of well-positioned dental pieces.

Many patients worry about starting their orthodontic treatment with missing teeth because they believe there aren’t enough anchors to secure the brackets and allow the braces to function properly.

Instead, orthodontic treatment can help many patients who are missing teeth and improve their general dental health and periodontal tissues. While most people think of getting braces or other orthodontic appliances to fix problems with overcrowding or general jaw malalignment, it can also help patients with missing teeth.

In general, we warn parents that if their children have an accident and lose a tooth, they should bring them to a dentist for a restorative treatment that preserves the tooth’s structural integrity. We do so to avoid gaps between teeth that could lead to orthodontic problems. The same could happen for adults.

Lost teeth leave holes that will cause tooth repositioning and lead to many orthodontic problems. Far from a problem that could keep you from getting braces, missing teeth are a reason to get your orthodontic treatment started.

You can also ask your dentists about the possibility of getting other cosmetic or restorative dentistry treatments to solve the situation.

Tooth Staining and Discoloration

If there is one reason many patients seek orthodontic treatment is to have a more esthetically pleasing smile. So orthodontists know that we should warn our patients about any potential staining as a result of their treatment.

Fortunately, dental braces themselves won’t cause any staining on your teeth. Furthermore, some appliances, such as stainless steel braces, are resistant to any staining in and of themselves.

Still, some patients complain about tooth staining after their orthodontist removes the braces. Think of it this way: when we bond the brackets to your teeth, the part of your tooth’s enamel under the bracket stays protected from wear and tear. The downside is that if you do anything that stains your teeth during your treatment, your teeth will look like your body with tan lines.

Clever patients will know that they have to cut back on some foods and drinks to avoid staining. Please stay away from soda, coffee, black tea, red wine, and even white wine or other acidic beverages. If you’re choosing to drink them, think of using a reusable straw to keep the liquid from staining your teeth.

Of course, this goes without saying, but you will also have to brush your teeth after every meal and beverage that could stain your teeth. Having good oral hygiene will keep any staining agent away from your teeth.

Speech Difficulties

Thankfully, no such complications will be permanent. Patients who begin their orthodontic treatment should know that any orthodontic appliance will cause some level of speech difficulties.

You can expect a few problems with a newly developed lisp. The situation is as follows: your orthodontic appliances take up additional space in your mouth, giving your tongue less space to move around. Your speech impediment is also a result of your shifting teeth positions. Your tongue will be used to moving around in a specific way, but now your teeth wouldn’t be in the same position.

The good news is that any speech problems should clear up in a few weeks after you’ve gotten used to wearing braces or clear aligners. Your speech will return to normal after your treatment is complete.

Can You Get Braces With Gum Disease?

Here’s another one. Usually, you shouldn’t start orthodontic treatment if you suffer from gum disease, such as periodontitis. You’ll see, orthodontics care relies on a simple principle: your jaw bone dissolves as the orthodontic appliances apply constant force over your teeth.

Don’t worry; this process is safe, and you should only trust a certified orthodontist to plan your entire treatment. During your treatment with braces, the force that repositions your teeth will slowly dissolve your jaw bone and the supporting periodontal tissues.

Patients who suffer from gum disease won’t have healthy enough bones and gums to withstand the planned repositioning. You will require, however, careful planning and cooperation between your orthodontist and a periodontist.

You should also understand that wearing braces could increase the risk of developing gum disease. Food particles may remain lodged between your brackets, wires, and teeth. Such a problem can lead to the development of plaque, tartar, dental caries, and other forms of tooth decay and gum disease.

Use every tool at your disposal to clean the area thoroughly. Aside from your soft-bristled toothbrush, you should consider an interdental brush, dental floss, mouthwash, and a water irrigator.



Get in Touch With the Best Orthodontist Salem Has

When you get in touch with a team like ours, you get the help you need to achieve the best version of your smile no matter how many challenges there are to your treatment. We’re here to help you when you need us most.

Set an appointment with us and begin your journey with orthodontics now.