There’s no question that orthodontic treatment plays a vital role in having a healthy and happy smile. Orthodontists can treat teeth that are crowded, gapped, or have an uneven bite. By correcting issues with your smile, orthodontics makes it easy for you to love and care for straight teeth.
Your kids aren’t limited to choosing just one type of treatment anymore. Where traditional braces were the only choice years ago, your children have more orthodontic options than ever. What types of treatment are available today?
Damon Braces
Damon braces are effective at correcting crowded teeth among other issues, and some studies even show that damon braces result in a faster treatment time than traditional braces [1]. But why is this, exactly?
Damon bracesare self-litigating, which means they adjust themselves as the teeth move into their proper positions. What this means for you is fewer orthodontic visits and a sustainable orthodontic treatment that requires fewer adjustments.
Another benefit to damon braces is that they feature clear brackets, which means they are less noticeable on the teeth than traditional braces, making them a popular alternative.
Lingual Braces
Lingual braces are similar to traditional braces but with a twist—the brackets go on the backsides of teeth. So while your child will be getting effective orthodontic treatment, these braces will be invisible from the outside of their mouth!
Not everyone will qualify for lingual braces, as the backsides of the teeth need to be large enough to accommodate the brackets, but studies have shown lingual braces to be an effective form of orthodontic treatment [2].
Invisalign
Invisalignis a form of orthodontic treatment that uses various sets of clear aligners that are swapped out as your treatment progresses and your teeth shift into place.
Treatment with Invisalign can tackle a wide range of orthodontic issues. Children, teens, and adults all love Invisalign because the treatment is virtually invisible when you’re wearing the aligners, which need to be worn for at least 20 hours every day.
Although Invisalign has some limitations with what issues it can treat, it’s easy to use, comfortable to wear, and allows patients to remove the aligners to clean their teeth—resulting in “superior” oral hygiene compared to traditional metal braces [3].
What Treatment Is Best for Your Child?
Your professional orthodontist can evaluate your child’s smile to determine which form of treatment would be best for them. Whether you love the idea of being able to remove the Invisalign aligners for cleaning or want a more traditional form of treatment like damon or lingual braces, your orthodontist can help you make the best choice!
Sources:
1. http://www.tmj.eg.net/article.asp?issn=1687-
8574;year=2016;volume=13;issue=1;spage=18;epage=27;aulast=Sayed
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26359019
3. https://www.cda-adc.ca/jcda/vol-73/issue-3/263.pdf
