Braces have been used for decades to improve the appearance of smiles and the functionality of patients’ bites. Despite their popularity and their long-standing reputation for effectiveness, there are still a number of common misconceptions about them. Read on to discover a few widely circulated myths about braces, and to find out why each of them are untrue.
Braces Are Only for Cosmetic Improvements
No myth about braces has ever been more untrue. Braces can certainly make your smile look better by closing up noticeable gaps, straightening crooked teeth, and correcting teeth that are crossed or overlapped. More commonly, however, braces are put on to correct abnormalities within the bite. Whether a person has an over-bite or an under-bite, improperly aligned teeth can be subjected to an undue amount of wear. Moreover, both chewing and talking clearly can be a challenge. Braces provide a vast range of functional improvements, and each patient can get a customized and needs-specific solution.
Treatments With Braces Take a Long Time
How long you’ll need to wear braces will be determined by the issues that must be corrected. It’s not always necessary to wear braces for an extremely long period of time. Many patients wear them for just one to three years.
Braces Hurt
Modern advances in braces have made the tooth straightening process far less uncomfortable than it once was. These appliances accomplish their work by gently applying pressure on the teeth. Over time, misaligned tooth structures are gradually shifted into the rightful positions.
You Can’t Eat What You Like With Braces
Braces are believed to make eating a real chore, especially when it comes to tough, chewy, or crunchy foods. Although braces do indeed make eating a bit trickier, this doesn’t mean that you can’t continue munching on all the things you enjoy. Crunchy foods like apples can be cut into small, bite-sized. If you want to eat a rib or a drumstick, simply remove the meat from the bone before digging in. These and other eating tips will all be shared by your orthodontist at the time that your braces are put on.
All Dentists Are Capable of Installing Braces
Braces are an orthodontic treatment. As such, they aren’t installed by dentists. Although a dentist can recommend braces, you’ll have to work with an orthodontist to have them put on. Orthodontists undergo years of training to learn how to properly install braces, and how to diagnose oral health issues pertaining to the bite. Sometimes dentists and orthodontists work together to devise multi-pronged treatment plans. This way, multiple cosmetic and functional issues can be addressed at once.
Braces Undermine the Integrity of the Teeth
Braces are meant to improve your oral health. In fact, they’re capable of doing so in a vast number of ways. As braces straighten the teeth, they become both stronger and more functional. By balancing out and aligning the bite, these appliances ensure that no single tooth structure is doing more work than it’s meant to do. Straighter and properly aligned teeth are also easier to thoroughly clean. If you have extremely crooked or unevenly spaced teeth, you’ll find it much easier to brush and flush effectively once these problems have been corrected.
You’ll Need Your Wires Changed At Every Appointment
All patients are different. With braces, you’ll need to make regular appointments so that the progress of your treatment can be carefully monitored. Depending upon the movement of your teeth, you may need to have your wires changed from time to time. This is a determination that your orthodontist will make at each visit.
You’ll Set Off Metal Detectors When You Wear Braces
Metal braces do not set off metal detectors. These appliances are made from a light-weight material that metal detectors can’t pick up.
Braces Will Give You Permanently Straight Teeth
Even though you’ll be excited when your braces are taken off, you always want to maintain the recommended routines. This includes wearing your retainer on a regular basis. Your teeth can continue shifting after your treatment. Wearing your retainer ensures that all of your hard work isn’t done in vain.
To find out more about braces or to learn whether this type of orthodontic treatment is right for you, get in touch with Kidzania Pediatric Dental and Orthodontics today to schedule an appointment with our Board-Certified Orthodontist.