Straightening teeth with braces, known as Orthodontic treatment, has become a common dental procedure today. Although most people consider orthodontics a purely aesthetic procedure, it does provide various health benefits. Straight teeth are not only easier to clean, but also function more efficiently and are likelier to last a lifetime.
The basic goals of orthodontics today not only involve straightening teeth, but also giving the patient the best facial aesthetics possible, and teeth which will last a lifetime. With the advent of science and technology, developments in this field now encompass everything from diagnosis and treatment planning, designing of customized braces, and auxiliary appliances to ensure more versatility in treatment.
Age no bar
Orthodontic treatment planning today gives extreme importance to facial aesthetics. Traditionally orthodontists used to predominantly treat young children, and early teenagers. In this age group, it is possible to control and guide a person's growth, so as to obtain the best relation of the jaws, and hence, a good looking face, not just teeth.
However, in a typical orthodontic practice today, an increasing number of adults have started seeking an improvement in their smile, and facial aesthetics. Age is no bar for moving teeth, and adults can safely wear braces. However, adults do not grow, and any correction of the jaws requires surgery. Orthodontists now work closely with facial surgeons in order to provide people with the best facial as well as dental aesthetics.
Read: Thumb sucking and other oral habits in children could warrant braces!
Visualize the new you with technology
As with every facet of life today, technology has also changed orthodontics. Today there is an abundance of software that has been developed specifically for orthodontic purposes. Apart from increasing the efficiency of an orthodontic office, the biggest impact these software is the ability to develop a 'visualized treatment objective' or VTO. The VTO in simple terms is a picture of how the person's face will look after treatment. This not only allows the orthodontist to actually visualize the outcome of different treatment options, but also helps the patient understand the impact of various treatment procedures. For example, the orthodontist may feel that a patient pay benefit from a surgical procedure to increase the prominence of his chin. Using the VTO it is now possible to show the patient, even before treatment commences, how his face will look after the surgery. So now the patient is better informed, with a visual reference, than if he just has to imagine what the surgery will achieve.
Custom orthodontic treatment now a reality!
Three-dimensional imaging has now become a reality in orthodontics. The latest 'Cone beam computed tomography', or CBCT, allows dentists to take accurate 3-D images of the teeth and jaws. Once the 3-D model of the face is obtained, it can be viewed from any direction and any section can be taken from it. A single CBCT scan can give us more information than a conventional CT scan and 2-3 diagnostic x-rays usually taken for a complex problem, with nearly double the accuracy and one-fifth the amount of radiation exposure. Some CBCT machines also have 3-D cameras incorporated into them, which allow complete 3-D imaging and hence more comprehensive treatment planning, especially in cases requiring jaw surgeries.
The orthodontic appliances commonly used today, are developed to move teeth into a position judged to be the best for the average person. This may not be the best position of each and every patient. Computer technology and 3-D imaging have reached the stage today, that braces can now be custom made for each and every patient. The 3-D image of the teeth is developed through various means, and imported into special software. The teeth can be individually manipulated to their perfect positions. Braces and wires can be custom made for each individual patient according to the doctor's specifications. Why the fuss? Customization is a far more accurate, and faster modality of treatment. So the results obtained are superior, and treatment time is reduced.
Today, the cost of customized appliances prohibits them from being used in every case. However, they are within the reach of some of the more niche practices. But as with all technology, it is only a matter of time before they will completely replace conventional braces.
It's your little secret
Embarrassed about getting braces? Most adults are. A large percentage of adults who would benefit from braces refuse treatment because they don't want to be seen with metal in their mouths. Tooth colored braces are available but are, however, still visible. But there is a solution! Braces can be placed on the lingual (inside) surface of teeth, making them almost invisible. Invisible braces can also be customized for each patient, making them highly efficient. Another possibility is to use a series of transparent plastic sheets, or Aligners, to correct tooth positions. Aligners are almost invisible, and also removable, allowing the freedom to be removed during important occasions.
Impossible is now just a word
If there is a single group of treatment auxiliaries that has revolutionized orthodontics today, it is the Temporary Anchorage Devices or TADs. There are many variations of TADs, but their main aim is to allow the orthodontist to take support from the bone to move teeth. Traditionally, tooth movement would be achieved by taking support, or anchorage, from other teeth. Typically, the front teeth would be pulled back by taking support from the bigger back teeth. If additional support were needed, the patient would be instructed to wear a headgear (wire framework which would take support from the back of the head). This was not only uncomfortable, but also highly patient dependent, and treatment was only successful in the most motivated and disciplined patients.
TADs are tiny screws (less than 2 mm in diameter) or bone plates which can be inserted in the bone within a few minutes. Their insertion is simple, and quick and causes minimal discomfort. TADs can be inserted almost anywhere in the mouth which means that teeth can now be moved in almost any direction. Orthodontists are now able to achieve results that were earlier either not possible or could only be achieved with surgery. Some examples include moving upper teeth upwards, or pulling back severely protruded front teeth, (even when back teeth are missing), even pulling the back teeth forward is now possible. Lack of support to move a tooth is no longer a limitation today. The only limitation is the imagination of the orthodontist.
As with any field of medicine, orthodontics is also ever changing. Some of these advances may be expensive today, but as with all technology, they will become more affordable in time, and will benefit patients in their quest for beautiful smiles!
Read: More Indians now opting for tooth whitening, invisible braces, veneers
Picture Sources:
www.dolphinimaging.com
www.pmhdentaloncology.ca/radiology.php
