What is the difference between straightening teeth and fixing bite?

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partnerwantsbraces

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What is the difference between straightening teeth and fixing bite?

And how do you know if your bite is fixed?

Is the first just rotating teeth but the second is actually moving the teeth into position so they not only look good but fit together?

Partner is just under two months into metal braces with crowded crooked teeth. Estimated time ~15 months.

The was zero movement for around six weeks but then in the last fortnight there are huge changes in the straightness of them. Is this normal? It seems so fast as they now look 80% done. Is it a case of this part only takes a few months and the rest is fixing bite which takes longer?

First appointment since fitting next week so not adjustments yet.

Thanks.
 
Fixing bite: your molars should line up, and "fit together" nicely. For some, their jaws have a different width (so teeth don't fit, side to side), some have teeth that don't line up back-to front (eg top teeth too far forward compared to lowers). In many cases, the front teeth don't play much of a part in this... it's like your toes in your shoes, they just stick out the front of the bit that holds your shoe in place on your foot!). Another form of bad bite is when your rear teeth don't touch, or if your front teeth are "open" when you close your mouth. Teeth can, as you say, also be rotated out of their best position, causing issues

Bite issues can cause eating difficulties, and in the long term there's the potential for jaw pain, plus excess tooth wear.


Straightening teeth: this is very much the front teeth.. do they all line up nicely? In many cases more cosmetic than functional, but if you have an "open bite" (front teeth don't meet when mouth closed) then that's a functional thing.

Smile Direct (rip) promised to straighten your front 12 teeth... no fixing of bite problems... one of the reasons they were cheap.


Braces moving teeth: think of it like a fence post in the ground. Initially, if you start to waggle it, not a lot happens. After a bit, you start to make a hole, and the post gets wobbly. If you apply a sideways pressure, it will start to move sideways, and very quickly, the post will be very close to its desired location, so you start putting in more exact pressures & rotation to put it into its perfect location. If you stop holding it, it's gonna move... there's a great big hole in the ground! Ok, so some of the far end of the hole started to fill with earth, but it's still a big hole. So you prop the poles in place, and the rain and nature will cause the ground to slowly fill the hole, and the post will eventually be firm in its now location. (We are usually impatient, so we fill the hole with cement... no option to do that with teeth!!!)

Similar to braces on teeth: takes a bit to get them moving, then they do 80% of the job.... which to us looks "almost done", because they look a LOT better than they were before. Then there's the final tweaks, and time to "let them set in place". When you apply pressure to teeth, the body dissolves the jaw bone on one side, deposits bone on the other side.


How do you know if the "bite is fixed": that's the orthodontist's skill. For some people, the final teeth position gives an improved bite, but isn't 100% stable. Same for the straight teeth at the front. That's why you wear retainers for life. The lucky ones, with a stable bite don't need the retainers for too long. Others will lose their perfect smile of they don't wear them regularly.


Did that help? Of just confuse?
 
That is a really useful and detailed reply, thanks so much! I really like your analogies of the fence and toes in your shoes. That's a great way to eduucate!

I also found a web page from an ortho that put my mind at rest:

This first stage, known as the initial alignment, is often pretty quick leading many to mistakenly believe the hard work has already been done.

While the initial alignment may achieve noticeable results that have you champing at the bit to have your braces removed early, in reality it’s just stage one of a multi-stage affair.

Once this initial stage is complete, it is followed by the lengthier period of correcting any bite issues and maintaining the teeth position.
Click to expand...

I wonder, since I'm clearly talking to an expert ;) if I can ask a few further questions.

1. Practically speaking what is the difference in terms of changes that occur between, as expressed in my quote, “initial alignment” and fixing the bite? Do the braces work any differently (she will have rubber bands for some of the bite fixing stage).
2. I read a few times about “striaghtening teeth” and “moving roots” as being two separate activities. Do these correspond with  “initial alignment” and fixing the bite or are they just referring to the rotation of the tooth and the position of the tooth respectively?
3. The ortho said once the main work is done they can't be left on as long as possible for tweaks. I.e. minor tooth adjustments. Aesthetics aside, would leaving them on a few months longer for some minor movement make the teeth stronger and reduce the chance of relapse or would it not make a difference?
4. Once everything is done is there a period where the braces are left on and are just holding the teeth in place to allow bone growth or is this solely the job of the retainers? If braces are used for this, how long is that phase?

Thanks!
 
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