We always have patients come in for their consultations full of questions regarding braces and what they have heard. Below are some of the most common myths that we have found.
1. Braces have to hurt to work- Braces have come a long way from the old days. Stiff wires were all that were available and they used heavy forces which caused discomfort for patiens. New technology has brought us low force wires so there is minimal discomfort.
2. The tighter the faster the teeth move-Too much force can cause damage to the tooth, bone, and tissues. The teeth will not move faster by using heavier forces, it has to be a balance of forces.
3. Wires have to be changed at every visit-We start with thin, flexible wires and gradually change to thicker, stiffer wires. We do not use a lot of wires, so there will be times that we are changing the colors only. This is due to several factors. The wires are designed to be active for 10 to 12 weeks and we see our patients every 5-6 weeks. Also, as we progress in wires the doctor is making adjustments in the wire to correct alignment and therefore no new wire is needed.
4. To achieve straight teeth, braces are needed- We do use Invisalign which are clear trays that can align teeth to a degree. There are limitations that may make traditional braces a better option.
5. My teeth will be straight soon after I get braces- Many patients have unrealistic expectations of the time frame of orthodontics. Most cases take 18-24 months to perfect the bite. Teeth can only move a small amount each month without causing damage to the tooth tissues. If they move too quickly there can be root resorption.
6. My teeth will stay straight forever- Retainers are an important part of treatment. They hold the teeth in their corrected position. teeth are surrounded by a ligament that has elasticity that could relapse with out the aid of retainers. We like patients to wear their retainers indefinetly.
7. Wisdom teeth are making my teeth crooked-There is no evidence that wisdom teeth can cause crowding. Teeth can drift over time regardless of whether you have wisdom teeth or not.
8. Overbites of any kind are bad- A mild overbite protects the front teeth from wear. We prefer an overbite of 2-3 millimeters.
9. My braces will come off exactly 24 months from when I had them placed- We can not give precise dates for the lenghth of treatment. There are several factors that add time to treatment, not wearing elastics, poor hygiene, broken brackets, missed appointments. Patient compliance is a huge factor in getting your braces off on time.
10. Changing orthodontists is an easy task- Every orthodontist uses different methods and appliances to reach the end goal. Also financially it is a difficult transition due to insurance as well as appliances. You will probably end up paying more if you switch. Some brackets and wires do not correlate with others, they have different slot sizes and dimensions. In this case the orthodontist may have to change all the brackets to finish the case started elsewhere.
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