Functional Appliance
|
| |
| Functional appliances are removable or fixed (cemented) appliances that alter the position of the lower jaw. The appliance creates a force which alters the muscles and soft tissues, which changes the neuromuscular environment and leads to an effect on the dental and skeletal tissues. This produces movement of the teeth and modification to the growth of the jaws and lower face. |
| |
| |
| |
| Interceptive Appliance |
| |
This is an orthodontic treatment, which is usually done when you are 6-10 years old. Interceptive orthodontic treatment is to prevent problems from getting worse.
It also makes future treatment easier and less painful; simplifying future treatment. |
| |
| |
| |
| Fixed Appliance |
| |
| Fixed appliance braces can either be metal or aesthetic. Brackets and bands are bonded or cemented to the teeth. A wire is tied to the brackets with either a steel ligature or a plastic ring. |
| |
| Metal Braces |
 |
Metal braces are the traditional braces made of stainless steel, and are the most widely used.
Easy to Clean – With metal braces it makes cleaning a lot easier. |
| Aesthetic Braces |
 |
Aesthetic braces are a cosmetic alternative to the metal braces due; the brace is able to blend in more with the teeth and is less conspicuous. The brackets we use are usually made from ceramic material. This type of brace is usually preferred by adults, in comparison to the metal braces.
Appearance - It is less conspicuous, giving you a more attractive appearance. |
| |
| |
| |
Invisible Braces
|
| |
| Invisalign |
 |
Invisalign uses a series of clear, custom-made, removable aligners to straighten your teeth. It uses advanced 3-D computer technology to generate the complete teeth-straightening treatment.
Invisible - Invisalign uses a series of custom-made, nearly invisible aligners to straighten your teeth. So, no one can tell you're wearing aligners.
Removable - With Invisalign, the aligners can easily be removed. You can brush and floss easily to maintain a good oral hygiene.
Comfortable - Minimal abrasions will be caused by Invisalign aligners.
|
|
| |
| Lingual Braces |
 |
Lingual braces are a high-tech orthodontic treatment for patients with all kinds of different malocclusions.
Invisible - It is completely invisible, easy to keep clean and the only one who knows you are having orthodontic treatment is you.
Custom Made - It is designed only for your teeth, so it is a perfect fit. Both the brackets and the wires of the lingual appliance are manufactured individually with the latest state of the art CAD/CAM technology.
The remarkable flat design of the gold alloy brackets (anti-allergic) provides maximum patient comfort and rapid adaptation to speech.
|
|
| |
| |
| |
Retention
|
| |
| Why? |
Congratulations! Today your appliance comes off and you are now with a beautiful and healthy set of teeth. The result of our hard work will not stay if we do not take care of them properly.
Retention is important because even if teeth are moved to their right places, they need time to consolidate. Just like young trees needs struts to help them grow straight, teeth after moving a long way also need retainers to keep them straight. In due course, the supporting tissue of teeth will gradually adapt and with proper occlusion i.e. the manner how teeth come together, they will fit the teeth in the opposing arch better giving you a healthy dentition to enjoy your food.
|
|
| |
| Retainers |
Broadly speaking there are two types of retainer, the removable and fixed.
The removable type typically is made of either hard plastic (acrylic) with wire or soft pliable transparent plastic (Essix).
|
| Begg retainer |
 |
| Essix retainer |
 |
The hard plastic retainer (e.g. Begg Retainer) incorporates steel wire which hugs around teeth to maintain their position. It is a bit unsightly but it is very durable. With proper care, it can last you up to many years.
The Essix type is a transparent shells which embrace all the teeth and maintain their position. It looks nice but as softer plastic tends to take on stain and wears quicker, the Essix retainer usually needs replacement after one year.
The fixed retainer is a piece of flexible wire which is glued on the inside (lingual) surface of your teeth. It is very comfortable. People get used to it after a few days. Fixed retainer can last up to five to ten years if not broken by excessive biting force. It can be left indefinitely unless your dentist thinks it hinders proper cleaning.
|
| Fixed retainer |
 |
| Our Retention Regime |
We will usually provide one year of post-active treatment monitor. For the first six month, we will advice full time wear of retainers. After this period, if it is deemed suitable, we will advise patients to wear only when they go to bed. In cases which are more likely to relapse, we will recommend to prolong this period.
|
| Keeping the perfect smile |
Our whole body goes through changes as we age. Just like our weight or physical fitness, it takes vigilance and toning to maintain in perfect shape. For those who are keen on maintaining the perfect alignment, we would suggest to continue wearing of retainers indefinitely. One should try to see if the retainer feels comfortable occasionally (say twice a week). If the retainer does not feel right, wear it for a few days, the elasticity built in a retainer should able to push teeth back to their original position.
Lower front teeth have a higher tendency to push against each other due to many reasons e.g. impacted wisdom teeth and normal physiological changes as we age. That is why we routinely use fixed retainer for lower teeth. On the other hand, if you’re general dentist advice to have them fixed retainer removed because you are not able to keep them clean, we are happy to remove it for free. We would suggest leaving the fixed retainer (especially on lower anterior teeth) for a few years until it breaks.
For cases with high likelihood of relapse and for those who really want to maintain their perfect smile, we advice a yearly review with us for a fee. During the visit we will assess the condition, adjust your retainer and offer advice on retention.
|
|
| |
| |
| |
|
|
| |
| |
