What is a Bracket?

Brakets are medical devices that are popularly called "braces" and are used to correct crowding and curvature of the teeth. These devices contribute to the alignment of the teeth in the medium or long term. It is not necessary to expect a positive result from the treatment in a short time, because it can make an arrangement on the teeth with very small movements.

Brackets are known as an essential material in dental treatment, especially for orthodontic treatment . They are widely used and are sturdy materials that help to change the shape of the tooth in order to be bonded to it. For bracket care, it is very important to brush your teeth and avoid eating hard foods. Different types of braces are preferred for bracket use.

What are the Types of Brackets?

Metal-looking varieties are generally preferred when using brackets. However, invisible bracket types have also been used quite frequently recently. Bracket types have quite a lot of options. We can list the bracket types as follows;
Metal braces: Metal braces are the first type that comes to mind when it comes to braces that are glued onto the tooth. These materials are produced with very good quality stainless steel material.  In the old times, these materials were produced in quite large sizes. But today, they are produced in smaller sizes and offer a more aesthetic appearance.
Damon brackets: Ceramic brackets: Ceramic brackets have recently gained a lot of attention for their aesthetics. Ceramic braces are opaque white in color but have slightly larger dimensions than metal ones. This means that food accumulates more and people who use this type of braces need to pay a lot of attention to oral and dental hygiene. 
Invisalign (treatment without braces): In this technique, aligners with a transparent and movable texture are used instead of the usual braces. These transparent aligners are prepared individually by taking impressions. The number of aligners varies depending on the rate of crowding in the teeth.
Lingual braces: Lingual braces cost more than the other types. The reason is that they are customized for the individual. Braces are placed on the back of the teeth, not on the front. Therefore, they are not visible during speaking or smiling. It can be an ideal choice for people who are concerned about aesthetics. 

Why Brackets Break

It is made of durable materials. Therefore, bracket breakage is not a problem that occurs very often. Although rare, breakage is generally caused by hard foods. If you try to bite hard foods with shells with teeth, fracture may occur.
Another factor that causes breakage is the weakening of the adhesive materials used during the application over time and their removal from the place where they are located. In this case, fracture can also occur quickly. Even if there is no fracture, if the adhesive material weakens and the brackets are dislodged, they must be glued again. Otherwise, the success of the treatment is adversely affected.

In which cases is braces applied?

There is a popular belief that this treatment only works in childhood and that adults are too late to benefit from this treatment. Braces can also be used for adults and can be very successful. In children, the deciduous teeth must have fallen out and the permanent teeth must have completely erupted in order for this treatment to be performed. This treatment method is not applied to children whose milk teeth have not yet fallen out. We can list the situations where braces are generally required as follows; 

• Showing a crooked arrangement of teeth 
• Presence of jaw disorders
• Having a disproportionate shape of the upper and lower jaw
• Overlapping of teeth
• Problems with teeth alignment
• Gaps between teeth
• Problems with teeth rotation

The factors listed above are among the most common reasons for braces. However, when some specific conditions develop, braces can be used in the short or long term to achieve a more uniform tooth appearance, especially in aesthetic care.

How to Care for Brackets

Wearing a brace does not mean that oral and dental hygiene should be neglected. On the contrary, this issue should be approached with much more care. A toothbrush and dental floss can be used. Therefore, teeth can be cleaned without difficulty and plaque formation can be prevented by flossing between the teeth.
It should be ensured that there are no food residues between the brackets or in the lines where they come into contact with the teeth. For this purpose, products called interface brushes, which ensure that the interdental spaces are cleaned uniformly, can be preferred.
Teeth should be brushed 3 times a day and the mouth should be rinsed with plenty of water after meals, in a sense to keep the inside of the mouth clean at all times. Wearing braces does not mean that oral and dental hygiene is very difficult. The necessary hygienic cleaning can be done in short periods of time during the day and thus dental health can be protected.

Ceramic Bracket in Adult Patients

Adults generally prefer ceramic braces because of their more aesthetic appearance. The brackets made of ceramic material are the ones that need to be used more carefully. Braces that are very close in color to the color of the teeth can also be used, and therefore the rate of external visibility of the braces is reduced. People also feel aesthetically better when they use ceramic braces. You can get much more detailed information on this subject by consulting your dentist.