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Terms You Will Need To Know If You Are Getting Braces As An Adult

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Getting braces as an adult is likely going to be a totally new dental treatment experience. You can feel a little lost when the orthodontist starts mentioning certain phrases and terms. The more you understand about the terms and phrases used during treatment, the more comfortable you will feel about the whole process. Here is a look at some of the different terms you will hear when you make the decision to get adult braces

Lingual Appliances 

Lingual appliances are similar to regular braces, but they attach to the teeth in a different way. These braces are affixed to the back of the teeth instead of the front, which can be nice if you are super concerned about the world seeing that you have braces every time you open your mouth. Lingual braces are not a go-to choice for most orthodontists or patients, however, for a few different reasons. For one, they have a longer adjustment period because the brackets and wires can actually touch the tongue. You may have a slight speech interruption while the braces are in place as well. 

Dental Separators 

Separators are appliances placed between the teeth to hold them apart or to cause them to move apart. Some people who have an overcrowded smile with teeth that have crowded against each other will have to have dental separators installed to push those teeth apart. The separators affix to the brackets of your braces and put pressure on the surrounding teeth to push them apart slowly over the course of your treatment. Even though dental separators sound uncomfortable, you can usually get used to them quickly after they are installed, which is pretty typical with braces after each visit for an adjustment. 

Debonding 

The brackets of braces have to be bonded to the teeth with a material that is similar to what is used to create a dental filling. Once your braces have done their job and your smile is where it is supposed to be, the brackets have to be removed. Debonding is a term that is used to refer to the process of removing the brackets. In some situations, brackets will have to be debonded and placed in another location on the tooth. This can happen if the position of the bracket can no longer do any good in its current position or if a tooth needs to be pulled in a different direction.  


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