Caring for an Elderly Parent With Special Dental Needs
Using Braces To Correct Common Dental Issues
Joe Lawrence
Braces can be a dental treatment that many people will need in order to have the best smile possible. While these treatments are fairly basic when compared to other procedures, getting braces for the first time will be a major event for patients.
Will Everyone Need To Have Some Of Their Teeth Removed To Accommodate The Braces?
There are many individuals that will experience dental alignment issues due to there being an excess number of teeth in their mouth. This can lead to crowding, which may cause the teeth to become severely misaligned. In order for braces to be effective in these patients, these excess teeth will need to be removed so that there will be enough room for the rest of their teeth to fit comfortably and securely in their mouth. Fortunately, it is not necessary for every patient to have teeth removed, but this can only be determined after a thorough evaluation by an orthodontist, as they will need to visually inspect the spacing of the teeth to determine if crowding is a significant problem.
How Do You Prevent The Teeth From Shifting Position After The Braces Are Taken Off?
Some people may not consider braces due to assuming that the teeth will simply shift position once the braces have been removed. While this might be a risk, it is a relatively low one as braces can provide permanent straightening of the patient's teeth. However, it is common for patients to wear retainers for some time after their braces are removed. A retainer will most often be worn during the overnight hours, and it will help to keep the teeth in place as they adjust to the braces being removed. Not surprisingly, many patients dislike having to wear these retainers, but most individuals will only need to wear retainers for a few months.
Will Braces Result In Permanent Stains On The Teeth?
In addition to alignment problems, stains are the other dental problem that can be extremely common for patients. Some patients might assume that braces will leave deep stains on their teeth. However, it should be noted that braces can actually protect the teeth against staining. Unfortunately, this can have the side effect of causing uneven coloring of the teeth, as the portions of the teeth that are not covered by the braces will still be subject to staining from routine wear. Luckily, these effects are often fairly mild, and it is usually possible to correct these discolorations with a basic whitening treatment.
For more information, you can contact dental clinics like Poulson Orthodontics.
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Caring for an elderly parent tends to be tough enough without the added stress of dealing with dental implants or dentures. But, the prospect is not the end of the world—there are many things you can do to ensure that your parent's dental health is not compromised without having to spend a lot of personal time doing the care yourself. Between working with the right dentist, hiring a service provider for part time work, and giving your parent the tools he or she needs to care for his or her own dental health at home, you'll find that dental health for your loved one isn't so tough or time consuming after all. Hopefully you are able to get the support and information you need right here.