Here’s how braces help keep your teeth healthy.
If you have braces, you’re not alone. In the United States, nearly 4 million kids and teens wear these dental devices.
Braces correct problems that occur when teeth are out of place. The idea isn’t new: Dentists have been using braces to straighten teeth for at least the past 200 years!
Today’s modern braces typically use brackets glued to teeth. A curved metal wire connects the brackets, putting pressure on teeth. This slowly changes their position.
More happens under your chompers. Teeth fit snuggly into the jawbone. As braces shift teeth, the bone around each tooth breaks down and re-forms in its new position.
When teeth don’t line up properly, they can wear down. Then they’re at risk of tooth decay. That’s why braces aren’t just for looks.