Orthodontics (Braces and Clear Aligners)

What Is Orthodontic Treatment?

Orthodontics is the field of dentistry that diagnoses and corrects crowded teeth, gaps between teeth and misaligned bites. During treatment, light and carefully controlled forces are applied to the teeth, allowing them to move slowly and safely through the jawbone into a better position.

Well-aligned teeth are about far more than the look of your smile. Crowded teeth are harder to clean, which makes tooth decay and gum inflammation more likely, while bite problems can gradually affect chewing, speech and the jaw joint.

Treatment can be planned in childhood to guide jaw growth, and during the teenage years or adulthood to correct alignment and bite problems.

Braces or Clear Aligners: What Is the Difference?

Modern orthodontic treatment relies on two main approaches: fixed braces, in which brackets and archwires are bonded to the teeth, and removable clear aligners that move the teeth step by step.

Metal or ceramic braces apply continuous force through archwires. Because they work around the clock and depend less on patient compliance, they remain a reliable choice across a wide range of cases, including complex ones. Ceramic brackets are close to the natural tooth colour and therefore less noticeable.

Clear aligners are custom-made from a digital scan of your mouth. A series of trays is changed at set intervals, each one moving the teeth a small amount. Since they can be removed for eating, drinking and brushing, they fit easily into daily life.

Which option suits you depends on the degree of crowding, your bite relationship, your age and your habits. For this reason, the treatment plan is always determined after a clinical and radiographic examination by the dentist.

Who Is a Candidate for Orthodontic Treatment?

Orthodontic treatment can be carried out in children, teenagers and adults whose gums and supporting bone are healthy. An orthodontic assessment is recommended in the following situations:

For children, a first orthodontic check-up is generally recommended around the age of seven. Skeletal problems identified early can often be guided with simpler appliances while the jaws are still growing.

• Crowded teeth or noticeable gaps between teeth
• Open bite, deep bite or crossbite
• Protruding front teeth or teeth that have failed to erupt properly
• Teeth that have drifted after an extraction
• Alignment needed before implant or prosthetic treatment

How Does Orthodontic Treatment Proceed at ADEN Dental?

At our clinic in Çukurambar, Ankara, orthodontic treatment follows four main stages:

Before treatment starts, any cavities are treated and dental calculus is removed. A healthy oral environment is a precondition for orthodontic treatment to progress smoothly.

• Examination: an intraoral assessment supported by panoramic and, where necessary, cephalometric X-rays to evaluate the teeth, roots and jaw structure
• Planning: a digital scan or conventional impression is taken; the planned tooth movements, the chosen method and the estimated duration are reviewed together with you
• Active treatment: braces are bonded, or the first set of aligners is fitted, and tooth movement begins
• Follow-up: adjustment visits roughly every four to six weeks for braces, or at intervals set by the dentist for aligners

How Should You Care for Your Teeth During Treatment?

Steady daily care has a direct effect on how smoothly and quickly treatment progresses:

• Brush slowly and carefully around the brackets; use interdental brushes and fluoride toothpaste
• Avoid hard, sticky and chewy foods such as nuts, crusty bread and chewing gum
• Cut apples, carrots and similar hard foods into small pieces instead of biting into them
• Wear clear aligners for around 20 to 22 hours a day, removing them only for meals and brushing
• Contact the clinic if a bracket comes loose, a wire irritates your cheek or an aligner is lost
• Keep every scheduled appointment; postponed visits can extend the overall treatment time

Retention: Keeping Teeth in Their New Position

After active treatment ends, teeth naturally tend to drift back toward their previous position. To keep this tendency under control, a thin fixed wire is bonded to the back of the front teeth, or a clear retainer is worn at night.

How the retainer is used and for how long varies from person to person and is monitored by the dentist at routine check-ups. Careful attention to the retention phase plays a decisive role in preserving the alignment that has been achieved.

What Are the Benefits of Orthodontic Treatment?

Correctly positioned teeth make brushing and flossing easier, which helps reduce the risk of decay and gum disease. A balanced bite also helps chewing forces spread evenly across the teeth.

The extent of these benefits differs from person to person, which is why realistic expectations are discussed during the dental examination.

• Easier and more effective oral hygiene
• Improved chewing function
• Less tooth wear caused by uneven loading
• A positive contribution to speech and the appearance of the smile