6 Orthodontic Facts That Will Make You Say Wow!

We all think of orthodontics as the most recent type of dentistry to pop up because we think that current advancements in technology are the reason why orthodontics is possible today.

However, while these advancements have helped greatly, orthodontics has existed since Ancient Egyptian times- which was about 5,000 years ago. The practice has evolved and has become more reliable and produces results much faster.

Orthodontics has a very long history and there are many fun facts to learn because of this. These are the 6 orthodontic facts that will make you say “wow!”.

1. How Braces Work

Do you know how your braces work? They are designed to be putting constant, gentle pressure on your teeth. This causes them to slowly move into their proper spots. The archwire is what puts the most pressure on your teeth.

The brackets are there to hold the wiring in place. They are connected to your teeth by a special adhesive that sets when blue light is shined on it. If your bracket becomes loose or falls off, you will want to have it fixed right away.

This is because the bracket is no longer doing its job of holding everything where it should be, making your treatment time longer than it would have been before.

2. Ancient People Had Braces

Archaeologists have discovered braces being worn by Egyptian mummies. They were simpler than what your braces look like today but did the same job of moving teeth to their correct positions.

Their braces were metal bands wrapped around their teeth, applying pressure to move them slowly. In addition to the Ancient Egyptians, the Greeks, Romans, and Etruscans also had their own types of orthodontics treatment.

Etruscan women were discovered to wear a gold band around their teeth. It is believed that they wanted to hold their teeth in place after passing on. Ancient Greek and Roman writers often covered dental irregularities and ways to correct them.

3. Invisible Aligners

Invisible aligners were invented in 1925 by Orrin Remensnyder by accident. 20 years later he developed this idea further, using clear aligners as a way to hold the teeth in place after the patient completed their braces treatment.

He stated that the treatment was not practical at that time, but in the future, the science behind it might be developed further and become easier to use.

In 1998, Zia Chishti released his take on clear aligners and Invisalign came to the market. It was available for a wider range of patients, was more effective, and became popular with teens and adults who had to have orthodontic treatment.

Today, invisible aligners work just as well as traditional braces. Plus, they can not be seen by others and can be easily removed when you want to eat. There are many reasons why people choose this type of aligner over braces.

4. Accelerated Orthodontics

This type of orthodontics focuses on shorting the time needed to correct the position of the teeth during treatment. There are a few studies out there that claim the process can reduce expected treatment times by at least three months.

However, you should never attempt to DIY an accelerated treatment. Some patients try to wear extra rubber bands, thinking that the added pressure will speed up their treatment. Doing so can drastically slow down your treatment plan and even harm your teeth- we do not recommend trying anything like this.

Accelerated orthodontics is a newer field. There is not a lot of research to show how a faster treatment will affect the patient’s teeth over time. Still, you can speed up your treatment in a few healthy ways at home:

• Wear your rubber bands correctly and for the right amount of time.
• Cut your food into smaller pieces so you chew less.
• Keep your teeth and braces clean.
• Always attend your regularly scheduled appointments.
• Try not to clench your jaw and do not chew on ice.

If you follow this advice during your treatment, you can be sure that the process will go smoothly. Not taking care of your braces can extend the treatment if you do anything that makes them less effective.

5. Braces are About More than Just Looks

Wearing braces is about more than changing your appearance. While they do give you a straighter smile, they are also improving the health of your teeth.

They make it easier to speak and eat and make it easier to clean teeth that were too crowded together before. That way, you can avoid tooth decay or other problems linked to not being able to brush your teeth thoroughly.

Depending on how your teeth and jaw are aligned, treatment can even help with breathing problems and headaches. As far as orthodontic facts go, it is important to know that you are greatly improving your health when you decide to go through the treatment.

6. Wearing Your Retainer is as Important as Wearing Braces

If you want the success of your treatment to last, then you will need to be dedicated to wearing your retainer at the proper times. 25% of patients who wore braces need to go through treatment a second time because they did not wear their retainers.

You will want to wear your retainer every single night, no matter how long ago you completed the treatment. Only stop if your orthodontist says it is alright.

When you do not wear a retainer, your teeth can move back to their original positions. This means they return to being crooked or crowded- which was exactly why you needed to get braces in the first place. Be sure to wear your retainer as instructed!

Conclusion

Did those 6 orthodontic facts make you say ”wow!”? We hope that you learned something new and interesting about your braces today.

Be sure to contact us if you have any questions or concerns about your treatment. At Orthodontics Limited, we love hearing from all of our patients and want to make the treatment as comfortable for you as possible.