HomeHealth articlesorthodontic treatmentBest Time for Braces

When Do You Need Braces?

Verified dataVerified data
15
When Do You Need Braces?

4 min read

Share

Are braces a fashion trend among teenagers? Read this article to learn about various scenarios when braces can be of help to you.

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Preetha. J

Published At September 5, 2015
Reviewed AtJune 27, 2022

What Are Braces?

Braces’ is a term used in our common language to denote a fixed orthodontic appliance that is mainly used to correct problems with alignment and position of the teeth. Braces are used in a variety of cases, and their need is more usual than not needing them. It is estimated that only about 35 % of adults have normally aligned teeth.

Earlier, braces were used for treatment only at a young age and were customary among teenagers. However, in the last few years, a lot of development and research in dentistry and the biomedical field have led to the making of improved and advanced oral appliances, including braces and their adjunct materials. In addition, there has also been an increased awareness of better esthetics which backed the idea of having braces for adults too. So, now braces are being used by adults also.

When Do You Need Braces?

Braces not only help in rendering a good smile, but they also provide improved functions of the jaw and mouth. There are a lot of conditions that require treatment with braces. Some of them are as follows:

  • Tooth Misalignment: It is very common for people of all age groups. The teeth can be misaligned in any area of the jaw, and it can be a cause of other problems like an overbite, open bite, crossbite, or underbite.

  • Unmatched Midlines: Dental midlines of both the jaws should be matching in a person’s mouth. Unmatched midlines can cause discomfort while eating and smiling.

  • Crowded Teeth: When you have crooked teeth, in other words, the teeth are irregularly positioned and are very close to one another, almost overlapping. Crowding is caused due to the disproportionate tooth-to-jaw size relationship. When teeth get insufficient space to grow, they become crowded. This further leads to teeth rotating to fit into the space or overlapping surrounding teeth.

If crowding is not treated, it can lead to gum disease over time, bacterial problems in the mouth, tooth decay, and damage to the temporomandibular joints. This malocclusion type can usually be treated by expansion without leading to extraction.

  • Proclined Teeth: When teeth are not straight and are inclined forward, causing the mouth to remain open or making it difficult to close the mouth. Proclined teeth have issues like increased overbite, buck teeth, and increased overjet where there is an angular slant to the upper teeth. Such patients seek orthodontic treatment feeling self-conscious and often unattractive.

  • Spacing Between Teeth: When the teeth in the upper or lower jaws or both have gaps or spaces between them. The spaces between the teeth can increase the risk of bacteria and plaque and cause premature tooth decay. Patients with spacing issues can also have difficulty chewing, talking, and biting into hard foods. If this problem is left untreated, gaps between teeth may cause the remaining teeth to drift, complicating the problem further.

  • Retroclined Teeth: When the teeth are inclined backward and give your face an elderly look.

  • Increased Overjet: It is caused when the horizontal gap between the upper front teeth and the lower front teeth is more than 2 mm on closing the jaws. This comes with several oral and other health problems. There is also an increased risk of trauma to the front teeth and the likelihood of fracturing the front teeth in the case of an injury. Overbites can also cause extreme tooth wear and gum receding.

  • Increased Overbite: It is caused when the vertical gap between the upper and lower front teeth is more than 2 mm on closing the jaws. Sometimes, the lower front teeth can even impinge into the roof of the mouth, causing gum injury.

This condition can result in jaw pain due to strained muscles and can make eating difficult. Overbite patients are also more prone to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. Overbites can also cause the wearing of the teeth.

  • Proclined Upper Jaw: When the upper jaw is positioned too forward than the lower jaw (normally, the upper jaw is placed slightly forward than the lower jaw), then it causes many other issues like deep overbite and gum diseases, and spacing.

  • Proclined Lower Jaw: This condition occurs when all the upper front teeth are behind the lower front teeth. It usually occurs when patients have a disproportionate jaw size of either jaw. It is an issue that can be treated easily when caught early in a person’s life. It can lead to premature tooth wear if left untreated, especially in the front teeth. The front teeth can get chipped off or broken while doing tasks like eating. Chewing can be difficult in such patients due to the misalignment in the jaw position.

  • Crossbite of Tooth or Teeth: When an upper tooth or teeth lies behind the lower opposing tooth on the closure of the jaws, it is called a crossbite. This is an abnormal bite and should not be left untreated. Without proper treatment, a crossbite can cause asymmetric jaw growth, extreme wear of teeth, and increased gum receding of the affected tooth or teeth. Crossbites can be fixed, but delay in the treatment leads to an inability to restore fractured or worn teeth.

  • Open Bite: Another type of abnormal bite is the open bite, in which the top and bottom front teeth do not overlap at all. If you bite down and your back teeth do not touch their opposing teeth, then you could have an open bite. Open bites cause speech problems and difficulty in biting, depending on whether it is present in the front teeth or back teeth. This issue often arises through habits like thumb sucking or mouth breathing, but it can also be genetically passed through generations.

  • Rotated Teeth: Many people have teeth that become tilted or twisted in their place. Some teeth may shift over time, especially in cases of gaps caused by missing teeth or uneven dental spacing. Such teeth result in abnormal occlusion, becoming loose and eventually falling out.

  • Impacted Teeth: When a permanent tooth cannot grow into its normal position, it gets stuck in the bone and gum and becomes impacted. This may cause pain or damage to the tooth, particularly its root. Such teeth cause gum inflammation which calls for immediate attention.

  • When the teeth do not seem to bite properly with the opposing teeth.

  • When you feel your smile is not good or very narrow and you need a full and youthful smile.

  • When you want to improve your smile further, and since orthodontic treatment is the most natural way without any modification to tooth anatomy, fillings, or any enhancements.

  • When your face is too long, or your chin is more or less prominent.

  • When you went to an orthodontist but did not get the complete treatment.

  • When you did not wear the retainers as advised by your orthodontist, or the teeth returned to their original position.

Conclusion:

When you doubt whether you need braces or not, or when somebody tells you that you need them, do not wait for opinions from others; just schedule an appointment with an orthodontist to discuss it. An orthodontist is the best person to assess your case and provide you with the best possible treatment options.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.

What Makes Someone Require Braces?

The presence of certain jaw or tooth alignment problems like the following warrants orthodontic treatment:
- Mouth breathing.
- Clicking sound in the jaws.
- Prone to frequent biting of the cheeks or tongue.
- Thumbsucking.
- Retained or premature loss of baby teeth.
- Teeth do not close in alignment.
- Crooked or crowded teeth alignment.

2.

Is It Possible to Get Braces Without Any Reason?

One should avoid braces if there is no need, as braces result in some kind of movement that may cause detrimental effects. Also, it would be difficult to find an ethical dentist who would proceed with such a treatment.

3.

Which Is the Appropriate Age to Get Braces?

The right time to get braces is during the growth and development phase which is between the ages of 10 and 14.

4.

How Painful Are Braces?

Braces do not hurt when they are bonded to the teeth but it is normal to experience some kind of soreness, discomfort, and some degree of pain when the orthodontic wire is engaged. The pain usually subsides within a few days without any intervention.

5.

What Is the Minimum Number of Adult Teeth Required to Start Braces Treatment?

The minimum number of adult teeth required to start a braces treatment varies from patient to patient based on individual problems and age. In some cases, when it is suspected to have future eruption problems due to arch size discrepancies, it is advised to start treatment even prior to exfoliation of the baby teeth.

6.

How Do Braces Affect the Jawline?

Braces induce changes in the jawline as orthodontic movement modulates the jaw bone. Attainment of normal occlusion also leads to muscular changes which further modifies the jaw. Hence, orthodontic treatment improves the jawline.

7.

What Are the Consequences of Losing a Tooth With Braces?

When orthodontic treatment is started very early, in the presence of baby teeth, they may eventually fall out which is normal. Sometimes, due to certain reasons, teeth may fall out after which the individual needs to visit the concerned orthodontist for re-planning of the treatment. The orthodontist may reposition the brackets and employ archwires of a different force along with spring in order to camouflage the lost space and eventually achieve results similar to a balanced aesthetic alignment.

8.

What Are the Drawbacks of Braces Treatment?

Through the orthodontic treatment period, the patient might experience certain changes which might be perceived as side-effects. In such cases, the patient should schedule an appointment at the earliest. Such changes are:
- Speech changes.
- Gum and tongue irritation.
- Difficulty during meals.
- Discomfort.
- Prone to caries.
- Gingival inflammation.
- Jaw pain.
- Decalcification of enamel.
- Allergic reaction to metals.
- Tooth decay.
- Tooth ankylosis.
- Relapse.

9.

Is It Possible for Braces to Ruin the Bite?

In case of inter arch discrepancies, it can be expected to have a transient phase of a worsened bite which gets corrected by the end of treatment.

10.

Are Braces Painful on the First Day?

When the orthodontic wires are engaged, soreness, discomfort, and some degree of pain may be expected which improves within a few days as the patient and their oral cavity adjusts to the new element.

11.

Is It Required to Use Toothpaste on Braces?

Orthodontic treatment does not require any special toothpaste, and the same toothpaste can be continued. Some specialists recommend using fluoride-based toothpaste to prevent any caries. There is also an added recommendation to maintain much better oral hygiene during the treatment phase than normal.

12.

Is It Beneficial to Use Mouthwash With Braces?

Using mouthwash during orthodontic treatment has an added advantage in maintaining oral hygiene. Also, mouthwashes do not affect the orthodontic elements in the mouth.

13.

What Can Be Done to Prevent the Smell From Braces?

The simplest way to prevent a smelly mouth during orthodontic therapy is to maintain good oral health by:
- Brushing and flossing.
- Brushing with special orthodontic brushes.
- Using antibacterial mouthwash.
- Staying appropriately hydrated.
- Having the recommended diet.
- Using mouth fresheners.
- Using a water pick.
- Regular orthodontic visits.
- In-clinic scaling.

14.

What Is the Thing to Know Before Starting Braces Treatment?

Before starting orthodontic treatment, the patient must be correctly informed about the procedure, the expected changes, and experiences like:
- Braces treatment also improves oral health.
- Might require additional dental work first.
- Dietary modifications.
- Bruising advice.
- Use of mouthguards during sports.
- Keeping up with appointments.
- Pain, soreness, and discomfort.
- Speech changes.
- Initial injuries in the oral cavity.
- Maintain cleanliness of the braces.
- Unexpected or worsening looks.
- The treatment period may get extended.
- May require revisiting the initial treatment plan.
- Setbacks.

15.

After How Much Time Do Braces Stop Injuring the Mouth?

It is common to experience cuts initially when someone starts orthodontic treatment which can be prevented by using food-grade orthodontic waxes that are stuck on the brackets. Usually, the injuries go away once the oral mucosa gets acclimatized to the presence of new metals or elements in the oral cavity.
Source Article IclonSourcesSource Article Arrow
Dr. Varun Pratap Singh
Dr. Varun Pratap Singh

Orthodontist

Tags:

orthodontic treatment
Community Banner Mobile
By subscribing, I agree to iCliniq's Terms & Privacy Policy.

Source Article ArrowMost popular articles

Do you have a question on

orthodontic treatment

Ask a doctor online

*guaranteed answer within 4 hours

Disclaimer: No content published on this website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice or treatment by a trained physician. Seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with questions you may have regarding your symptoms and medical condition for a complete medical diagnosis. Do not delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read on this website. Read our Editorial Process to know how we create content for health articles and queries.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. iCliniq privacy policy