If you have decided to get orthodontic treatment to improve your oral health and correct your orthodontic issue, in that case, you are already taking the right step to achieving your desired smile. If you do not know what is involved in braces treatment, you may think that the process is a complicated one.
When you know what to expect during your braces treatment or where to get any braces like Invisalign in London, the treatment would be less stressful. You would likely have several questions to ask your orthodontist during your initial consultation, and your orthodontist will be willing to answer them as this would help you know the basics of your treatment.
Below, you would get information about braces treatment from the initial consultation to when you would remove the braces.
The Process of Getting Braces
- Consultation with the orthodontist
Before the appointment for fitting your braces, you would visit the dental clinic for an initial consultation with the orthodontist. The orthodontist will examine your gums and teeth, then recommend a suitable orthodontic treatment for you. You can ask your orthodontist any question concerning your treatment during the consultation. It would help if you had a list of questions written down, so do not forget anyone. You should also bring your dental x-ray from your dentist if you have it.
- What to Do Before Getting Your Braces
Before you get braces, you need to see your family dentist and professionally clean your teeth. If you have other dental issues like periodontal disease, get it treated first. You could also get a tooth extraction if necessary before you get braces.
- During the First Orthodontic Visit
At the dental clinic, you would get x-rays of your mouth and teeth. If you have overcrowded teeth, your orthodontist may offer you spacers in preparation for your braces treatment. Whether you are getting customised hidden braces or the conventional metal braces, your orthodontist will take accurate teeth impression which might require you to bite down on a tray of soft material used to take impressions. Your orthodontist may also use a digital scanner to take your teeth impressions instead of the old-fashioned manual method.
- Getting Your Braces
Before you get your braces, it is important to have good oral hygiene. For some persons, fitting the braces is a painful process, and it could take about two hours for your orthodontist to fix the brackets and wires.Before fitting the braces, your orthodontist will insert a dental device in your mouth, which would help keep your tongue in place and make your mouth dry. The orthodontist will dry your mouth then put an etchant on the teeth to assist in the bonding of the braces. The next step involves your dentist placing the braces on your teeth and keeping them in place with a dental adhesive, then using a special light to make the adhesive hard.
The last step will be passing the archwires through your braces and holding the braces in place with rubber bands. If you opted for a self-ligating brace, you would not need the additional rubber bands.
- Follow-Up Appointments
It would be best if you visited the orthodontist regularly during your treatment. Your first follow up visit would be 4 – 8 weeks after fitting the braces and the subsequent visits to adjust your braces. The adjustments do not take as much time as fitting.During your follow up appointments, your orthodontist will check the progress of your treatment and fix new band and archwires if necessary. After the adjustment, you may feel the pain which will subside after a few days. Your orthodontist may suggest methods to help relieve the pain.
- Last Appointment
At the end of your treatment with braces, you would have a new and beautiful smile. Removing braces is faster and easier than fixing them. The appointment usually lasts for 15 minutes, and your orthodontist will remove the braces and the bonding material on the surface of your teeth, then polish your enamel to make it smooth and shiny.
After you remove your braces, you need to wear retainers to keep your teeth in their new positions. Your orthodontist may advise you on how to care for your new smile, which would involve flossing and brush regularly.