Dr.Gina Sohn - Tufts Graduate
U.S Dentist in Seoul / Licensed in MA, CT,NJ
http://www.drginasohn.com/
Tel 02-553-7512 Overseas 822-553-7512
Yongsan / Itaewon area
9 months
1 year
6 months
2 months and 2 weeks.
1 month and 1 week.
8 months
7 months
1 year
3 months
16 months
1 month and 1 week
6 months
5 months
8 months
2 and half months
6 months
Orthodontic Braces
Braces are the most traditional way of straightening teeth. Braces use a system of brackets and a wire to slowly move your teeth into the desired position. Brackets are bonded to the teeth and a wire passes through them. Wires are held tightly to the brackets with elastic rubber bands of different colors. Once threaded through the brackets, the wires struggle to return to their original shape. This process pressures your teeth to move. Braces can treat most cases of teeth straightening.
Esthetic Braces
Clear braces use tooth colored brackets. They are made of ceramic or hard resins and blend in with the natural color of your teeth. They are a great alternative for patients who want a more esthetic option of teeth straightening.
Self ligating Braces = Speed Braces
These are brackets that do not need the elastic bands to hold the wire to the brackets. Elastic bands used with traditional braces place friction and pressure on the teeth, which unnecessarily slows down teeth movement. In contrast, self ligating braces have a small “trap door” structure that opens and closes over the arch wire. There is almost no resistance between brackets and the wires. Therefore, self ligating braces reduce treatment time an average of 6 months. They are smaller than traditional metal brackets.
Lingual Braces
Lingual braces are attached on the inner surface of your teeth, are therefore invisible when you smile. The treatment time is about the same as with regular braces. However, the process will be a little different than regular braces. Due to their location, you do need to spend more time to brushing your teeth and have your teeth cleaned professionally more often. Most people notice a change in their speech for the first few weeks but this generally improves after a period of adaptation. If teeth are very small, or not fully erupted, it is difficult to place lingual braces.
Metal Braces
Metal braces are traditional and strong enough to withstand chewing force.
Retainers
Wearing retainers is a very important step. Retainers hold your teeth in their new position after your braces are removed while the surrounding gums and bones adjust to their new position. Fixed retainers are a length of orthodontic wire permanently bonded to the teeth. They are convenient. However, some of the bonds may come loose after some time in retention. Many patients have difficulty keeping the retainer area clean.
Removable retainers are more ideal. They are made of clear plastic material that tightly fits on your teeth. Practicing good oral hygiene is not an issue since they are removable.
They should be worn full time for 6 – 9 months even after braces are removed and can be worn only at nights afterwards. If you want your teeth to remain in their ideal positions for the rest of your life, it would be best to wear a retainer that long.
Braces and children
All children should be examined by age 7 because some problems require early intervention and careful monitoring on jaw growth and teeth eruption. Some children require two phases of treatment: An early phase to correct growth problems and a later phase to straighten the teeth. Children seen earlier can often be treated without extraction of any teeth.
