01/29/2018 11:31
Since the dawn of recorded history, human beings have been curious about ways of straightening the teeth. For a practice that has been in existence for so long, however, there is often a significant amount of confusion and misinformation surrounding the topic of orthodontic correction, causing many potential patients to misunderstand the process and be less inclined to see braces as a viable path forward when it comes to improving the appearance of their teeth. Our dentist in East LA would love to help you wade through the sea of myths separating you from the smile of your dreams.
One common concern is pain: many patients come into the office expecting the braces to hurt, whether that be when they are place, removed, or adjusted periodically. While patients may experience some minor discomfort when the wire running through the metal brackets is tightened at each appointment you go to during the course of treatment, it is something that subsides in a relatively short amount of time as the recipient gets more used to the feeling of their teeth shifting into alignment. The process of placing the brackets is fully external and requires no numbing or anesthesia. The same goes for their eventual removal.
Another factor that the patient may not entirely understand before beginning their orthodontic journey is the factor that time plays in treatment. There are patients who think braces work quickly and the appearance of their teeth will change in a matter of weeks or even days. This is unfortunately not the case, and most participants will need to wear their braces for at least twelve months to achieve their desired final outcome, and even after that, wearing a retainer to ensure the permanency of their results and keep their teeth from shifting back into their original position. The estimated date that the braces are to be removed may also change during the course of treatment and should never be taken as a concrete deadline.
The most misleading piece of information regarding traditional braces that is widely circulated in our culture is the notion that they are only for children. Millions of adults in this country have had braces, are in the process of receiving them, or are wearing them currently. The fear of looking juvenile is largely unfounded. The American Association of Orthodontics claims that one out of every five recipients of braces in this country is over the age of eighteen. If you suffer from crowded teeth, prominent spacing, misalignment of the jaw or any of the other maladies that braces can fix and feel that your age or lifestyle disqualifies you from potential candidacy, rest assured that it is certainly not too late to seek improvement.
