The main goal of orthodontics is to correct the irregular relation of teeth and surrounding structures. It achieves this with the help of fixed and mobile braces. Irregular teeth are not just an aesthetic but also a health issue, resulting in an imbalance of chewing forces and leading to muscle and joint pain, gum retraction and pressure on the teeth. Not to mention a higher susceptibility to tooth decay and periodontal diseases.

The common causes are:

• inherited
• congenital anomalies (overbite, crossbite, open bite, reverse bite, diastema, compression)
• bad habits like finger sucking, tongue thrusting, irregular swallowing, mouth breathing, etc.
• early loss of deciduous teeth

Orthodontic therapy advantages:

• achieving a correct bite
• relieving pain and chewing system disorder
• wearing braces is absolutely painless
• there is no age limit for wearing braces

Before the placement of braces:

Each patient is special and requires a detailed analysis and diagnostics to determine if an orthodontic treatment can solve a certain anomaly. If it is advisable, we prepare an individual therapy plan:

• diagnostics and problem analysis - a clinical examination, impression taking, detailed photographing, x-ray analysis (orthopantomogram/panoramic x-ray and latero-lateral cephalogram), 3D teeth model
• Tooth decay treatment (if present)
• Consulting to determine the complete individual therapy plan - course, duration, and goals
• determining the optimum brace type, best suited to the patient’s needs

Carrying braces is completely painless. Some mild discomfort and strain can be experienced by some patients for a few days following the placement of braces and after changing the wires. This is caused by the forces applied on teeth and the jaw, required for braces to fulfill their function.

Mobile braces

The ideal time for a first orthodontic examination is at the age of 7–8. The key for successful treatment of certain anomalies is in the early discovery.

Skeletal malformation and bite irregularities can be best treated while the jaw is still growing and developing. This stops the need for treatments that are longer lasting, more complicated and often more expensive. Very often mobile braces therapy proves enough and completely eliminates the need for fixed braces.

Mobile braces are a removable appliance, meaning that patients can remove and insert them by themselves. We differentiate between monomaxillary (covering one dental arch) and bimaxillary (covering both arches) braces. The main function of mobile braces is the correction of jaw growth and achieving the proper proportion of upper and lower dental arch.

Mobile braces therapy is possible only in the early stages of orthodontic therapy and only in children with mixed dentition. After the growth and development phase is completed, the only solution is fixed braces.

Fixed braces

Fixed braces are used for aesthetic and functional corrections in the phase when growth and the development of the jaw are finished. Fixed braces are often used as a preparation for prosthetic, implantology or surgical treatment. This way, by combining multiple disciplines, we can achieve chewing system harmony and an ideal appearance.

As opposed to mobile braces, which are solely used to correct the jaw proportion, fixed braces can improve teeth and chewing system function, and correct aesthetic imperfections. We can thus stop the excessive tooth wear, relieve the joint and muscle pressure, as well as facilitate the hygiene of the oral cavity.

The duration of the fixed braces therapy depends on the anomaly type, as well as the type of orthodontic appliance used. The common duration is 18 +/- 6 months and it is completely painless. The placement of braces takes approximately half an hour. During this process, the brackets are fixed to the teeth and connected by archwires. During the therapy archwires are replaced, causing the teeth repositioning.

Two types of braces are metal and aesthetic. The choice is influenced by the aesthetic requirements of the patient as well as the characteristics of the appliance. Both options give reliable and effective results. Each brace type works by applying slight pressure to the teeth, moving them slowly into the correct position.

Therapy duration depends on the type of the anomaly, the patient’s age and readiness to schedule regular control appointments. Good oral hygiene is also very important, to achieve lasting and stable results. The problems caused by bad oral hygiene can diminish or cancel the therapy effect. If oral hygiene is very inadequate, an orthodontist can stop the therapy and remove the fixed braces.

Retention phase

Another important phase of the therapy is the one following the removal of braces. This is the retention phase, an essential part of any orthodontic therapy. The goal is to retain the desired teeth position. A retainer is made based on a dental model after the removal of fixed braces.

It is made in the dental laboratory from a thin, transparent plastic material and worn according to the orthodontist’s instructions. In the beginning, the patient wears the retainer 24 hours a day, as the bone tissue takes 10 to 12 months to fully mineralize around the teeth. In time, the wearing times are reduced, again according to the instructions of the orthodontist. With patients over 18 years of age, retention lasts the entire life. If the retainer is permanently removed, the teeth will in time return to the pre-therapy position.

Proper hygiene of the oral cavity and the appliance is very important. The appliance should be brushed under cold water and properly stored in a provided container. If the retainer breaks, call your dental clinic immediately to order a replacement.

A fixed retainer adheres to the inner side of the teeth with a filling material. This prevents segment compression between canines and keeps the incisors in a proper position. When wearing fixed braces, you need to wear a mobile retainer as well, according to the instructions of the orthodontist, to preserve a beautiful and harmonious smile achieved with therapy.