Adult patients of the dental office are forced to wear braces for up to 3 years, but the period is always calculated individually. It depends on the characteristics of the bite, its defects, the presence of concomitant diseases, age and some physiological characteristics of a person.
Bracket system installation period
Before installing an orthodontic structure, a comprehensive examination and treatment of teeth and gums is carried out. This is necessary to prevent the development of pathological processes in the mouth during the use of braces. In the presence of this design, the treatment process is much more complicated. The installation time is influenced by the experience of the orthodontist, some features of the structure of the dentoalveolar apparatus, as well as the type of structure being installed. The average installation time for a structure, regardless of its complexity, is one and a half hours.
Installation includes several successive steps:
cleaning the enamel of the teeth from the plaque present on it;
processing and drying of tooth enamel;
imposition of fixing glue, fastening of locks on the teeth;
installation of an orthodontic arch;
fixing ligatures if necessary;
correction (if necessary).
What malocclusion does this technique correct?
Viabracket systems are possible:
Align one or several teeth at once. The process will take approximately 6 to 18 months.
Eliminate distal bite. If the defect is complex, then treatment can take up to 3 years. But on average, the bite is corrected in 1 or 2 years.
Eliminate diastema. A diastema is an abnormally wide gap between the incisors of the lower or upper jaws. The defect is eliminated with the help of a correction system. For this purpose, specially designed caps are also used. If an orthodontic product is chosen to solve the problem, braces are worn for up to 2.5 years.
How long should an adult wear braces?
Adult patients have to wear braces longer than children and adolescents. The average wearing time in the absence of serious anomalies is 2 years. This duration is due to the following reasons:
the dentition is fully formed;
regenerative processes in tissues proceed slowly;
the speed of metabolic processes is slightly lower;
How long should a child wear braces
The advantage of children over adults in the suppleness of the dentoalveolar apparatus. Patients who managed to install the system before the age of 16 will save time on treatment, since all physiological processes at this age proceed faster.
The age range of 12-16 years is the best time to correct an overbite. Treatment will be not only faster, but also more effective.
Additional factors influencing the period of bite correction with orthodontic appliances:
the severity of the defect;
the age of the person undergoing treatment;
some individual features of the jaws;
reaction of dentition units to the impact;
positioning accuracy and type of selected brackets;
the patient’s level of discipline.
Type of construction and material of manufacture
Braces made of ceramics for the lower or upper jaw practically do not differ from metal counterparts in terms of wearing time. But ceramics are fragile and more prone to mechanical damage. Its installation should be carried out gently, without excessive tension. The advantage of ceramics is its aesthetics; on the teeth, the design is less noticeable than its metal counterpart.
Lingual braces are uncomfortable and can create problems with diction. However, this type of structures copes with complex disorders of the dentition with great effect. Most often, this type of construction is used to treat a deep bite. Vestibular systems do not give a similar effect, but are considered cheaper and more versatile.
Ligature constructions have a point effect on especially problematic areas. Their non-ligature counterparts do not have such an effect, but they win in aesthetics. They look neat on the teeth, but you will have to wear this system a little longer.
Also, in some designs, elastic bands or elastics are used. These accessories are universal. They are used with the same intensity in both mild and complex cases. The main task of the rubber bands is to direct and have a stronger effect on areas where serious problems are found. They are installed at the very beginning of therapy, the wearing period is approximately 6 months. It is possible to use elastics at any stage of therapy.
Minimum and maximum period of wearing braces
The minimum time for therapy with braces is 6/12 months. If the defects are very noticeable, you will have to wear an orthodontic construction for up to 2.5 years.
The longest period of wearing braces officially registered is 9 years and 8 months. This is a world record, which is even recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.
The age of the patient is one of the key factors influencing the period of wearing braces. In most cases, teenagers wear braces a few months less than adults, other things being equal.
How to speed up the healing process
In order for the correction of the bite to progress faster, the patient should take the doctor’s recommendations as responsibly as possible. The complexity of the pathology also has a strong influence on this process, but if the patient periodically postpones or postpones meetings with the doctor for an indefinite period, treatment can be greatly delayed.
Consolidation of the result after wearing braces
As soon as the orthodontist removes the braces, the retention process will begin. This means that the patient will have to wear mouthguards or retainers. The purpose of these tools is to consolidate the result that has been achieved. Retainers of a removable or non-removable type are usually worn by patients of any age. Their designs differ and are selected depending on the current clinical situation. The duration of the fixing stage is 50 percent of the total period of wearing braces.