Cosmetic and Family Dentistry

Lately, “Invisible Braces” seem like the in-thing nowadays. You can probably spot them on advertisements, magazines and even your children are talking about it!

So, what exactly are “Invisible Braces” and what can they do for you and your children?

What are “Invisible Braces”

Since time immemorial, braces are often associated with pain and ugly metallic wires  in the mouth. Today, just like how Iphone have changed people’s lifestyle, the space age CAD-CAM technology have revolutionized the way human teeth are straightened.

The term “ Invisible Braces” used here refer to clear and removable acrylic appliances known as aligners. These are worn over the teeth and are changed every two weeks, for a period of a few months to a year or more.  They are convenient and easy to use.

To understand this new concept, you need to first know the different types of traditional braces.

-          Metal braces.

School children love this! They get to choose different colour for the elastic module every month. With metal brackets, treatment is simple and efficient.

-          Ceramic braces.

This is highly popular among the GenX and GenY ,  and most of them prefer a combination of ceramic ( upper teeth) and metal ( lower teeth) brackets. Treatment time is generally slightly longer than metal ones.

-          Lingual braces.

This is the  “invisible” braces of the last decade, and is the top choice for those in the entertainment and mass media industry, despite longer treatment time and much discomfort.

With today’s clear and removable aligners, there is a great paradigm shift in the way crowded teeth are treated. Despite higher cost and longer treatment time, it has gained extremely wide patient acceptance worldwide.

Why do invisible braces?

Just like traditional braces, you ought to ask yourself why do you want to straighten your teeth? Two common reasons for doing braces is Aesthetic and Health, the former being the more common motivator for people to seek orthodontic treatment.

The advantage of invisible braces is obvious -  aesthetic. The clear aligners are virtually undetectable and they go unnoticed when speaking in social situations. They can give you that beautiful smile by straightening your teeth without anyone knowing. For children, you can still play your favourite sport or musical instruments!

As you can remove them anytime, it is easy to brush and floss. Hence, oral hygiene is well maintained. This kind of “wire-less” treatment also take away the discomfort and ulcers associated with metal wires used in traditional braces.

Are you or your child suitable for invisible braces?

As a father of two, I can understand most parent’s concerns. For treatment to be successful, aligners need to be worn for at least twenty hours per day. Hence, it may be more suitable for older teenagers and even then, the parent, the child and the dentist need to work together as a team and with proper communication, invisible braces may be a viable option for your child.

Visit your dentist for a consultation to ascertain if invisible braces is suitable for you or your child. Factors such as extraction, jaw size discrepancy, poor patient compliance, can influence the prognosis. Sometimes, you may even require a combination of both traditional braces and the aligners, if your dental bite is severe. Remember: there is no perfect system and every cosmetic treatment has its pros and cons.

So, if you are deemed suitable, you can then say good bye to metal brackets and wires, and hello to removable aligners ( such as Invisalign, ClearCorrect, ClearAligner ) , the “contact lenses”  for your teeth.

As requested by readers, this is the FULL text of the latest dental article released this month. I have put it up here for your reading pleasure. Please read on:

When can my child start braces?

Seeing a smile on your child’s face is one of the most gratifying things about being a parent. But keeping that smile healthy and beautiful require good dental care and awareness that starts early in life.

All children should have an orthodontic screening no later than age 8.

When most parents think of braces, they think of teenagers. This is normal, as most children start to wear braces between age of 10 to 14 when most adult teeth are grown. However, by age 8, your dentist can spot subtle problems with jaw growth and emerging teeth although some baby teeth are still present. That is important, because some orthodontic problems are easier to correct if they are diagnosed early.

For these reasons, it is recommended that your child should get an orthodontic screening as early as 7 to 8 years old. While your child’s teeth may appear to be straight, there could be problems that only dentist can detect. Of course, the check-up may reveal that your child’s bite is fine, and that can be comforting news.

For each patient who needs treatment, there is an ideal time for treatment to begin in order to achieve the best results. In some cases, your dentist might find a problem that can benefit from early treatment. Early treatment may prevent more serious problems from developing, and may make treatment at a later age less costly and painful.

What is orthodontic early treatment

Typically, early treatment involves the use of orthodontic appliances, which may be removable, to guide the growth of young bones to create a better environment for adult teeth as they grow. In some cases, results that would not be possible once the face and jaws have completed its growth can be achieved. Early treatment is known as Phase One in orthodontic treatment. It give us the chance to do the following:

• lower the risk of trauma to upper protruded front teeth
• guide the jaw bone
• correct harmful oral habits
• improve appearance and self-esteem
• guide permanent teeth into a more favorable position
• improve the way lips meet

In other cases, your dentist may adopt a “wait-and-see” approach, checking on your child periodically as the permanent teeth come in and the face and jaws continue to grow.

Signs that your child need braces

It is not always easy to tell if your child has an orthodontic problem. Even teeth that look straight may have a hidden bite problem. As such, it is important to take your child for that first orthodontic screening no later than age 8.

Below are some clues that may indicate the need for orthodontic intervention:

• Protruding teeth
• Early or late loss of baby teeth
• Thumb sucking
• Difficulty in chewing or biting
• Mouth breathing
• Crowded and misplaced teeth
• Jaws that are too far forward or backward.
• Biting the cheek or biting onto the roof of the mouth
• Upper and lower teeth that do not meet, or meet in an abnormal way
• An unbalanced facial appearance
• Grinding or clenching of the teeth

Beautiful Smiles in Beautiful Faces

Every patient is unique and your child may or may not benefit from early treatment. The ideal time for braces depends on the growth progress of your child’s jaws and face.

Through early check-ups, your dentist can monitor the development progress of your child’s teeth and jaw, and alert you to changes that may occur as your child grow. In addition to improving oral health, orthodontic treatment can provide the confidence that comes with a healthy and attractive smile for years to come.