improvements of regular old braces.
First, orthodontic braces are much smaller than they used to be. Years ago braces meant bands of metal all the way around each tooth to hold the brackets on. This truly was the "Tin Grin"
.
Now days there are no bands at all. The quite small brackets are bonded (glued) on to the tooth. This made the whole process much faster and easier for both the patient and the dentist.
Speaking of faster, that brings me to my next improvement -
Braces these days are not on the teeth near as long as years ago. It used to be normal to have braces on from two to four years. Now days the time braces are on is between one and two years. That is cutting the time in half, which is a good thing for everyone.
The third improvement is the concept what it takes to move teeth. Moving a tooth through bone is not like dragging a stick through mud; the harder you pull, the faster it will go. In moving a tooth through bone, light pressure is put on the tooth and the movement through the bone is accomplished by the bone cells in front of the pressure dying off and allowing space for the tooth to move while the bone on the non-pressure side of the tooth grows new cells filling in space.
Now this growth can be measured and studies have shown just how fast a tooth can move through bone without causing destruction to the area. This is why lighter wire pressure actually gets faster tooth movement.
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