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 Metal
Braces:
-
Metal braces straighten teeth using metal brackets
and archwires.
- You can add coloured elastics for a fashion
statement!
Ceramic Braces:
-
These are used for appearance reasons, mainly in
older teenagers and adults.
-
They are less visible than metal braces.
-
They are slightly larger than metal braces which
may make oral hygiene more difficult.
- They are also more brittle than metal braces; therefore,
they are used on upper front teeth and rarely on lower teeth.
 Speed
Brackets:
-
Speed brackets are slightly smaller than edgewise metal
brackets (described above).
-
They may be helpful in patients with poor
oral hygiene habits .
- They allow for minimal use of coloured elastics.
Invisalign ®
-
Invisalign is the only invisible way to straighten
your teeth without braces. A series of clear, removable aligners
are used to straighten your teeth without metal wires or brackets.
Each aligner is worn for about two weeks and is removed only to
eat, drink, brush, and floss.
- Invisaling is not suitable for every type of bite
problem.
- Generally, this works for mild to moderate crowding or spacing.
- Ask
Dr. Hurd if Invisalign is right for you!
 Herbst
Appliance
-
A herbst appliance is a fixed-growth
appliance that repositions teeth.
-
It reduces "overbite" discrepancies
through a combination of moving the lower jaw forward and upper
teeth backward.
-
These appliances are used almost exclusively
in growing young patients, particularly during active growth
spurts.
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They are usually used for 12 to 15 months.
-
They are not removable, which accounts
for improved results over traditional removable-growth appliances.
- Following the initial adjustment period,
they are comfortable and you will be able to talk and eat normally.
Pendulum Appliance
- The pendulum is an appliance that uses
the roof of the mouth and the side teeth as an anchor to move the
back teeth (your molars) into their correct position. This will
help create enough room for your crowded or protruding teeth.
- The pendulum is cemented in place so
you will wear it all the time until the desired result is achieved.
- This appliance is generally used for
a period of 4-6 months.
 Elastics
- Elastics are small rubber bands that
patients wear between different sets of upper and lower teeth
-
They shift teeth in a desired direction.
-
Dr. Hurd will advise you of the location
and direction of elastic wear, as well as how many hours they should
be worn per day.
-
In most cases, for elastics to be effective,
they need to be worn nearly full-time day and night
- Patient compliance in wearing these elastics
is vitally important in both the success of treatment and the
length of time in braces.
RPE
-
The upper expansion appliance is used on
an upper jaw that is too narrow.
-
This appliance will guide your natural
growth and widen your upper jaw.
- This will create enough room for your
crowded teeth and make sure the upper and lower teeth fit together
properly.
 Retainers
-
Following completion of orthodontic
treatment, teeth must be maintained in their newly corrected position.
Teeth will always move back towards their original
position, to some degree.
- Today, most orthodontists, including
Dr. Hurd, advise lengthy or often lifetime retention of the completed
orthodontic result. This can be achieved with
 either
removable or fixed retainers. Dr. Hurd and most orthodontists
are more comfortable with fixed retainers. These are small orthodontic
wires bonded (glued) to the back surfaces of upper and lower front
teeth. At the appropriate time, Dr. Hurd will discuss his retainer
recommendation for your specific needs.
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