Braces in Watford

At Watford Orthodontics, we offer a range of different braces and orthodontic appliances to ensure we get you the very best teeth straightening result.

 

 

Fixed appliances

Fixed appliance treatment is the most precise way to control tooth movement to achieve the perfect smile. There are three main components to such appliances including the brackets (which are attached to the teeth), archwires (the wires placed into the brackets) and auxiliaries such as elastics. The bracket helps to determine the final tooth position. The archwire acts as the motor and places the necessary forces to initiate and sustain tooth movement. The brackets can be made of metal or tooth-coloured ceramic materials.

Fixed appliances


Sometimes dental extractions have to be undertaken by the general dentist before starting fixed appliance treatment if space is required to correct tooth positions. The placement of fixed appliances is pain free and does not involve dental injections. Adjustments are typically undertaken at six-weekly intervals. Sometimes breakages can occur and appointments have to scheduled between the main visits. The duration of fixed appliance treatment can vary between 6–18 months depending on the complexity of the case. There is some discomfort for 3–4 days following placement of fixed appliances which can be controlled by mild pain killers (e.g. paracetamol). The risks of fixed appliance treatment include dental decay (if there is excessive sugar within the diet and if tooth brushing is poor) and slight root shortening which is frequently minimal.

The wires used to align teeth are commonly termed 'archwires'. These are made of metal (stainless steel or nickel–titanium) materials. They can be covered with tooth coloured coatings to make them less obvious. However, these coatings do have a tendency to decay between visits and may slow tooth movement.

Fixed appliances

Clear fixed appliances

Fixed appliance attachments (the brackets) can be made from tooth-coloured ceramic materials in order to reduce their visual impact. Such appliances are commonly termed 'ceramic fixed appliances'. Conventional ceramic fixed appliances use small elastics to hold the wire into the bracket and self–ligating brackets use an integral clip mechanism that secures the wire into position. The small elastics used with conventional fixed appliances can discolour between visits particularly with foods containing bright colouring.

The wires used to align teeth are commonly termed 'archwires'. These are made of metal (stainless steel or nickel–titanium) materials. They can be covered with tooth-coloured coatings to make them less obvious. However, these coatings do have a tendency to decay between visits and may slow tooth movement.

Clear fixed braces

Self–ligating brackets (Damon, In–Ovation C)

Unlike conventional fixed appliances, self–ligating appliances utilise an integral clip mechanism within the bracket in order to secure the archwire. Manufacturers have claimed many advantages to using these mechanisms; however, few of these have been scientifically proven to this day. In our opinion the principal advantages of self–ligation include more secure attachment between the archwire and bracket, less discolouration of appliances in–between visits and greater efficiency in appliance adjustments.

Many types of self–ligating appliances are available but two that have dominated the market include the Damon appliance and the In–Ovation appliance. These differ in having a different clip mechanism to secure the archwire. To date, there is no scientific evidence that one type of appliance is better than the other.

Self-litigating-brackets

Lingual braces

Lingual orthodontic appliances are an exciting way of improving the smile for those conscious about having visible fixed appliances. These appliances are virtually invisible as they are attached to the back (lingual) surfaces of the teeth. They can be used to produce high quality results in cases requiring complex tooth movements where Invisalign would be unsuccessful. At Watford Orthodontics, we use the InCognito system which has the advantage of improved patient comfort, less speech interference and better quality results than other lingual systems as the appliance is fully customised to you.

Lingual braces

Brace care

To ensure orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances runs smoothly, in the shortest possible time, with the least damage to the teeth and gums it is essential to follow the following advice:

  • The teeth should be cleaned thoroughly at least twice a day. A travel toothbrush can be carried in the day to brush the teeth following meals. The videos below illustrate how to keep the teeth clean.
  • Toothpaste containing at least 1450 ppm (parts per million) Fluoride should be used. A Fluoride-containing mouthwash can also be used during the day.
  • Sugary foods and drinks should be avoided between meals and before bedtime.
  • Hard foods should be avoided at all times as these damage and weaken the brace. Examples of hard foods include toffees, boiled sweets, chocolate, hard bread, tough meat, nuts and biting into whole hard fruits (e.g. apples, pears).
  • You should not miss any appointments.

Cleaning your teeth

Your braces provide retentive sites for bacteria to grow and proliferate. Because of this it is essential to keep the teeth and gums clean to avoid tooth decay and gum damage.

The following video illustrates how to keep all the tooth surfaces clean including where the gum meets the tooth surface:

Book your consultation at Watford Orthodontics today and find out how you could benefit from orthodontic treatment.

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