The type of brace - or appliance - will depend on how much your teeth need to be straightened.
One of the most common is the fixed or 'train track' brace. The orthodontist will glue small metal or tooth-coloured blocks directly to each tooth, then run a fine wire through those blocks. Special elastic bands may then be added to help straighten the teeth. The wire and the bands are tightened and adjusted on a regular basis.
Another common type of brace is the removable brace. This is a special plate which either sits in the roof of the mouth or just under the tongue with a special wire that runs across the teeth to pull them into line.
A similar type of appliance is the retainer This is used following the removal of the 'train track' type brace to make sure the teeth stay in position.
One of the newer types of brace is like a transparent cover for the teeth which, when adjusted regularly, has a similar effect as the other braces. This type of brace is proving popular with adults as it is barely visible.
While orthodontic treatment is usually free for children on the NHS, most adults will have to pay privately.
See how braces work at the BDA's 3D Mouth website
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Fillings and Restorations
If part of a tooth has been lost through decay or damaged due to an accident, your dentist may put in a filling. A filling will plug the hole and stop any future pain or discomfort. A filling can be made out of a variety of materials. The most common of these are amalgam (silver) or composite (white).
Silver fillings are made of a material called amalgam, which is a mixture of mercury, silver, tin, copper, and other metals. Amalgam fillings are very hardwearing which is why they are often put into the back chewing teeth.
Some people opt for white fillings which match the colour of the natural tooth better. White fillings are becoming more popular, but, for the back teeth, they are only available privately. If you need a filling in one of your front teeth, you can get a composite filling on the NHS. See how a tooth is filled at the BDA's 3D Mouth Website.
Having wisdom teeth taken out
Sometimes there may not be room in your mouth for your wisdom teeth and, as they start to come through, they push against the teeth already there or may start to come through at an angle. When this happens, you might feel some pain or discomfort, so the best thing to do is to visit your dentist.
The dentist will probably take an x-ray of your mouth to see how - or if - your wisdom teeth are coming through. From this, they will be able to make a judgement on whether or not to take them out, and how easy or difficult it might be. These days, dentists are less likely to remove wisdom teeth, unless there is a problem with decay or infection.
Often - especially if the teeth are already partway through - your dentist will be able to remove the wisdom teeth at their practice. However, if they think it might be difficult, they will probably refer you to a hospital where you can have them removed. |
For the first 24 hours, try to avoid eating hot food, don't smoke, don't drink any alcohol and try not to disturb any blood clot which might have formed.
- Don't rinse your mouth for six hours after extraction. After that, rinse gently with warm salty water - half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of water is enough.
- Brush your other teeth as normal to keep your mouth as clean as possible but take care around the wound. You can keep this clean by using a mouth rinse.
- You may feel some small pieces of bone work their way out of the socket - don't worry, this is perfectly normal.
- There may be some swelling and a bit of discomfort in the first two to three days. If you need to, take some ordinary painkillers - ibuprofen or paracetomol will be fine.
- If you feel pain 24 to 48 hours after the tooth has been removed, it might be where the blood clot has broken down leaving an empty hole in the gum. This is called a 'dry socket' and will need to be looked at by your dentist. Simply go back and the dentist will pack the wound to ease your discomfort.
Your dentist may have given you some gauze to place onto the area where the tooth has been removed - if not, a clean cloth handkerchief will do just as well (but not a paper tissue).
- Roll it into a small firm pad large enough to fit over the gap (probably around 1cm by 3cm).
- Sit up and gently clear away any blood clots around the gap using the gauze or hanky.
- Put a clean pad over the gap (from tongue side to cheek side) and bite down on it firmly for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Take the pad off and check whether the bleeding has stopped. If not, apply a fresh pad and contact your dentist.
