10 Myths About Braces

10 Myths About Braces

1. Braces have to feel tight or hurt to work- No pain no gain, right? Well, not exactly. In the old days there were only stiff wires available. Now with the change in technology, we are able to place very flexible wires and the pressure you would have felt before is non-existent.


2. The tighter the better- A common statement we hear is "Make it tighter so they can come off sooner." While a certain level of force is necessary to move the teeth, too much pressure can actually damage the teeth.
   
   
3. Wires need to be changed at every visit- Some of the wires currently used can be bent into different shapes and still spring back into the U-shape they were when they were placed.
   
   
4. Only braces can straighten my teeth- Not necessarily. As times change so do the methods of treatment. You could be a candidate for Aligner treatment and never have to wear any type of braces.
   
   
5. My spaces will start closing as soon as I get braces on- Many people who start treatment with significant spaces between their teeth, have the unrealistic hope that the spaces will disappear right after they start treatment. After the teeth are straight that the spaces between them can be closed.
   
   
6. Once I get my braces off, my teeth will stay straight forever- Getting your teeth straight and your bite to fit together is just half the battle. After your braces are removed, your teeth will want to move back to their original position, this is why retainers are so important.
   
   
7. My wisdom teeth are making my teeth crooked- You may think wisdom teeth may cause crowding. However, there is very little proof that wisdom teeth are able to cause any type of crowding.
   
   
8. Any overbite is bad- Many patients think that having a mild overbite is a bad thing, which is incorrect. Actually, people with no overbite have a problem with wearing down of their front teeth because their teeth actually contact each other.
   
   
9. The date for the removal of my braces is set in stone- Patients are only given an estimated treatment time prior to treatment as a guideline. A delay in treatment can be caused by many different things such as: broken brackets, delay between appointments, and not brushing properly, etc.
   
   
10. You need to have a referral from a dentist to see an Orthodontist- There is no need to have a referral from a dentist to be seen by an Sondhi-Biggs Orthodontics. The AAO suggests that the appropriate age to first be seen by an Orthodontist is age 7.
    

If you have any questions or would like any more information about any of these "Myth's" please feel free to get in touch with us.