Sounds scary, doesn't it?
Those whose teeth had been aligned earlier, let's say one decade ago, could hear such nice phrases from their humorous pals. Such as those wearing a plaster cast for some weeks can be referred to as a 'timber-toe'. Wearing plaster cast is annoying, however it is rare that as a consequence of a crick or a sprain one needs to wear it for several months. Orthodontic treatments, however, usually last for a longer period of time. And some sort of appliance is necessarily needed in the mouth which results in some misconception and evokes jest in the public thinking. This could be especially frightening for those who would need an orthodontic treatment.
I have lots of guests who could have had orthodontic treatments when they were teenagers - however, they did not because (like every teenager) they were sensitive about their appearances. It might be strange what I am saying now: they were right in some way.
Today wearing an orthodontic appliance is trendy. It has become obvious among teenagers, too, that an appealing smile is one of the key factors for success and self confidence, moreover by wearing an orthodontic appliance they can also prove their audacity. However, these days orthodontic appliances do not need to be as obtrusive as they were 10-15 years ago. There are solutions which are almost invisible in the everyday for outsiders.
They are aesthetic appliances that do not need technical solutions reminding of the steel and metal industry. Brackets glued individually on the teeth can be made of composite, ceramic or even artificial sapphire. The archwire can also have the colour of the teeth. The old elephantine metal rings can also be substituted by small tubes. Moreover, those wanting to hide their orthodontic appliances even more, can chose to have the appliance put inside of the teeth.
Like all other sciences, orthodontics has undergone a significant improvement in the past years. New fix appliances have been developed having several benefits over conventional ones.