What are the characteristics of adult orthodontics
The orthodontic treatment for adults is very different from that for adolescents, because the growth and development of adults have been completed, the jaw and facial bones have become bony fusion, plasticity is very low, and the metabolic rate of adults has become slower and the biological responsiveness has decreased, which increases the difficulty of orthodontic treatment.
Compared with adolescents, adult orthodontics is more complicated, and adult malocclusion is often accompanied by other oral diseases, such as caries, periodontal disease, missing teeth, tooth wear, residual crowns, and residual roots. Before starting orthodontic treatment, comprehensive control of periodontal disease and removal of intra-oral restorations are required, otherwise the wear of aligners and movement of teeth will be affected.
Why orthodontics for adults is becoming more and more common
In recent years, due to the rapid development of science and technology, the wide application of science and technology in the field of medicine has led to the continuous improvement of medical standards. For example, the development of oral biology, biomechanics and material science has promoted the continuous improvement and development of orthodontic theory and technology, which has laid the foundation for adult orthodontics. The technical difficulties of adult orthodontic treatment have now made significant breakthroughs and have been widely successful. At the same time, due to the improvement of living standard and the extension of life expectancy of the population, people begin to pay attention to improving the quality of life and enhancing the aesthetic concept after the basic life requirements such as clothing, food, housing and transportation are satisfied, and the number of adults requesting orthodontic treatment is also increasing. This is also a manifestation of social progress and improvement of civilization.
In the recent two decades, the number of adult patients requiring orthodontic treatment has been increasing year by year, in the United States, 25% of orthodontic patients are adults, and the trend of adult orthodontics in China is also increasing.
Adult orthodontics should choose the right method
In orthodontic treatment, brackets are the most commonly used and indispensable appliance. There are metal brackets and ceramic (transparent) brackets; brackets are placed on the outside of the teeth and on the inner side of the teeth; rubber bands that are often replaced are monochromatic and colored. Patients can discuss with their doctors about the orthodontic approach and the appliances used.
Fixed orthodontic appliances are small and highly effective and are more suitable for adults. In recent years, lingual fixed appliances have also been more widely used for invisible orthodontics, greatly satisfying patients’ requirements in terms of aesthetics. Although the improvement of orthodontic technology and high-quality orthodontic equipment provide good conditions for the development of adult orthodontics, adults often do not achieve perfection in the treatment effect due to various subjective and objective factors, so adults should not be in a hurry when undergoing orthodontic treatment and should have a full understanding of the complexity of the treatment and be mentally prepared.
Adult orthodontics is a treatment that takes longer and costs more, and should be used with reliable quality, do not pay too much attention to price and ignore the quality. A good quality appliance can greatly reduce the chance of brackets falling out and can shorten the treatment time.
What to pay attention to during orthodontic treatment
When wearing orthodontic appliances for about 3 days, it is normal to have slight discomfort or pain in the teeth, which is obvious when eating, if the pain continues to be obvious, please contact your doctor.
Do not eat hard, sticky food, so as not to damage the aligners, wire deformation, affect the effectiveness of treatment, prolong the course of treatment. Brush your teeth in time after each meal to clean the teeth and aligners carefully, otherwise it will easily cause gingivitis, periodontitis and tooth decay.
You cannot adjust the aligner by yourself, if you find the wire fractured or dislodged, you should contact your doctor immediately for a timely follow-up; you cannot increase or decrease the amount of orthodontic force by yourself, so as not to cause tooth loosening and necrosis.
What to pay attention to in adult orthodontics
Adults should carry out orthodontic treatment under good oral hygiene conditions, and pay attention to the changes of periodontal situation during the treatment. The growth and development of adults have stopped, the alveolar bone reconstruction is slower, the tooth movement is relatively slower, and the treatment time required is longer.
In addition, orthodontics for adults should also consider the impact of the general health condition, suffering from rheumatic heart disease, coronary heart disease, hypothyroidism, excessive stomach acid, diabetes, arthritis, bleeding disorders, epilepsy and other diseases, these diseases should be controlled first.
Adults are prone to relapse after orthodontic treatment, so it is important to maintain after treatment.
How patients can cooperate with orthodontics
How patients and parents cooperate with doctors for orthodontic treatment: the cooperation of patients and parents is the key to achieve good orthodontic results, for this reason, patients or parents need to do the following.
1, to overcome the discomfort of the initial period of braces: just wear braces for the initial few days or even one or two weeks, due to the brackets and archwires on the soft tissues of the oral cavity and the release of orthodontic force, may cause tooth soreness and even pain, as well as the stinging of the mucosa of the cheek and lip, the patient should be prepared and cooperate with the doctor through this initial period;
2, careful protection of orthodontic devices: bonded brackets on the tooth surface and through which the archwire are very delicate devices, patients must take extra care, which must be done: brush your teeth carefully, but also lightly, avoid violent collision device; eat or chew food gently, try to avoid eating coarse and hard food; fingers do not touch or fiddle with the orthodontic devices on the tooth surface.
3, in strict accordance with medical advice to cooperate: patients should strictly follow the requirements of the doctor, in the entire treatment process to cooperate with the treatment, such as the replacement of the rubber band, the application of extra-oral arch, the wear of movable braces. In addition, compliance with the instructions of the follow-up is also necessary to achieve good orthodontic results.