The loose braces

Introduction

More and more people want straight teeth and a beautiful smile. Unfortunately, most patients do not have this by nature, so they have the option of orthodontic treatment and having crooked teeth straightened. Braces are a device used in dentistry to correct jaw and tooth misalignments, thus improving the aesthetics and especially the functionality of the jaw.

Loose braces

Loose braces are dental appliances that are used to straighten the jaw and teeth and, unlike fixed braces, are removed from the mouth and reattached by the patient himself. Therefore, loose braces are often called removable braces. Loose, removable braces are made in the dental laboratory using a jaw and tooth model.

Before the appliances are made, a so-called dental impression (actually an impression) of the upper and lower jaw has to be taken. Based on these impressions, a plaster model can then be cast in the laboratory and the braces can be made to fit exactly. A distinction is made between active plates for the upper and lower jaw and functional orthodontic appliances (FKO appliances for short).

Active plates are particularly suitable for children between the ages of 9 and 14 years, since the young patients are still changing their teeth at exactly this time and the jaw can be shaped during growth. With the help of these removable braces, sufficient space can be created in the jaw before the teeth break through and gaps between teeth that are too narrow can be widened. Functional orthodontic appliances (FKO appliances), on the other hand, are used to influence the growth of the jaw so that a normal bite position is achieved (neutral occlusion). They are used to correct so-called deep bites (teeth lie too low on top of each other, usually the incisors of the lower jaw are no longer visible when biting) or open bites.

Application of loose braces

Once such loose removable braces are in place, it is of utmost importance that patients adhere strictly to the treatment plan. The exact wearing time per day and each control appointment should be observed without interruption, because only in this way can the success of the treatment be guaranteed and the wearing time kept as short as possible. This also applies if the child is in pain, especially at the beginning.

This usually passes after a few days. In addition to the usual loose braces, so-called clear aligners are becoming increasingly popular with adult patients. These are transparent plastic splints that are quite inconspicuous and can therefore be worn all day without any restrictions.

During the orthodontic therapy with Clear Aligners the tooth and jaw malposition is corrected in several steps by wearing different splints one after the other with increasing pressure intensity. In order to maintain the success of the treatment of loose braces in the long term, a corresponding follow-up treatment is necessary after every orthodontic therapy. Since the shape of the jaw can change throughout a lifetime, a successfully completed dental correction is no guarantee that the teeth will remain permanently straight.

For this reason, the active treatment phase (while the devices are in the mouth) is followed by a so-called retention phase. During the first 1-2 years after the braces are removed, patients should wear retention braces at least during the night. Retention braces are removable, loose braces that do not move and displace the teeth, but only hold them in the position determined in the active phase.

This brace thus fixes the final result of the therapy to a certain extent. In addition, thin wires (retainers) are often permanently attached to the side of the tooth facing the tongue. In principle, orthodontic treatment with loose braces at an age between 9 and 14 years is desirable, since the best and fastest results can be achieved here due to the existing growth of the jaw.

The therapy can also be started with still existing milk teeth, since these are not disturbing in most cases. In order to make a correct indication, the treating orthodontist should take a close look at the situation in the mouth and, at best, make plaster models to guarantee optimal planning. If concrete esthetic or functional problems are now identified, treatment is often carried out with loose braces, whereby a distinction is made between different types of loose braces, which are specially selected according to the treatment objective.Often the therapy must be continued with fixed braces to ensure optimal success.

Since the jaw growth is completed in adults, there is only very rarely an indication for loose braces in adults. Removable braces have therapeutic limits that are quickly reached in adults, which is why this type of appliance is hardly successful. Instead, a therapy with fixed braces is recommended, which contributes to a visible improvement in aesthetics and functionality even in adult jaws.

If you want to do without fixed braces for certain reasons, there are alternative so-called aligner splints. These are transparent splints made of plastic and are used for the treatment of slight tooth misalignments. The disadvantage of such a splint therapy is that they have to be worn almost the entire time. Daily 22 hours are crucial for success. Another alternative is the Crozat appliance, which is made of stainless steel alloys and is extremely complex, which is why it is only used in rare cases.