Teeth straightening Sydney

Advantages of Self-Ligating Braces over Traditional Braces

• Fewer appointments needed to apply braces or to make adjustments.
• Increased comfort because of low-profile brackets and no ties
• Efficient tooth movement for a shorter treatment time
• High-tech archwire design and creation

Fixed orthodontic treatments

The Controlled Arch System is one of Dr. Galella’s inventions. It might seem like other fixed orthodontic treatments but it has a huge advantage. What differs this system from other systems is its different way of approaching orthodontic principles.

This system is:

– More predictable than other systems

– Works perfectly for both adults and children and has no age limit

– Protects your jaw joint and sometimes can treat some headaches

– Works for making space in your jaw and doesn’t require pulling out healthy teeth

– It prevents gummy smile in your kid and in most cases, treat this condition in adults

– In most cases, it treats an asymmetric jaw and jaw rotation

Fixed orthodontics usually starts after all permanent teeth have grown, at the age of 12, and it works for all ages. The higher the patient’s age is, the slower the teeth would move. But once the movement has started, there are no differences between an adult’s treatment and a teenager’s.

Types of Braces

Traditional Metal Braces

Traditional metal braces are the most common type of braces and are more comfortable today than ever before. Made of high-grade stainless steel, metal braces straighten your teeth using metal brackets and archwires. With metal braces, you have the option of adding colored elastics (rubber bands) for a more unique and colorful smile.

Ceramic Clear Braces

Ceramic braces are made of clear materials and are therefore less visible on your teeth than metal braces. For this reason, ceramic braces are used mainly on older teenagers and adult patients who have cosmetic concerns. While they are visually less prominent, they do require more attention to oral hygiene as ceramic braces are larger and are more brittle than their metal counterparts. For these reasons, ceramic braces tend to be used more on upper front teeth than on lower teeth.

Self-Ligating Braces

Self-ligating braces are made from the same materials as traditional braces. However, self-ligating braces do not require the use of elastics, meaning fewer appointments and less friction being placed on the tooth. Self-ligating braces come with traditional metal, ceramic, or clear brackets. They are the same size as metal braces but use a specialized clip in place of elastics to help the archwire guide teeth to place. The clip helps reduce the amount of pressure being placed on the tooth and requires fewer adjustments because there are no elastics to replace.

Clear Aligners

In patients who have mild orthodontic problems, these clear invisible aligners come in handy. This system consists of removable aligners that have to be placed on teeth respectively – each for about two weeks, at least 20 hours each day – and they fix the teeth gradually during this period.

Functional orthodontic appliances

These tools use a patient’s muscle force and neuromuscular responses to change the jaw position. There are various appliances for this used in different conditions.

Growth Guidance

Removable growth guidance appliance

Some similar appliances have existed for years, but Dr Galella has made some important modifications in it.

This tool is usually used for children between 6 to 9 years old. The patient has to use this for about 8 to 12 months.

After this period, a third of children won’t need orthodontic treatments afterwards, but others need a maximum of 8 months of fixed treatment after they have reached age 12.

Fixed growth guidance appliance

This appliance is one of Dr Galella’s most significant inventions.

This tool has to be cemented on the upper teeth for 3 to 8 months and can be used for anyone above age 9. For severe cases, we may need a longer period.

Palatal expansion appliances

This tool has different types, and its purpose is to widen the upper jaw in the lateral direction. Using Dr Galella’s latest system that three-dimensionally widens the upper jaw, we only need this appliance in very severe cases.

Impacted teeth orthodontics

Sometimes permanent teeth cannot break through the gum tissue and get locked behind the other teeth. After wisdom teeth, the most common unerupted teeth are the top canines or eyeteeth.

In many cases, we can surgically access the unerupted tooth crown and try to bring it out orthodontically. In this process, at the time of surgery, we connect a golden chain to the crown and try to bring it out gradually.

It is of note that many of these cases are preventable if they are diagnosed during childhood.

TMJ Management

Our jaw joint is a joint between the bottom jaw and the Temporal bone. The position of the lower jaw bone in the joint is highly influenced by our teeth. For example, if the top jaw is small and the bottom jaw cannot sit in its normal position, the bottom jaw will be pushed backward which can cause headaches and even many symptoms beyond the head.

In this kind of problem, we face complications of the neuromuscular system, which is very complicated and unpredictable. If the origin of the problem is the joint, we can usually manage it, but that is not always the case.

For the first step, we use splints, and if this step is successful, it can be followed by a successful orthodontic management. Otherwise, referral to a chiropractor or neurologist would be the next step.