Plates for teeth leveling: the variety and nuances of the application

Uneven position of teeth at the today’s level of development of dentistry is not a problem. At the moment, there are many techniques that make your smile perfectly even.

Some ways of dentition adjustment are designed for use from the earliest age. One of such methods is an installation of the leveling plates.

Design features description

Plates (brackets) – are kind of retainers intended for leveling of individual pathologies of teeth in the early stages of the development of malocclusion, or to enhance the effect after using braces.

Despite the fact that some models have a slight difference in the structure, their basic elements are the same. This design consists of an orthodontic plate, arc (wire) and fastening.

The plate is made of a soft plastic or moderate stringency of any color. Formed in strict accordance with the patient’s palate and is designed to hold the leveling metal arc. The arc is made of an alloy of nickel and titanium which has “memory” effect.

Its essence is that under any load a metal wire takes an initially given to it shape. Therefore, when setting it on the teeth, it is not deformed and thus exerts a continuous pressure on the crown.

Thanks to the little power of an arc exposure, a damage to the root system of the tooth is excluded. For each situation, the wire may be of different thickness. Fastenings in the form of a hook which are installed on incisors are also made of it.

Some constructions of this kind are designed with activators, built-in in a plate. They allow you to use the same design along with the treatment. To do this, there is a need to tighten up the system on a regular basis by using a special key for its dense tension.

Kinds

Levelling plates by the method of installing can be divided into two types: fixed and removable.

Fixed

The plates fixed type are intended for formation of the correct position of the whole group of teeth without removing them throughout the course of treatment. They are of a standard design, but with the addition of locks that attach to teeth.

An arc passed through the locks and pulls together periodically to impart the necessary pressure on the crown. This method allows you to make a correction of the dentition, even when a permanent occlusion has a severe deformation.

The timing of treatment depends on the individual case and can last from one to several years. This leveling system has a higher value than its removable analog. This is due to the complexity of the design and choice of material of locks.

Removable

Removable plates are structures of facilitated type, which has no locks part. Fixing the teeth is due to special loop-like hooks.

In some cases, the system includes the elements that contribute to a more rigid fixation. This design is intended for everyday use, with the possibility of a temporary withdrawal. It features a low price and ease of use.

The plates of removable type are divided into several subtypes, which differ in structure and purpose:

• one-jaw – designed to eliminate strain detached crowns and restoring dentition of standard size when narrowing or shortening. The pressure is regulated by twisting a wire embedded in the screws. Used for both children and adults;
• an appendix of a hand-like kind, which is located on the arc. It is used to correct the position of the tooth. When pulling the appendix presses only deformed teeth, correcting its position;
• with the arc of retraction type. It is used to restore the location of the protrusive location of front crowns on any jaw. The result of the recovery is due to the arc spring properties;
• with an active pusher which consists of one or two resilient elements. Suitable only for the restoration of the front teeth of the upper jaw;
• Brukl’s appliance. Used to fix the location of defects in the anterior dentition only of a movable jaw;
• Andresen-Goypil activator. Designed to restore teeth deformation both on the lower and upper jaw. It has a couple of components;
• Frenkel apparatus. Not only corrects uneven dentition and occlusion in general. It is the most difficult type of plates by its structure, where there are labial pelota and buccal shields, which are attached to a metal substrate.

Indications

Despite the simplicity and some primitive of the design, brackets have a wide range of indications. Installation of plates is recommended in several cases:

• abnormal development of the bones of the jaw arcs;
• adjusting the position of one or more teeth;
• fix the width of the palate, if it is narrowed;
• activation or slowing the growth process of the jaws;
• elimination of separation of crowns, in a rare case of their location;
• preventing tooth displacement, with fixing the result after the other orthodontic leveling systems.

As a tool to fix the results of the plate are assigned even to adults.

Occlusion correction

Leveling the teeth by means of the plate is usually prescribed for children with milk or changeable occlusion. This is justified since the position of the teeth, in this case, is easy to correct without unneeded burden.

But in the case of the correction of malocclusion in children at an early stage of development of permanent teeth, careful observation by the dentist is required. This is due to not formed positioning of root part, which can lead to irreversible loss of the tooth.

Prescription of treatment with plates and their production is conducted strictly on an individual basis. To do this, visit the orthodontist. On the first consultation, a doctor conducts a visual inspection of the problem of the dentition and a detailed examination with the help of X-ray equipment.

After that, the type of device is determined and explanatory conversation about its operating principles is held.

Next, a wax mold of teeth is taken on which a plaster model of removable clips is formed. Model of plaster serves as a basis for the accurate production of the plate, in compliance with the contour crowns and features a clear gingival relief.

During the second visit, the dentist is installing and fitting ready-made construction. This procedure lasts about 10 minutes. In conclusion, the doctor explains how to correctly perform the tension of the arc when adjusting at home.

Orthodontist determines the period of use of the bracket till the first visible result, in which an estimated time of total recovery period will be determined.

The effectiveness of this type of system depends on careful following doctor’s instructions. If the patient forgets to constantly wear plates, so the correction of occlusion will be not soon. The average removable brackets kind wearing time takes about two years.

For brackets, as well as for other orthodontic appliances, it takes some time to adapt. In the first days some discomfort, violation of diction, excessive salivation and even pain from the constant pressure of the arc are possible. But after 3-7 days they go away.

Care and recommendations for wearing

Despite the fact that the plates are made of flexible plastic and hardened metal, with improper care, they can break. Also, they can quickly incapacitate with insufficient hygienic care.

For brackets to serve as long as possible, you should follow some rules for care:

• At least once a day it is necessary to carry out hygienic cleaning with a soft brush using a special gel or ordinary toothpaste.
• Once every 7 days, you should conduct a high-level disinfection with a special solution. For this, it is placed in an aseptic liquid overnight.
• Before use, the plate should be cleaned with warm boiled water.
• Keep the unit in a specifically designed for this container.
• In the case of a breakdown structure must be given to a specialist. Using the defective unit is strictly prohibited.
• To eliminate the stagnation of a rotary screw, it is recommended to apply a drop of oil on it.
• Try to remove the plate during the meal.
• Try to wear it all day and night.
• Remove the unit before swimming and contact sports.
• Regular visits to the dentist throughout the treatment eliminates the associated problems.
• Daily use fluoride rinsing agents.

Contraindications

Even such a simple leveling system as plates, has a number of some contraindications:

• diseases of the periodontal tissues;
• allergic reactions to constituents of component parts;
• respiratory tract diseases;
• caries.

Price

The price of a leveling plates type depends on the design features of selected materials and clinic level. The average price of the conventional color standard plate made of a medium hardness plastic, without additional elements is not more than 125$.

Models having the same characteristics but produced by using a colored material or increased softness of the plastic will cost more than 150$.

Complex type appliances, supplemented by one screw, have an average value of 113$. Installing each additional screws will cost 13-25$, and equipping an orthodontic appliance with a special system for the tongue costs 6-19$.

The average price of the device for leveling premolars and molars is 175$.

Feedbacks

In modern dentistry, plates(brackets) take one of the first places in popularity for teeth popularity among patients. As with any structure of this type plates have pluses and minuses, so someone is satisfied with the result of their use, and someone is not.

You can also express your opinion about the use of plates for leveling in the comments to this article.