Topics:
What is a fixed device?
Fixed appliance and mobile prosthesis for children – what are the differences?
Why wear a fixed prosthesis?
Is it necessary to wear a fixed device?
When is it best to start wearing a fixed appliance / prosthesis for children?
How long is a fixed denture worn?
How is a fixed prosthesis placed?
Does a fixed denture hurt?
Fixed prosthesis – adjustment
Will a fixed denture affect the appearance of my face and lips?
What does life look like with a fixed appliance?
Can a fixed appliance damage my teeth?
What after the end of therapy?
Fixed appliances – types
Fixed device – price
Fixed Orthodontic Appliances:
What is a fixed device?
A fixed orthodontic appliance is a device used to move the teeth in the jaw. In our country, it is often called a fixed prosthesis, so we will use that term in the text, although it is not completely correct.
It consists mainly of locks that are glued to the teeth and arches that connect the locks. There are also supplements that are applied individually depending on the type of therapy.
A fixed device as well as a mobile prosthesis for children improve the health of teeth and gums in a long period of life. They correct the teeth in the right position and enable not only good aesthetics, but also even transfer of chewing pressure over all teeth. Read below why this is important.
The fixed device is worn by both adults and children, there is practically no age limit.
You need to know that before you start wearing a fixed denture, all teeth as well as gums must be healthy or repaired.
Contact us with confidence. Our specialists, in addition to enviable knowledge, also have many years of experience in this field. Your therapy in their hands is safe and effective.
Fixed appliance and mobile prosthesis for children – what are the differences?
The first and obvious difference is in their construction. The fixed device is fixed to the teeth with locks, it is placed and removed by an orthodontist, the patient cannot remove it from the mouth. It is used in children whose teeth have been replaced and in adults.
The denture for children is mobile, it is worn by children mostly at the age when the change of teeth occurs. Young patients can take it out of their mouths. It is larger and more robust than a fixed device.
However, the biggest difference is in their effect. The fixed appliance moves the teeth in the jaw bones and this is where the field of its action ends. It corrects teeth, but cannot significantly correct jaw bone irregularities. So, if you are bothered by crooked teeth, a fixed appliance can correct them relatively quickly. The folded teeth will also get their proper string. If there is a large disproportion of the upper and lower jaw, a fixed prosthesis will not give a complete therapeutic result.
In contrast, the mobile prosthesis for children, in addition to straightening the teeth, directs the growth of bones in the desired direction and significantly corrects bone anomalies. The right solution is with, for example, very narrow or “lowered” jaws, i.e. in all situations where it is necessary to correct both the jaw bones and the position of the teeth. Mobile prosthesis for children manifests its full effect precisely in the period of growth and development, i.e. during childhood, adolescence and puberty.
Why wear a fixed prosthesis?
There are many reasons why your doctor would recommend a fixed device. The most common are:
- Folded teeth, lack of space for teeth (anxiety)
- Occurrence of gaps between teeth
- Correction of protrusion of the upper teeth (teeth too bent or moved forward)
- Improper bite of upper and lower teeth
- Crooked teeth
- Pain in the area of the lower jaw joint or neck muscles
- Gritting your teeth
- In adults, after tooth extraction, adjacent teeth move and tilt into an empty space, which has a number of harmful consequences. Sometimes, in order for the replacement of a missing tooth to be possible at all, it is necessary to correct the tooth beforehand.
Of course, some of these irregularities can be corrected by a mobile prosthesis for children.
Is it necessary to wear a fixed device?
If you have an irregularity and you still do not have pain or other problems, it is not necessary. It is certainly desirable, as the pain and problems that result from tooth irregularities can occur at any time in life. Also, at some point, complications can manifest themselves as a cumulative effect of a previous long-term bad load on the teeth.
Teeth that do not have optimal contact with the teeth of the opposite jaw suffer increased pressure. Bone loss occurs around them, which is manifested through the withdrawal of the gums. Other symptoms include tooth wear and tear, joint pain, or loss of tooth tissue around the neck of the tooth.
Crooked teeth are potentially problematic because in such a position it is not possible to clean them well. Periodontal pockets and bone loss are often present around crooked teeth. A fixed denture will correct the position of the teeth and enable good cleaning and an excellent aesthetic appearance.
In patients in whom the upper front teeth are too tilted forward, dry mouth occurs because they cannot connect the upper and lower lip due to the position of the teeth.
Fixed prosthesis or mobile prosthesis for children successfully solve the mentioned problems.
When is it best to start wearing a fixed appliance / prosthesis for children?
As a general rule, you should react as soon as you notice that there are any orthodontic irregularities. Each of them is easier to correct in younger children. Once jaw bone growth is complete, therapy is limited.
At the earliest age, around the age of 5, certain muscle exercises can be started or myofunctional devices can be worn. Muscle exercises are invaluable because the outcome of therapy depends on the muscles.
Mobile dentures for children start to be worn around the age of 7, and fixed dentures after a tooth change. Today, more and more adults wear a fixed device, so in their case, the beginning of therapy is tied to the time when the irregularity was discovered.
How long is a fixed denture worn?
The duration of therapy varies and depends on the age of the patient, the growth rate of the face and jaws and the severity of the problem. Early treatment, for children or teenagers, is always shorter.
Estimation of how long a fixed device is worn is based on clinical examination, X-ray analysis, and study models.
We believe that you would like the therapy to go faster, but the fixed appliance and dentures for children must follow the biomechanical principles during the movement of the teeth. The tooth must not move with too much force as this can lead to its loss.
How is a fixed prosthesis placed?
Placing a fixed denture on the teeth is completely painless and takes about 30-40 minutes. Anesthesia is not necessary, since the braces are simply glued to the teeth. It is common to place a fixed prosthesis on the upper jaw first, in order for the patient to get used to the existence of a foreign body in the mouth. Shortly afterwards, in a month or two, the lower fixed prosthesis is placed. In some situations, it is possible that various splints, intermaxillary rubbers, screws, etc. are included in the therapy with a fixed device which help achieve the results of therapy.
Does a fixed denture hurt?
We would not call it classic pain, but the existence of a certain pressure on the teeth. The pressure is greatest after the control when the orthodontist “tightens” the fixed device. It lasts a day or two after which it stops.
Fixed prosthesis – adjustment
Adaptation to a fixed device is really individual and primarily depends on your desire and motivation regarding therapy. Each fixed denture gives small disturbances and discomfort at the beginning, regardless of where the braces are located, on the outer or inner side of the tooth. If the prosthesis is fixed on the outside, there is usually a weaker or more pronounced scratching of the mucous membrane of the lips and cheeks, and sometimes a change in speech in the form of a slight rustling.
In the case of the lingual fixed appliance, which is placed on the inner surface of the tooth, towards the tongue, it is very similar, except that instead of the sensitivity of the lips and cheeks, the sensitivity of the tongue appears.
All inconveniences, including the pronunciation of individual voices, are of a temporary nature and last for about a week to 10 days. After the adjustment period, all disturbances stop and the patient no longer feels the fixed device as a foreign body.
Will a fixed denture affect the appearance of my face and lips?
The appearance of the face is especially affected by mobile prostheses for children because they directly stimulate the growth of the upper and lower jaw in the desired direction.
Fixed dentures can slightly change the appearance of faces. It will straighten your teeth and give you a symmetrical and natural look to your face and dental arches.
With this type of therapy, changes in the volume of the lips are noticeable and they are temporary. Lips are slightly more bulging in people who wear an external fixed appliance – due to the presence of a lock on the outside of the tooth under the lip. In the case of a lingual fixed appliance, the braces are located on the inside of the teeth and do not affect the appearance of the face and lips. After completing the therapy and removing the locks, your lips will have the same shape and volume as before.
What does life look like with a fixed appliance?
Your fixed device may seem bulky at first and may affect your speech. The good news is that you will get used to everything very quickly.
You need to know that a fixed prosthesis is like a food magnet, so you need to pay much more attention to oral hygiene. Brushing your teeth is almost necessary after every meal because food is very easily retained around the braces and wire. It is especially necessary to clean the interdental spaces so that new caries does not occur during orthodontic therapy.
In our office, you will undergo detailed training in maintaining oral hygiene. We will introduce you to special brushes and other aids to help keep your teeth clean.
There will be no need for any special diets, but you will have to avoid certain foods that can damage the locks (popcorn, hard and sticky candies, hazelnuts, almonds, chewing gum…). It is advisable to brush your teeth even after consuming sweet juices because the sugar on the tooth stays longer while wearing a fixed appliance.
If oral hygiene is not maintained properly, fixed dentures and mobile dentures for children can cause bad breath due to increased retention of bacteria in the mouth.
While wearing a fixed device, you are obliged to come for regular check-ups, usually once a month. Our specialists will sometimes do smaller and more frequent tightenings, in which case the controls can be once a week or once every two weeks.
If you wear a fixed appliance and do contact sports, you need to wear a protector specific to that type of sport over your teeth and appliance. Other sports do not require shields but can certainly be useful in accidental kicks.
People who play wind instruments can usually wear a fixed device.
Can a fixed appliance damage my teeth?
If orthodontic therapy is not performed correctly, permanent damage to the teeth, gums and jawbone can occur. In situations when the therapy is led by an experienced and well-trained orthodontist, such complications are extremely rare. Locks by themselves will not cause a problem but poor cleaning and brushing of teeth, poor nutrition can cause additional caries and damage.
What after the end of therapy?
When the therapy is over, the orthodontist removes the fixed appliance, polishes the teeth and reveals your now perfect smile. Not only are the teeth in the correct mutual position and bite, but also the aesthetic moment, a beautiful and healthy smile comes to the fore.
After the end of the therapy, it is necessary to keep the achieved results, with the help of a splint or a wire that is permanently glued on the inside of the tooth. If this phase is not followed, there is a high probability that the teeth will return to their original position.
Fixed appliances – types
There are several types of fixed appliances that are placed on the outside of the teeth, such as self-ligating appliances, either with metal or aesthetic (white) locks.
Compared to a standard fixed device, self-ligating has a significantly better function and speeds up therapy. During wear, the sensitivity of the teeth is often negligible. A self-ligating fixed device is also more expensive than a standard one. The price varies depending on whether metal or aesthetic locks are used.
The lingual fixed appliance is characterized by the fact that the locks are glued to the inside of the tooth, which makes it completely “invisible.”
Fixed device – price
The prices of fixed appliances vary and depend on the type of prosthesis, the materials from which they are made, the level of dental service and the expertise of the dentist. The cheapest are metal prostheses, which are also the most visible, followed by ceramic ones. The most expensive dentures are lingual or invisible dentures that are placed on the inside and are completely invisible.
These are the approximate prices for a fixed prosthesis and can vary from office to office.
- fixed prosthesis with metal self-ligating locks – 850 €
- Damon fixed appliance with transparent locks – 1000 €
- lingual or invisible prosthesis – 1,500 € (price is per jaw)
The price includes making a prosthesis, monthly control and tightening of wires, gluing detached locks and more.
The price of the analysis of your situation (taking tooth impressions, model analysis and X-rays) is € 50 and is included in the price of the total therapy. The price of the total therapy is eventually reduced by € 50 as much as the paid analysis.
We enable the payment of fixed prostheses in several monthly installments.