You may already know that the wonders of dentistry can improve your natural smile for beautifully positioned teeth. But not many people are aware that the branch of dentistry that fixes your teeth and jaw alignment issues is known as orthodontics.
From braces to splints, orthodontics encompasses a wide range of solutions that could treat several concerns. These treatments also go beyond fixing smiles and also address issues like sleep apnea and TMJ dysfunction.
To help you learn more about orthodontics, here is how this dental branch helps you maintain your oral and physical health.
Metal Braces
When it comes to everyday health hacks, you need to take care of your oral health. If you are unable to properly clean your teeth, it can lead to issues like gum disease and plaque buildup, as well as conditions like heart disease.
Since crooked and misaligned teeth make it hard to maintain oral hygiene, metal braces that fix your smile serve the purpose of making more than visual improvements. You need to wear braces 24/7, typically between 1-2 years. But depending upon the state of your teeth, your treatment is personalized.
Ceramic Braces
Ceramic braces act similar to metal braces, but they look different and blend in more seamlessly with the natural appearance of your teeth. With that being said, ceramic braces do not always perform as well as metal braces.
Similar to getting an E0486 for sleep apnea, you can benefit the most from ceramic braces after getting a recommendation from your dentist. This doesn’t require you to jump through hoops. Instead, you can simply hold a personalized consultation with your dentist to see if ceramic braces are right for you.
Custom-Fitted Mandibular Device
A custom-fitted mandibular advancement device (MAD) is used to treat obstructive sleep apnea. In this condition, your airway gets blocked when you sleep and causes obstruction in your breathing. This causes poor quality sleep and also leads to excessive fatigue during the day.
With orthodontics, you can get targeted treatment for this issue by wearing a medical device that prevents obstruction in your airway during sleep. If you use a healthcare provider platform, you can easily find dentists who specialize in these treatments and who might be able to help you.
Clear Aligners
While metal braces and ceramic braces are popular for fixing significant issues with teeth alignment and positioning, clear aligners also stand out with how they are able to fix mild positioning issues. Clear aligners are not permanently fixed to your teeth, which means you can take them during mealtimes and brushing your teeth.
While you need to wear clear aligners at least 20 hours a day, you can benefit from their clear design that doesn’t make you self-conscious about wearing braces. This is one of those times where technology positively affects your wellness.
Retainers
Retainers are considered one of the most popular treatments from orthodontics, which is for a good reason. While retainers are mostly worn by people who have had braces before, they can also fix alignment and positioning issues in patients who do not need the fully-fledged treatment from braces or aligners.
You only need to wear retainers during your sleep, which makes them a convenient way to fix teeth alignment problems. While some dental insurance plans might pay for your retainers, coverage for this treatment varies across providers.
NTI Splint
If you have jaw pain that spreads to your face, neck, and even shoulders, it might be occurring from TMJ disorders. Besides being one of the reasons why you need to go to the doctor, TMJ disorders also call for active treatment. One of these solutions comes from orthodontics in the form of an NTI splint.
This splint helps release pressure from your jaw muscles and helps relieve pain. You only need to wear this splint at night during your sleep. However, it can cost a pretty penny, which may require you to use a savings app for this treatment.
After learning about these orthodontic solutions, you can understand how this diverse branch of dentistry can help with a variety of conditions. Depending upon your concern, you can also benefit from these treatments to sport a stellar natural smile while enjoying permanent relief from different challenges.
