How do braces or Invisalign straighten crooked teeth??
Orthodontic appliances, either fixed (glued to the teeth) like braces or removable like Invisalign, use steady gentle pressure over time to move teeth into their proper positions. With braces the bends and shape we make in the wires we place are the things that actually move the teeth. We use different size wires during the various stages of treatment to make these movements. The wire puts pressure against the braces that are glued to the teeth just as the series of Invisalign aligners place pressure directly on the crowns of the teeth. With the teeth resting in the jawbone and pressure on one side the bone on the other side gradually gives way and remodels. This causes the tooth to move. New bone grows behind the tooth. We do this slowly and that’s why appointments are approximately 3-6 weeks apart. With the Damon system appointments are between 5 and 10 weeks apart.
