“Can braces damage your teeth?”

Great question. No they can not. Teeth can be harmed while wearing braces but they do not directly harm the teeth. The harm comes in the form of eating what you should or not caring for your teeth during the treatment, as in brushing and flossing. Wearing braces does put you at a greater risk for decay and gum issues but with proper care and regular dental check ups this can be avoided.

If you do not keep them clean.

NO

Yes they can if extra care is not taken. Even aligners can cause decalcification, white spot lesions on teeth. Fortunately this can be prevented and is not threat to a conscientious patient. Follow your orthodontist's instructions to the letter and greatly reduce your sugar intake for better overall health.

The braces don't damage your tooth. Sometimes the area where the brackets are could get decalcified and more prone to get decayed.

Braces no, poor hygiene will definitely do it.

If stay for a long time and your hygiene is not very good, yes, it can damage.

Yes and no. If done slowly and without too much force, your teeth will be fine. If they are moved fast with a lot of pressure, shortening of the roots can happen.

Braces only damage your teeth when one does not maintain good oral hygiene, brush at least twice a day and floss regularly. The gum tissue can also become swollen during the time one has on the braces which is treatable. In addition, if a person aborts their treatment and does not have the braces removed in a timely fashion, it may result in damage to the surfaces of the teeth.

If not probably supervised by a formally trained and licensed professional it is possible to push teeth too fast and cause periodontal issues leading to loose teeth. Brackets can leave marks on teeth if not removed properly. Even plastic aligners can cause occlusion problems that will prevent the teeth from touching with an even bite. There are many reasons why orthodontics study for years before practicing. Proper treatment planning is the key to success.

Respectfully Yours,
Dr Wayne

Orthodontic treatment carries with it some risks. The three most common are root resorption, periodontal breakdown, and demineralization of enamel. The first, root resorption, is very common and happens in most orthodontic cases. Simply put, the tips of the roots of some of the teeth shrink. Most commonly the amount of root loss is only a millimeter or two and is of no clinical significance and carries no long term negative consequences. However, in rare cases, the amount of root loss can be severe and in even rarer situations can lead to tooth loss. Both are these are very uncommon. The second is periodontal breakdown. Sometimes the supporting hard and soft tissues, the bone that holds your teeth and the overlying gums can become less supportive due to loss of these tissues. This occurs because of the type of treatment and because of poor hygiene practices on the part of the patient. Once again, slight loss of inter-crestal bone and very mild shrinkage of the gum tissues is common but it is usually very minimal and once again has no negative effects in the long term. However, once again, in just the wrong patient whose home hygiene practices are poor, this breakdown can become severe. Finally, demineralization, or white spot lesions, are also a common occurrence and is also most often associated with poor oral hygiene. If severe, and most cases are not, it can lead to decay and the need for fillings, facings or crowns after treatment is completed.

While this may seem like a lot to be concerned about, in reality these are occurrences which happen with relative frequency but almost always are very minor in nature and should not dissuade anyone from receiving the benefits that orthodontic treatment has to offer. The good news is that it easy to see all of these potential negatives as they are developing and therefore address them all before they become problematic. Your doctor should be monitoring your oral health status throughout treatment.

If done right, then no.

If you floss and brush your teeth correctly. Brush around your brackets and bands, you should not have any problems. If patients have braces and they don't floss and brush correctly, rotting food around your gumline, brackets can inflame your gumline and cause decay. If you keep your braces clean, floss, brush and clean your tongue, gargle, you should not have any problems.

no

No, please brush and floss twice a day or after 30 min after each meal to reduce plaque levels.