Orthodontic Blog - Fresh Orthodontics

The internet is rife with rumours about self-ligating brackets. They are new and exciting, and have some unique qualities that make them more desirable than other forms of orthodontry.

Teeth are not as stable as sometimes we might like to believe. In fact, although teeth are rooted in the jawbone, and are quite stationary, they can be moved. This is how orthodontics works at all; the braces exert pressure and gently move the teeth to a more desirable position.

Apparently it is no longer embarrassing to wear braces! This recent development is a trend that has all of us very excited, as previously there have been problems with adults who have ruined their looks and have had to deal with completely avoidable dental problems because of a failure to put on braces in early childhood.

Mini screws are like tiny dental implants that are used in dentistry for various purposes. They are always hypoallergenic, as they are inside the mouth. They can be put on the actual orthodontic device itself, or in the soft issues or even the bones. Usually the screw is placed into the jawbone above the teeth.

Sometimes teeth do not grow and fit into the arch entirely. These teeth do not descend into the mouth enough, and are at least partially, if not entirely covered by gums. This is a problem not only because it is unattractive, but because it is unhealthy.