Getting braces on your teeth is becoming very commonplace among individuals, especially those who are teenagers and young adults, although anyone of any age can get braces if they want to.
Because braces have to do with teeth and mouth issues, many people’s first thought is that they need to go to a dental professional if they want to get information or start the process of getting braces. Inverness residents should know that a dental professional will have a part to play in the process, however they are not going to be the sole person to help the individual with their braces journey.
When a patient is recommended to get braces for specific issues, they will be referred to an orthodontist, who is another professional that specializes in teeth issues. While a dentist may not be the one responsible with installing braces, they do play an important role in getting braces and making sure they are effective overtime.
Dentists Will Recommend and Refer Patients to an Orthodontist
It is important to understand that an orthodontist is a specialized type of medical professional when it comes to teeth and oral health. Like other medical specialists, a patient cannot see a specialist until they get a referral from their primary doctor, and in the case of teeth, this is going to be a dentist.
When it comes to kids needing braces, Inverness residents should know that a dental professional will like to see the child multiple times because they recommend going to an orthodontist to get help with teeth alignment issues that may cause additional problems in the future if they have not already.
A dental professional will often hold off on sending a child to an orthodontist until all of their adult teeth have come in, as this makes the process worse. It is important to keep in mind however that this is not always the case, as more serious issues would want to be addressed sooner than later.
How Dentists Affect Braces After They Have Been Put On
Getting braces put onto your teeth is not a simple process that is done in a matter of weeks or months. On average, a patient will need to have braces on their teeth for about two years, and in that time, they are going to be regularly going back to their dentist for help with their teeth and oral health.
When going to the dentist with braces, Inverness residents should know that additional work needs to be done in order to do regular tasks like performing a teeth cleaning.
For example, a dental professional will have to remove the metal wires that braces have in order to effectively clean around them and around the brackets that can be harder to get at with normal brushing and flossing.
*Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Anchor Dental Care*