Here at Dr Chua Ai Lian Orthodontic clinic, we aim to straighten teeth and correct the alignment of teeth and jaws for Singaporeans. We hope to help Singaporean patients with orthodontic conditions speak clearly, chew effectively and smile beautifully. To achieve straight teeth and a beautiful smile for Singaporeans, we employ different orthodontic devices. With these sophisticated and advanced orthodontic appliances, we are able to correct teeth and jaw problems. These orthodontic devices have several purposes which include moving the teeth, modifying the position of the jaw and holding the teeth in place after they have moved into the correct position. These orthodontic appliances are either fixed to the teeth or removable.
- Braces
Braces help to straighten the teeth and gradually move the teeth into the correct alignment. Braces includes brackets, bands and wires and are attached to the teeth.
- Spacers
Spacers are small plastic rings that are places between the back teeth before the braces are installed by the orthodontist. Spacers as implied by the name, helps to create space between the teeth to improve the alignment afforded by braces.
- Retainers
Retainers help to hold the teeth in the finished position after the braces are removed. Retainers feature a plastic plate that rests against the roof or base of the mouth and a metal wire that crosses in front of the teeth.
- Bite plates
Bite plates help to correct a deep bite, in which the upper front teeth come down over the lower teeth causing bite problems.
- Mouth guard
A mouth guard helps to cover and protect the teeth from grinding especially during the night when the patient is sleeping.
- Holding arches
Holding arches prevent the back teeth from moving forward and crowding the front teeth. A lower lingual holding arch prevents permanent molars from shifting forward while a nance holding arch maintains space between teeth in the period of time between baby teeth falling out and adult teeth coming in.
- Palatal expander
A palatal expander helps to widen the upper jaw by separating the bones of the palate, which helps to achieve better fit between the upper and lower teeth. A quad helix helps to widen the jaws to increase the space for crowded teeth.