Orthodontic Treatment (Dental Braces)
Oral and dental health is an inseparable part of an individual’s general health, aesthetic appearance, and psychological well-being. The proper alignment of teeth on the jawbones is necessary not only for a beautiful smile but also for effective chewing function, clear speech, and a healthy jaw joint. However, due to genetic factors, developmental disorders, or bad habits during childhood (thumb sucking, prolonged pacifier use, etc.), crowding in teeth, incompatibilities between jaws, and malocclusion (bite disorders) may occur. The branch of dentistry dealing with the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of such disorders is called “Orthodontics.” Providing oral and dental health services in the Thrace region, Kırklareli Dental Clinic Atlas Sea Dental applies current orthodontic protocols in the treatment of skeletal and dental disorders.
What is Orthodontic Treatment and Why is it Necessary?
Derived from the Greek words “orthos” (straight) and “odontos” (tooth), Orthodontic Treatment is a discipline that monitors the normal development of teeth and facial structure and corrects deviations. Although it is generally perceived in society as a treatment sought only for aesthetic concerns, the main purpose of orthodontics is actually to provide a functional occlusion (bite).
Cleaning crowded teeth is much more difficult than properly aligned teeth. Food accumulation occurs in interproximal areas where the brush and dental floss cannot reach. This situation invites dental caries and periodontal (gum) diseases. Additionally, malocclusions cause an unbalanced distribution of chewing forces to the teeth. This imbalance can lead to abrasions on teeth, gum recessions, and Temporomandibular Joint (Jaw Joint) disorders. Therefore, Orthodontic Treatment is a preventive health service that extends the life of teeth and protects jaw joint health.
Treatment Methods: Fixed Orthodontic Treatments (Dental Braces)
The most common and effective method used in orthodontic treatments is fixed orthodontic appliances, popularly known as Dental Braces. In this method, small pieces called “brackets” are fixed onto the teeth with special adhesives. “Archwires” passing through the brackets apply a light and continuous force to the teeth, moving them in the desired direction.
Bracket types used in fixed treatments are:
- Metal Brackets: Brackets made of stainless steel with the highest durability and least friction. They are generally preferred in children and young patients. It is the most efficient system in terms of treatment speed.
- Porcelain (Clear) Brackets: Developed for adult patients with aesthetic concerns. Since they are tooth-colored or transparent, they are less noticeable from the outside compared to metal brackets.
- Lingual Brackets: Brackets bonded not to the front surface of the teeth but to the tongue side (back surface). They are completely invisible from the outside, but since they are in the tongue area, they can affect speech, and the adaptation process is longer.
Kırklareli Dental Clinic Atlas Sea Dental physicians create the treatment plan by determining the most suitable bracket system according to the patient’s age, social status, and the difficulty level of the case.
Age to Start Treatment and Process
The American Association of Orthodontists and authorities worldwide recommend that children have their first orthodontic examination at the age of 7. This age is a critical period when permanent teeth (especially 1st molars and incisors) begin to erupt and jaw development can be evaluated. While jaw narrowness or skeletal problems diagnosed in the early period can be easily solved with removable appliances, treatment may become difficult in late cases.
However, this does not mean that Orthodontic Treatment is only for children. Dental Braces can be applied to individuals of all ages whose bone and gum tissue surrounding the teeth are healthy. Today, a large portion of orthodontic patients consists of adults who could not be treated in their childhood or whose aesthetic expectations have increased.
The treatment duration can vary between 6 months and 30 months depending on the complexity of the case. An average Dental Braces treatment takes 18-24 months. In this process, it is essential for the patient to come for check-ups every 4 to 6 weeks for the activation of wires and guidance of tooth movement.
Biomechanical Principle: How Do Teeth Move?
Orthodontic movement is a biological remodeling process. When a force is applied to the tooth through brackets and wires, destruction (resorption) begins by “osteoclast” cells in the bone in the direction the tooth will move. In the space left behind by the tooth, new bone formation takes place by “osteoblast” cells. Thanks to this balance of formation and destruction, the tooth moves by floating within the bone.
The dose of force applied is very important for this biological process to proceed healthily. Excessive forces can cause melting (resorption) in tooth roots or loss of tooth vitality. Therefore, in applications within Kırklareli Dental Clinic Atlas Sea Dental, tissue health is protected based on the “light and continuous force” principle.
Treatment Stages
A standard Orthodontic Treatment protocol follows these stages:
- Examination and Diagnosis: Panoramic and cephalometric x-rays are taken, intraoral photos are taken, and plaster models are obtained by taking impressions. The physician creates a treatment plan in light of this data.
- Bonding: Tooth surfaces are cleaned, and brackets are bonded to the teeth one by one. Then the first archwire is inserted. This process is painless.
- Active Treatment Process: The patient comes for check-ups at monthly intervals. Wires are changed, elastics (rubber bands) are used, and teeth are gradually corrected.
- Debonding (Removal): When the teeth reach their ideal position, the brackets are removed, and the adhesives on the tooth surface are cleaned.
- Retention: It is the most important stage of treatment.
Why is Retention Treatment Important?
After the Dental Braces are removed, the fibers and bone tissue surrounding the teeth have not yet adapted to their new positions, and there is a tendency for the teeth to return to their old places (relapse). “Retention Treatment” is applied to prevent this return. Usually, a thin wire (lingual retainer) invisible from the outside is bonded behind the lower and upper front teeth. Also, clear aligners are given to the patient to use at night. Atlas Sea Dental physicians emphasize that meticulous follow-up of the retention process is as vital as active treatment for the permanence of the result.
Oral Hygiene and Eating Habits
The issue that patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment should pay the most attention to is oral hygiene. The area around brackets is very prone to food accumulation. Insufficient brushing causes gum inflammation and the formation of “white spot lesions” (initial caries) around the brackets.
- Brushing: Detailed cleaning should be done with orthodontic brushes after every meal.
- Interdental Brush: Areas under the wire and beside the brackets should be cleaned with an interdental brush.
- Nutrition: Patients using Dental Braces should stay away from hard-shelled fruits (apples, quinces), nuts, sticky foods (Turkish delight, gum), and acidic drinks. Hard foods cause brackets to break off, prolonging the treatment duration.
Clear Aligners or Dental Braces?
Clear aligner treatments (wireless treatment), which have become popular in recent years, are a strong alternative to Dental Braces for many cases. Being aesthetic and removable is a great advantage. However, not every case may be treatable with aligners. In some cases requiring very complex root movements, eruption of impacted teeth, or skeletal problems, traditional bracket systems still maintain their superiority in terms of biomechanics. Which method is suitable is decided as a result of a detailed examination. Kırklareli Dental Clinic Atlas Sea Dental provides a wide range of treatments by offering both traditional methods and digital aligner systems to its patients.
Skeletal Problems and Orthognathic Surgery
If the problem is not only crowding in the teeth but a disorder in the position of the jawbones (for example, the lower jaw being excessively forward or backward), Orthodontic Treatment alone may not be sufficient. In growing children, jaw development can be guided with functional appliances. However, in adults whose growth is completed, “Orthognathic Surgery” is required to correct skeletal problems. In this process, the dentist and plastic surgeon/maxillofacial surgeon work together. First, the teeth are corrected with braces, then the jaws are moved to the ideal position with surgery.
Pain and Comfort
The biggest concern of patients is the question “Will it hurt?”. No pain is felt during the bonding of brackets. However, it is normal to feel slight pressure and sensitivity in the teeth for 2-3 days after the wires are first attached and after monthly activations. Eating soft foods during this process increases comfort. Also, if brackets irritate the inside of the cheeks, mucosal healing is provided using “protective waxes.”
Access to Regional Health Services
The Thrace region has shown development catching up with Istanbul standards in the field of dentistry. Patients living in Kırklareli and surrounding provinces can access this service in local clinics instead of going to distant cities for Orthodontic Treatment requiring long-term follow-up. Since orthodontics requires monthly check-ups, the accessibility (location) of the clinic is a great advantage for treatment continuity. Kırklareli Dental Clinic Atlas Sea Dental meets the orthodontic treatment needs in the region with modern diagnostic devices and expert staff and closely monitors patients’ treatment processes.
Cost and Economic Factors
Our Doctors
Dt. Mustafa Tuğcan GERÇÜŞ
Dt. Dimitri ÇOKONA
