Technological Advancements in Orthodontics 

            Orthodontics has seen some very exciting technological advances over the last twenty-five years.  Treatment times have shortened because of these advances and the treatments are not as uncomfortable.

            Probably the most significant advance has been the development of Invisalign™ as a therapy to move teeth.  This is truly an “invisible” treatment modality, as the aligners are very difficult to see unless you are very close to the person wearing them.  While this treatment has its drawbacks, the orthodontic problems able to be treated with Invisalign™ are increasing all the time.  However, patient cooperation is very important here.  After all, if you don’t wear the aligners, your teeth will not move!  If you would like to know more, visit http://www.invisalign.com/.  

            The braces themselves have gone through an evolution.  Gone are bands fitted to every single tooth.  Many times, no bands are needed to do some treatments.  Anyone who underwent orthodontic treatment before the introduction of bonded braces will understand what a great advancement this is.  Without bands on every tooth, the discomfort of placing orthodontic appliances is greatly reduced.  However, bands are usually placed on the molar teeth, as bonding in the back of the mouth can be very difficult.

            Braces now have some of the treatment incorporated into their design themselves.  This allows the teeth to assume more correct positions sooner, so they can be held for a longer period of time.  This also decreases the number of bends the orthodontist must make in the arch wires before placing them into the brackets. 

            Orthodontic wires have undergone a revolution.  Space age materials such as titanium are now used in orthodontic wires to make them more flexible and more comfortable.  When all wires were stainless steel, in order to move teeth, loops of various designs were incorporated into the wire to lessen the force being delivered to the teeth.  Heavy forces on teeth tend to be detrimental to the teeth themselves.  Roots can resorb under heavy pressure.  With more flexible wires, gentler forces can be delivered to the teeth, moving them more gently and physiologically.  This lessens the discomfort you feel when you have wires placed.

            Diagnosis and treatment planning have benefited from advances in technology, too.  Computer programs are now available which can analyze the x-rays taken before treatment.  These measurements are much more accurate than could be obtained by a manual measurement system.  This is also much less time consuming than manual measurement.  It allows the orthodontist to spend his or her time thinking about your treatment and developing the proper plan for your particular situation.

            Those are just some of the technological advancements affecting orthodontic treatment positively.  As research continues, more advancements will continue to allow us to treat you more quickly and more safely to give you the smile of your dreams.