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FAQ
How Do Your Brush Your Teeth With Braces?
In order to keep your teeth and gums healthy, it’s important to brush and floss after every meal. This is especially true when you have braces.
If you need advice on how to select the right toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss, please ask us at Infinity Orthodontics and we can help you choose the right products for your teeth and appliance.
What Does It Take To Become An Orthodontist?
Becoming an Orthodontist usually takes approximately 12 years of formal university education to become a certified specialist. For Infinity Orthodontics, learning began with a four-year bachelor’s degree at University of Texas in Austin. Then Dr. Gray completed dental school at University of Texas Dental Branch.
Some dentists choose to pursue a dental specialty such as orthodontics, which requires an additional three-year Master of Science degree and residency program.
What Is Orthodontics?
Orthodontics is the dental specialty that includes the diagnosis, prevention, and correction of dental irregularities. Orthodontic treatment is vital to the achievement of good dental and oral health. It’s ultimate benefits provide you with a radiant, beautiful smile; leading to improved self-esteem and self-confidence.
Today, there are numerous options when it comes to braces, technologies, and treatments.
What Can An Orthodontist Fix?
Some of the issues Orthodontic treatment can resolve are crowded, protruded and misaligned teeth, as well as poor or mismatched jaw relationships.
What Are Orthodontic Appliances Made Of?
Orthodontic appliances can be made of metal, ceramic, or plastic. They may be removable or they may be bonded to the teeth. Braces slowly move teeth to a corrected position by placing a constant, gentle force in a carefully controlled direction.
How Long Is The Treatment Time?
The patient’s diligent use of any prescribed elastics and other appliances is an important factor in achieving the most efficient treatment. Treatment time typically ranges from 12-20 months, depending on the growth of the patient’s teeth and facial structures.
Orthodontic Dictionary
Appliance
An item Infinity Orthodontics attaches to teeth to move them or modify the shape of your jaw.
Archwire
The metal wire that acts as a track to guide your teeth as they move. It is changed periodically throughout treatment as your teeth move to new positions.
Band
A metal ring that is cemented to your tooth that goes completely around it. Bands provide a way to attach brackets to your teeth.
Bond
The seal created by orthodontic cement that holds your appliances in place.
Bracket
A metal or ceramic part cemented/bonded to your tooth that holds your archwire in place.
Coil Spring
A spring that fits between your brackets and over your archwire to open space between your teeth.
Elastic
A small rubber band that is hooked between different points on your appliance to provide pressure to move your teeth to a new position.
Elastic Tie
The tiny rubber band that fits around your bracket to hold the archwire in place. They come in a variety of colors.
Headgear
Headgear uses an external wire apparatus known as a facebow to guide the growth of your face and jaw gently by moving your teeth into proper position. The force is applied to the facebow by a spring-loaded neck strap or head strap. The straps have a safety release that disconnects if the facebow is pulled or snagged.
Headgear Tube
A round, hollow attachment on your back bands that the inner bow of your headgear fits into.
Hook
A welded or removable arm to which elastics are attached.
Ligature
A thin wire that holds your archwire into your bracket.
Lip Bumper
A lip bumper is an archwire attached to a molded piece of plastic. It holds back the molars on your lower jaw to provide more space for your other teeth.
Mouthguard
A device that protects your mouth from injury when you participate in sports or rigorous activities.
Palatal Expander
A device that makes your upper jaw wider.
Retainer
An appliance that is worn after your braces are removed, the retainer attaches to your upper and/or lower teeth to hold them in place. Some retainers are removable, while others are bonded to teeth.
Separator or Spacer
A small rubber ring that creates space between your teeth before the bands are attached.
Tie Wire
A fine wire that is twisted around your bracket to hold the archwire in place.
Wax
Wax is used to stop your braces from irritating your lips.
Orthodontic Procedures
Banding
The process of fitting and cementing orthodontic bands to your teeth.
Bonding
The process of attaching brackets to your teeth using special orthodontic cement.
Cephalometric X-ray
An X-ray of your head that shows the relative positions and growth of the face, jaws, and teeth.
Consultation
A meeting with Dr. Gray to discuss a treatment plan.
Debanding
The process of removing cemented orthodontic bands from your teeth.
Debonding
The process of removing cemented orthodontic brackets from your teeth.
Digital Impression or Scan
A model of your teeth and gums is made by scanning your teeth with a specialized digital camera. Dr. Gray will use this virtual model of your teeth to prepare your treatment plan and appliances.
Impressions
A model of your mouth made by taking a mold of your teeth with a soft putty-like material. Dr. Gray will use these impressions to prepare certain orthodontic appliances.
Invisalign®
An alternative to traditional braces, Invisalign straightens your teeth with a series of clear, custom-molded aligners. Invisalign can correct some, but not all, orthodontic problems.
Ligation
The process of attaching an archwire to the brackets on your teeth.
Panoramic X-ray
An X-ray that rotates around your head to take pictures of your teeth, jaw, and other facial areas.
