More About Dental Appliances
A dental appliance can straighten teeth, replace missing teeth, and repair damaged teeth. Below are some of the most widely used dental appliances.
Fillings are something most wouldn’t call an appliance but they technically fall into the category because they replace part of the tooth decay with a cavity.
Crowns are similar in that they cover the top of the tooth after a root canal or to repair a damaged tooth. Since they are foreign to the mouth, they are called an appliance.
Bridges are fixed, permanent structure that fills in the space where a tooth or teeth were pulled and existing teeth. A bridge helps you maintain your bite so you can eat normally.
Braces and clear aligners are all devices that help create perfect teeth alignment. They aren’t permanent unless you get permanent braces. However, they are typically used for several years to get the desired outcome.
Dentures are the most well-known prosthetic dental appliance and they come in partial and full forms. Partial dentures are used only where they are missing teeth while full dentures replace all teeth on upper or lower jaws and sometimes both.
Dental implants are also considered appliances as they aren’t natural to your mouth but can replace missing teeth.
Retainers are what most people use after years of orthodontic treatment and the removal of braces. Those using retainers wear them at night to keep teeth from moving but some must wear them both day and night.
Devices for Children and Adults
Some children use a device called a space maintainer if they lose baby teeth before adult teeth are ready to grow. Leaving a space where the baby tooth was can cause other teeth to move into a crooked position. The space maintainer is a removable device that keeps the space open and ready for an adult tooth. The child stops wearing it when the adult tooth grows in.
Mouth guards and snoring devices are devices that can protect your teeth or prevent you from breathing abnormally. A mouth guard is usually worn while playing sports but can also come as a night guard to prevent tooth grinding.
Snoring appliances change how your tongue and jaws are positioned during sleep. That opens up airways and stops soft tissue from vibrating so snoring stops. It also prevents people from grinding their teeth.
All dental appliances must be cleaned so be sure to ask your dentist how to maintain them for the best possible effect on your teeth and mouth.
The right dental appliance can significantly help with dental issues so talk to your dentist about your needs to pick the right one.
