All areas of medicine have their old standbys and for our orthodontist Hampshire, the traditional metal brace has definitely been a workhorse in clinics for more than 100 years!
Exactly how many people have been helped over that time is anyone's guess, many thousands at the very least. There is an idea among the general population that braces are more effective if used in teenage years. This is simply not the case but it has certainly stuck as the idea that only young adults can benefit from wearing braces. This is probably due to the way the funding structure of the NHS operates; braces are not an insignificant cost and children are entitled to free dentistry, therefore it makes sense to have your braces and treatment scheduled in such a way that you do not have to pay for them at point of service. It creates a cohort of young adults trying to squeeze their braces into their later teenage years.
Adult braces
Orthodontist Hampshire has used braces on adults with a perfectly reasonable response to the treatment. Adults usually do their best to avoid using the traditional brace and go for options like aligners or temporary appliances; not only can they be slightly cheaper, but they are also less disruptive to everyday life. Unfortunately both of these have their limitations and sometimes you just need a traditional brace; it's additional rigidity makes it a more versatile treatment capable of the heavy lifting required to alter molar position.
If anything, traditional metal aligners are more effective in adults and teenagers simply due to patient compliance; they are more likely to keep them in excellent condition both in terms of cleanliness and report when they are becoming loose. Also, as braces come with tightening or adjusting sessions that occur in surgery, this reduces issues with compliance and ensures that the treatment runs on schedule. If we have concerns that your treatment schedule is falling behind, we will discuss this with you and aim to get it back on track with minimal discomfort.
Almost invisible braces
Our halfway houses between the use of invisible braces/aligners and the traditional metal brace are designed with very thin arch wire or ceramic braces, with the goal of creating a versatile orthodontist Hampshire treatment without the impact of the standard or traditional brace.
There are several pieces of equipment that are used along with traditional braces. The most common or famous of these is probably the retainer used afterwards, but there are aligner options that can be used at the same time as a brace in order to accelerate treatment.
If you have further questions about how traditional braces could help you, please feel free to get in contact with the clinic. As you may suspect, there are lots of different treatment options that range in the effectiveness of tooth movement, subtlety and convenience of use. Finding a good balance is very important and can be very different from patient to patient. We are happy to answer as many questions as we can over the phone. We would ask that you attend for an assessment before making any final choices about treatment options.
Comments