A plate for straightening teeth (bracket) looks like a small arch of wire that wraps around the outside of the teeth. This is a removable or non-removable complex orthodontic structure that is installed on the jaw in order to correct aesthetic defects and restore chewing function in case of its impairment or loss.
The device works by applying pressure to the bone tissue. As treatment progresses, the screws will need to be periodically tightened to maintain the therapeutic effect. As a result, in a year or two you can have an attractive, even smile.
What is the name of the teeth straightening plate? The doctor will understand the patient, no matter how he expresses himself. Braces are often confused with retainers, but these designs have slightly different functions.
Indications for use
The device is installed if necessary:
- prevent possible displacement of teeth, keep them in the correct, natural position;
- adjust the shape of the jaw bones or the width of the palate;
- expand interdental distances, get rid of crowding (in children);
- consolidate the result after wearing braces;
- slow down bone growth.
There are also contraindications, but they are few:
- severe mental disorders;
- some respiratory tract disorders;
- allergy to the metal from which the device is made;
- exacerbation of periodontal diseases.
If the oral cavity is not sanitized, there are caries, problems with the gums, the enamel looks bad: before you start wearing a child or adult plate to straighten teeth, you need to get rid of concomitant diseases.
How to tighten a screw correctly
As noted above, the teeth straightening plate has an orthodontic screw in the center. How to tighten this screw? The procedure is carried out using a special thin wire key, which is inserted into the screw hole and turned in a given direction - it is indicated by a colored arrow next to the screw, marked on the plate. It is important to understand that all manipulations with the structure are carried out only after you or the child remove it from the mouth.
It is important to know not only about how to properly tighten the plate for the upper and lower teeth, but also about some other nuances:
- the screw can be turned at different speeds,
- one turn occurs when the key is turned all the way: this frees up to 0.25 mm of space,
- to make a new turn, the key must be removed and inserted into the screw hole again,
- the number of revolutions is determined individually based on the clinical situation,
- if you have gone a little overboard, then this should not be scary, because there is always the opportunity to turn the mechanism in the opposite direction.
Important! The key must be removed from the screw hole parallel to the device. This is done with ease, and not with pressure, since otherwise you can return the system to its original position.
“At the appointment, the doctor explained everything to us in detail about how to tighten the plate for the teeth. My son had it installed on his upper jaw. Everything turned quickly. True, I didn’t trust my son with this task; I always did it myself, which in principle is not difficult. There was a case when we were leaving for the dacha and forgot the key at home, so we had to use improvised means to activate it. A paperclip arrived. Of course, I don’t recommend doing this on an ongoing basis, otherwise the device will break, but temporarily it can help someone out...”
Alina Karimovna T., review from gidpozubam.ru
The first activation is carried out by an orthodontist. Responsibility for subsequent twisting falls on the child or his parents. Every 1-2 months you should also bring your child to the doctor to monitor the progress of treatment.
When is the best time to bet
The device is used both at a young and at a more mature age, depending on the needs of the client. If there are no significant jaw defects and only supportive or consolidating therapy is required, such a design can be used in adult patients, but they are given only non-removable versions - the removable version does not provide sufficient pressure on the formed dentition to keep it in its normal position.
When are plates placed to straighten children’s teeth, how are they made, what are they called and what are they needed for? The optimal option is considered to be 5–6 years old; sometimes the device is installed on children (3–4 years old), but the final decision is made only by the dentist. It is popular to use a lightweight orthodontic device instead of braces in adolescence, up to 12 (less often up to 15–16) years - mainly to correct minor malocclusions and alignment problems.
In adulthood, dental correction is performed using more complex systems or aligners, but there are cases when the use of arches is prescribed for adults.
A little about why the bite can form incorrectly and how to avoid it:
What it is
Typically, in children aged 6-14 years, removable appliances are used to correct malocclusion. The most effective is the plate. It is involved in the process of jaw growth and puts pressure on the teeth, which subsequently move in the desired direction.
It should only be prescribed by a doctor if indicated. As a rule, this occurs during the period of active growth and change in the primary occlusion until the jaw bones are finally formed. This happens around 12-14 years of age. In some cases, it is recommended to resort to correction at primary school age.
The device is worn for an average of 1.5 to 2 years. It is necessary to perform periodic pulling and twisting, the frequency of which depends on the degree of curvature, the presence of crowding and other pathological changes in the child’s dental system.
Using the plate helps:
- alignment of dentition, elimination of crowding;
- adjusting the shape of the jaw;
- increasing or decreasing the size of the sky, etc.
Many parents begin to worry when the orthodontist informs them about the need to periodically tighten the arches, and with fear they watch a video on how to tighten (twist) the upper or lower plate for the teeth. This is the most important stage of treatment, since the effectiveness of the entire therapeutic process depends on it. By understanding the nuances of the procedure, you can provide your child with a dazzling smile in adolescence and adulthood.
Types of designs
What types of plates are there for straightening teeth (in particular for children), what are they called and what do they look like? There are several types of dental braces - they are selected by the doctor during a preliminary examination, depending on the severity and nature of the defects, as well as the characteristics of the patient’s lifestyle.
The main classification is the division into removable and non-removable devices. Removable ones are not as effective as fixed ones, but are more convenient to use - you don’t have to wear them when they cause severe inconvenience, you don’t need to eat in them, and you can easily remove them for cleaning or tightening.
Fixed
These dental plates look almost like braces and are metal arches equipped with locks.
They are installed in adults to correct the straightness of the dentition. Depending on the need, the dentist may suggest one of the following options:
- Single-jaw - in them the design is supplemented with one or more screws, which are tightened from time to time. They are used if the dentition is shortened or narrowed.
- With retraction arch on a plastic base. The wire springs, creating the desired effect. Such a device can be installed on both the upper and lower jaw to correct its frontal part.
- With a hand-shaped process, the function of which is to apply pressure on the dental neck for greater efficiency. Used to correct individual visible defects.
- Bruckle's apparatus. This plate for straightening teeth looks like a regular brace, but it is additionally equipped with an inclined plane and a spring arch.
- Andresen-Goipl activator. It is used in pediatric dentistry when bone tissue is not growing fast enough by stimulating its growth. Able to correct bite.
- Frenkel apparatus (also helps young patients), consisting of cheek shields, lip pads (for lip retraction) and a durable frame. Designed to correct defects in the anterior part of the jaws.
Removable
These structures are simpler than non-removable ones and are usually made of plastic; the function of fasteners is performed by metal hooks, and sometimes there are additional screws and springs. Correcting teeth with plates that can be removed usually takes longer, and they are used only in simple cases when a significant change in the condition of the dentition is not required. Such devices are worn mainly by children, often as rehabilitation after more serious orthodontic treatment with braces (instead of retainers).
Possible difficulties
During therapy, certain difficulties may arise, such as:
- The key fails or is lost. The part is very small, so it often happens that it gets lost. There's nothing wrong with that. How to tighten a dental plate for teeth if the key is lost? It can easily be replaced with any sharp object, for example, a sewing needle, knitting needle, or unfolded paper clip.
- Breakage of a metal part. This does not happen often, but when it does happen, it is with devices on the lower jaw due to the smaller size of the plastic base. In such a situation, you cannot do without the help of an orthodontist; you need to go to him as soon as possible. If you repair the record incorrectly, you will damage the device. Only a specialist can assess the scale of the problem and advise further course of action. In some cases, it is necessary not to repair, but to completely change the orthodontic structure.
Differences between removable and permanent braces
The first can be considered a lightweight option. Such arcs:
- cheaper than those that cannot be removed independently;
- not very effective for noticeable problems, more suitable for maintenance therapy.
What does a removable dental plate look like? This is a structure made of soft plastic, it is attached to metal hooks by the teeth. Children's options are often decorated with sparkles or made colorful to make them more pleasant for the child to use.
An undoubted advantage is that this option can not be worn all the time, getting rid of the device during meals, and in some cases during sleep (as prescribed by a doctor). However, they need to be used as often as possible, otherwise there will be no visible effect: sometimes even a break of one day significantly complicates the treatment.
Installation
Before an impression of the teeth is made for the plates and they are placed (put on), the patient undergoes a complete dental and orthodontic examination, including x-rays of the entire jaw. Afterwards, plaster models are individually made, on the basis of which the arches are made. The structure of the oral cavity of each patient is unique, and it is impossible to use braces created for one person in the treatment of another. The base of the structure should tightly grip the gums and dental contour, and the structure itself should securely fix the device in the desired position, applying pressure to the places that require correction.
How to use a dental plate correctly
The system must be cleaned regularly - the formation of plaque and stone on it leads to inflammation and the development of caries. If you are using a removable version, leave it in a disinfectant solution about once a week overnight.
If the design requires a screw, it must be tightened and lubricated as necessary.
If the braces are removed, it is permissible to remain without them only during meals and daily hygiene (sometimes also during sleep), even if they cause discomfort: without constant impact on the jaw there will be no desired effect. Before a person, especially a child, gets used to the plates on their teeth, they need an adaptation period - on average, one and a half to two weeks. However, there should not be severe pain and friction: if they are observed, you should contact your dentist.
If problems arise with the device, you must immediately make an appointment with an orthodontist, since a break in treatment can negatively affect its outcome. Often, fixing the problem is not difficult (only a specialist should do this), but in some cases it is necessary to completely replace the structure.
Photos before and after wearing a dental plate - what the result of treatment looks like
Treatment of malocclusion or dentition is not a quick process, but the result speaks for itself. For example, here are the “after” photos.
Expansion of the upper jaw is indicated in the following cases:
- Micrognathia is underdevelopment of the upper jaw. It may be a consequence of rickets, endocrine diseases, injuries, too early loss of milk or permanent teeth, etc.
- Narrowing of the dentition of the upper jaw , resulting in a pathological crossbite.
- Difficulty in nasal breathing due to insufficient volume of the nasal cavities.
- Mesial occlusion.
- Protrusion of incisors.
Next, we will tell you what methods of expanding the upper jaw exist, what types of non-removable devices there are and what a non-removable plate for expanding the upper jaw is, as well as how the expansion is carried out surgically (surgery).
How long to wear the design
Before the doctor installs plates on the teeth of children or when he places them on adults, he makes a preliminary calculation of the time it will take to treat the pathology. This period is approximate and can be reduced or increased depending on the individual reaction and speed of curvature correction. On average, a non-removable system is worn for a year or two, followed by the installation of a retainer to consolidate the result (it is used for as long as possible). If the arch is installed for a child whose jaw is at the stage of formation, most likely, the device will require replacement approximately every six months.
To obtain accurate information on how long and how to wear dental plates correctly, you need to see at least the first results of treatment.
Summing up
Children's teeth are not only a cheerful smile. It is also an important link in the digestive tract. Depending on the quality of chewing food, the further process of digestion also depends. Disease of the teeth and gums often leads to inflammation of other organs. It is necessary to monitor the condition of a child’s teeth from a very early age. Replacing baby teeth with permanent ones should be natural. Often, an extracted baby tooth causes the molar to erupt in the wrong place, and as a result, the need for orthodontic treatment with plates or braces. Doctors say: “It is better to prevent a disease than to treat it.”
The appearance of malocclusion or crooked teeth must be corrected as early as possible. To identify abnormalities in a timely manner, it is recommended to bring your child for examination to the dentist at least twice a year, starting from the age of one.
Parents should ensure that their child learns to brush his teeth well as early as possible and help him do it correctly.
Periodically examine his oral cavity and if you notice a brown or white spot on his teeth, immediately contact a dentist. Currently, doctors have completely painless ways to treat caries.
How to Care for Braces
The basic principle of caring for fixed arches is thorough cleaning several times a day using a brush and floss (dental floss). In the case of removable ones, the process is a little more complicated. Necessary:
- When eating, remove the system, after (before putting it on) - thoroughly clean and rinse the mouth;
- do not forget about weekly deep cleaning of the device using special solutions and gels;
- Strictly follow the dentist’s recommendations regarding the regular use of the device - depending on the severity of the pathology and design features, you need to wear it for several hours a day.
If the arc is equipped with a screw, it should be regularly treated with vegetable oil to prevent it from stagnating, and then carefully turned clockwise and counterclockwise.
For children
How to wear a dental plate for a child depends on the age at which it is placed. Here, too, you need to listen to your specialist. The parents’ task is to ensure that their son or daughter puts on the device on time and does not take it off without the knowledge of their elders (for example, at school or kindergarten). In the event of a breakdown, you should immediately consult a doctor for repair or replacement.
A child's jaw needs less time to change, so the screw will have to be tightened more often than in the case of an adult patient. It is important to monitor uniform pressure on the dentition and control the degree of bite correction.
A plate for a child’s teeth may differ in design from the “adult” version - they are made in color and the metal is decorated with sparkles. Due to this, children's devices are often more expensive than conventional ones, but this can be justified: if you make the medical device an analogue of jewelry, it will be easier for the little patient to get used to it, and he will become less capricious from the need to wear an orthodontic device in his mouth.
For adults
People over 16 years of age are most often given not lightweight thin arches, but braces or aligners that resemble sports mouth guards (if a removable option is needed), but there are situations when the doctor chooses braces - usually this happens if the patient does not require extensive treatment. It is easier for an adult than for children to explain how to properly put a plate on their teeth and remove it, how it works - in the future it is enough just to follow these recommendations and not forget about hygiene.
Indications for wearing screw devices
As a rule, they are prescribed during the period of active change from a temporary bite to a permanent one. At this time, the jaw bones are still quite soft and pliable, and therefore it is possible to adjust the growth of the jaws if, for example, the upper one is too narrow and does not keep up with the lower one, or vice versa. Plates are often prescribed when there is a need to increase or decrease the size of the palate or straighten crowded and crooked teeth.
They are also used in a complex of therapeutic measures (before surgery) to restore the functionality of the maxillofacial apparatus in patients with cleft[1] of the alveolar process.
On a note! Sometimes plates of this type are used in adults. For example, if you need to change the location of one or more teeth, with minor bite pathologies. Or in addition to other methods of orthodontic correction. Often, at the final stage of treatment.
Retention devices after removing braces
Even high-quality orthodontic intervention is not a guarantee that after the correction is completed, the situation will not return to its original course and the curvature will not return. To minimize the risk of this, after wearing the system (usually one and a half to two years), supporting and consolidating therapy is used, since the elements of the jaw retain increased mobility and tend to return to their old position. Typically the process lasts several years, 1.5-2 times longer than treatment - this is exactly what a dental plate is for.
The use of an arch does not involve such discomfort as the use of a brace system, and after it, the result will be almost unnoticeable. Also, it will not cause inconvenience to a person who is accustomed to careful oral care.
Not only wire elements can be used as a retainer, but also mouth guards that are placed on the teeth. The number of hours in a day during which a retention device must be worn is determined by the doctor based on the mobility of the patient’s jaw.
Advantages and disadvantages of records
The advantages of fixed orthodontic braces include:
- effectiveness against malocclusions, gaps, grouping;
- relatively low cost;
- no need for active patient action (especially important for children - it is enough to follow simple operating instructions);
- the ability to save the entire row without removing the “extra”, as before braces;
- expansion of the jaw (in children), so that subsequently the permanent incisors and molars erupt correctly and do not interfere.
Before you start wearing dental plates, you should familiarize yourself with the list of potential inconveniences:
- ineffective for significant pathologies;
- the possibility of an allergic reaction to plastic or metal alloy components;
- risk of gum inflammation (in this case, consultation with the treating orthodontist is required);
- discomfort when wearing (especially initially);
- the likelihood of a change in diction (the patient will have to adapt to the new state and not plan important meetings during the adaptation period);
- lack of aesthetic appeal (it is better to find out in advance everything about the condition of the teeth and clarify what a dental plate looks like for a child or adult).
How effective are the devices?
If the problem is not advanced, arches are enough to get an even, beautiful smile and get rid of defects. Only an orthodontist can give the most accurate forecast - he will also advise which device should be chosen.
The best option is to use the design at a young age, as this reduces the likelihood that repeated correction will be needed after adulthood. The doctor will select the optimal wire thickness to achieve the effect.
Why do children have malocclusion?
Malocclusion in children is very common and should not cause increased concern among parents. This is not a disease, but a developmental feature, and it can be corrected quite easily. Most often, the bite is crooked for the following reasons:
- the child inherited an atypically small jaw from his parents;
- teeth erupted faster than the jaw grew;
- the baby quickly developed caries, so he had to have his baby teeth removed;
- the child often bites his lip, sucks his finger, or has other bad habits that negatively affect his bite.
Also, problems with bite occur in boys and girls who often catch colds and cannot breathe through their nose. If nasal breathing is difficult due to enlarged adenoids, the small patient has to breathe through the mouth willy-nilly, which can affect the bite.
While the teeth are still baby, you can still come to terms with the curvature of the bite. But as soon as they begin to change to permanent ones, you need to start visiting the orthodontist to prevent possible problems. The sooner you start correcting your bite, the easier and cheaper it will be to get your teeth into the correct position. Most likely, for this, the doctor will put plates on the child’s teeth.
ATTENTION:
For the manufacture of children's orthodontic plates, hypoallergenic materials that are completely safe for health are used.
Correct your bite or dental defect with invisible aligners Find out what it is
Cost of dental plates
For a minor citizen of Russia, the service can be provided free of charge upon presentation of a compulsory medical insurance policy - this is included in the territorial program of state guarantees for the provision of medical care (although sometimes you have to wait). Before children have plates placed on their teeth, impressions are taken of them.
In different commercial organizations, the price varies from 7–10 to 30 thousand rubles, depending on the configuration and complexity of the case. Some devices can be more expensive than conventional arches: for example, a Frenkel apparatus can cost up to 22 thousand, and a single-jaw design can cost differently depending on the number of screws in it.
Specialists at the Dentika clinic invite patients for consultations and installation of orthodontic systems that correct the bite and dentition. We will tell you in detail about how it works, looks, is called and what a plate does for straightening teeth for children and adults, what type of bite it is placed on, and we will help you choose an option that suits you. We work in Voronezh 7 days a week and are always ready to provide qualified assistance!
