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| Warren Johnson DDS, MS |
Cosmetic Braces | |
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ABOUT BRACES
Ceramic Braces Ceramic braces are made of clear materials, therefore less visible on your teeth than metal braces. For this reason, ceramic braces are mainly used on older teenagers and adult patients who have cosmetic concerns. Our In-Ovation C (clear) braces do not require the clear elastic ties that tend to stain with coffee, cola, and grape juice. This gives them a clear advantage over other bracket types. Self Ligating Brackets One of the most exciting innovations in orthodontics has been the invention of brackets with low friction properties. These brackets are classified as Self Ligating brackets because they have clips or doors that hold the wire in the bracket slot. There are several advantages to these types of brackets including less visits to the orthodontist and in come cases shorter treatment time. This is perfect for our busy parents and children. We offer this type of bracket in clear (shown above) and traditional silver. Occasionally a colored chain can be added to these braces to close spaces or keep spaces closed. There are several types of Self Ligating Braces available to orthodontists. Two of the most popular are called In-Ovation and Damon. Each of these bracket types have properties that we utilize to provide quality and efficient care. Damon Braces What are the Advantages of the Damon System of Braces? The Damon brackets are a great way to achieve your most beautiful and esthetic smile in less time and with greater comfort than other treatments or even conventional braces. Damon brackets are more comfortable than conventional braces because the brackets are smaller and therefore more comfortable against your lips and cheeks. Because they are smaller, they are also less noticeable. Damon brackets are also 'self ligating.' Conventional braces hold the wire into the brackets with individual elastics (colors). This causes tension on the wire that moves your teeth. One problem that arises is that the elastics eventually get loose; therefore you must visit Dr. Johnson every six weeks to change the elastics and create more force. The other problem with conventional braces is that even if we use silver elastics, which are the most esthetic, the elastics still add more 'metal' to the look of your smile. The Damon brackets do not need elastics to hold the wire in place; instead, Damon braces use a slide mechanism to hold the wire, which allows teeth to move more freely, quickly and comfortably. This 'self ligating' system means that you will not have to come to Dr. Johnson's office as often and that a more even tension is placed on your teeth throughout your treatment. Office visits are still necessary to change the wire and to make sure that the brackets are clean. Damon braces are designed to be discreet, comfortable and easy to keep clean. Without the elastic ties that can collect plaque, Damon braces make dental hygiene easier during treatment. With the Damon System of braces, treatment time is typically shorter than with conventional braces. And shorter treatment time means fewer appointments and a beautiful smile...faster. You may be surprised at how fast. For those that cannot get away from the allure of the colored bands that hold the wires in place traditional braces may be for you. Traditional metal braces are the most common type of braces and are more comfortable today than ever before. Made of high-grade stainless steel or titanium, metal braces straighten your teeth using metal brackets and arch wires. With metal braces, you have the option of adding colored elastics (rubber bands) for a more unique and colorful smile.
To successfully complete your orthodontic treatment plan, patients must work together with the orthodontist. The teeth and jaws can only move toward their corrected positions if the patient consistently wears the elastics (rubber bands), headgear or other appliances as prescribed.
Below is a description of some of the appliances that may be used during treatment: Palatal Expander (RPE)
The palatal expander "expands" (widens) your upper jaw by putting gentle pressure on your upper molars each time an adjustment is made. We will instruct you about when and how to adjust your expander. When you achieve the desired expansion, you will wear the appliance for several months to solidify the expansion and to prevent regression. Elastics (Rubber Bands) Wearing elastics (rubber bands) improves the fit of your upper and lower teeth. Wear rubber bands as instructed because the rubber bands work far more efficiently if they are worn as prescribed. Avansync molar-to-molar (Herbst®) Appliance
In the past, headgear was used with patients that had severe overjet.
The Herbst Appliance was developed many This Herbst appliance reduces overbite (overjet) by encouraging the lower jaw forward and the upper molars backward. This appliance is used mostly for younger, growing children and is worn for about 9-12 months. The picture to the right is the new version of the Herbst. It is called the Avansync molar-to-molar. In this appliance the arms are much shorter and more comfortable than the previous versions. This appliance and be worn with braces to help decrease treatment time.
Forsus® Appliance The Forsus® is designed to work as an alternative to the Herbst Appliance. It connects to braces and can be an efficient way to correct the bite without the esthetic concerns associated with headgear. It is used to improve the relationship between upper and lower teeth to improve your bite. Crossbow® Appliance The crossbow appliance is a combination of the RPE and the Forsus Appliance. It has a bar on the lower arch that the forsus springs can connects to to encourage the lower jaw forward and push the upper molars backwards. This is mostly used in younger children and is worn for about 7-9 months.
6 Month Braces Many patients want the front six teeth straightened with braces. This is possible in many cases where the patient has already had braces in the past and have had some minor relapse. Call our office for a free consultation to see if you are a candidate for six months of braces. 6 Months Invisalign Many Invisalign treatments can be completed in about 6 months. Every case is different and we would have to evaluate your case to determine if you are a candidate for six months of Invisalign Retainers Retainers may be removable or fixed. They hold your teeth in their new, correct positions after your teeth have been straightened. We will instruct you on how to care for your retainer and about the duration of the wear. Wearing your retainer as directed is crucial to prevent regression of your treatment. Separators (Spacers)
Separators are little rubber rings that may be placed between your teeth to push them apart so that
Parts of Braces Appliance: Anything your orthodontist attaches to your teeth which moves your teeth or changes the shape of your jaw. Archwire: The metal wire that acts as a track to guide your teeth along as they move. It is changed periodically throughout treatment as your teeth move to their new positions. Band: A metal ring that is cemented to your tooth and goes completely around your tooth. Bands provide a way to attach brackets to your teeth. Bond: The seal created by orthodontic cement that holds your appliances in place. Bracket: A metal or ceramic part cemented ("bonded") to your tooth that holds your archwire in place. Coil Spring: A spring that fits between your brackets and over your archwire to open space between your teeth. Elastic (Rubber Band): A small rubber band that is hooked between different points on your appliance to provide pressure to move your teeth to their new position. Elastic Tie: The rubber band that fits around your bracket to hold the archwire in place. They come in a variety of colors. Headgear: Headgear uses an external wire apparatus known as a facebow to gently guide the growth of your face and jaw by moving your teeth into proper position. The force is applied to the facebow by a spring-loaded neck strap or head strap. The straps have a safety release that disconnects if the facebow is pulled or snagged. Headgear Tube: A round, hollow attachment on your back bands. The inner bow of your headgear fits into it. This attachment is also used for other appliances such as ForsusTM. Hook: A welded or removable arm to which elastics are attached. Ligature: A thin wire that holds your archwire into your bracket. Lip Bumper: A lip bumper is an archwire attached to a molded piece of plastic. The lip bumper holds back the molars on your lower jaw to provide more space for your other teeth. Mouthguard: A device that protects your mouth from injury when you participate in sports or other rigorous activities. Palatal Expander (RPE): A device that makes your upper jaw wider. Retainer: An appliance that is worn after your braces are removed, the retainer attaches to your upper and/or lower teeth to hold them in place. Some retainers are removable and others are bonded to the tongue-side of several teeth. Separator (Spacer): A small rubber ring that creates space between your teeth before the bands are attached. Tie Wire: A fine wire that is twisted around your bracket to hold the archwire in place. Wax: Wax is used to stop your braces from irritating your lips or gums. Banding: The process of fitting and cementing orthodontic bands to your teeth. Bonding: The process of attaching brackets to your teeth using special orthodontic cement. Cephalometic X-ray: An X-ray of your head which shows the relative positions and growth of the face, jaws and teeth. Consultation: A meeting with your orthodontist to discuss a treatment plan. Debanding: The process of removing cemented orthodontic bands from your teeth. Debonding: The process of removing cemented orthodontic brackets from your teeth. Impressions: The process of making a model of your teeth by biting into a soft material that hardens into a mold of your teeth. Your orthodontist will use these impressions to prepare your treatment plan. Invisalign®: An alternative to traditional braces, Invisalign straightens your teeth with a series of clear custom-molded aligners. Invisalign can correct some, but not all, orthodontic problems. Ligation: The process of attaching an archwire to the brackets on your teeth. Panoramic X-ray: An X-ray that rotates around your head to take pictures of your teeth, jaw and other facial areas. | |
| 719-596-3081 |
years ago as an excellent
alternative to Headgear. 
