What’s Hot in the World of Braces

Orthodontists are excited, which is not something that happens every day. Why are orthodontists excited? Hot new orthodontic trends are making the practice of orthodontics fun. More and more patients are happy to be in the dentist’s chair (for once). So what are these hot new trends in the world of orthodontics?

Clear braces

The term clear braces is sort of a misnomer since the brackets of “clear braces” are actually tooth-colored and not clear. Clear braces perform just like traditional metal brackets and archwires  except that they are harder to see. Adult patients love them because clear braces can provide orthodontic treatment in even the most difficult cases, but are less noticeable than metal brackets. Clear braces are the exciting choice for teens and adults that cannot have or do not want clear aligners.

Clear aligners

Clear aligners like Invisalign have changed the face of orthodontics. For people with relatively minor orthodontic problems, clear aligners are providing the benefits of straight teeth  while being virtually undetectable to others. Clear aligners slide right over your own teeth and are truly clear, so anyone looking at your mouth will not notice them. However, all the while these invisible braces are pulling and pushing teeth into a better alignment.

Digital imaging

This hot new trend in orthodontics is a real hit with kids and teens especially. Digital imaging of patient’s teeth and gums allows the orthodontist and the patient to see where treatment is going. It can predict the final outcome of braces and provide a projected picture of what the patient with look like after braces are removed. Digital imaging in orthodontics is helping to keep children and teenagers interested and motivated in orthodontic treatment. Wearing braces is much easier if you can actually see the goal. This is the power of 3-D digital imaging.

A lab in the orthodontist office

Orthodontists are beginning to bring the dental laboratory right into their practice offices. The machines that create dental devices and orthodontic appliances have become so efficient and compact that they fit right in the orthodontist office. This means that instead of sending out impressions or other images to a dental laboratory, the orthodontist can create the appliance in house. When combined with 3-D dental imaging, in-office fabrication is really speeding up orthodontic treatment.

NASA and Orthodontics?

Metals originally developed by NASA are improving comfort and speeding up orthodontic treatment. NASA developed a heat-activated metal that changes shape when exposed to different temperatures. In turns out that the temperature in the mouth is enough to change the shape of this space age metal. Why is this important? The braces increase in tension slowly and in between adjustments. Therefore there is less discomfort and braces are removed faster.

6 month braces

You may have seen advertisements for 6 month braces as part of cosmetic dentistry. How can someone straighten teeth in six months when most orthodontists takes two years? Here is the big difference between 6 month braces and other, longer forms of orthodontic treatment: Orthodontic treatment is usually about teeth straightening perfection while 6 month braces are about getting the teeth pretty close to straight as quickly as possible. While 6 month braces may be faster than traditional treatment, you don’t always get better function or much healthier teeth. Still, 6 month braces are an attractive choice for many orthodontic patients.