Conventional braces are the option used for teeth straightening. Braces use bonded brackets and flexible wires held by bands to exert pressure, gently and gradually straightening teeth. A typical orthodontist treatment involving braces ideally takes 12-24 months to work and a removable retainer must be worn for a period of time after the braces have been removed. Sunshine Dental Group offers a wide range of teeth straightening services in Melbourne. While braces are not normally considered a fun topic, there are many fun facts associated with teeth straightening. Below are three facts that will simply blow your mind.
Teeth straightening have been sought since the ancient times
Did you ever know the teeth straightening option has been in vogue since about 1728? In fact, the allure of “the perfect smile” can be traced back to Ancient Egypt. Even in the ancient world, people were obsessed with a straight smile. Archaeologists have discovered many mummies who have catgut-made wired cords wrapped around their teeth. This was believed to be an attempt to keep the teeth in perfect alignment and prevent them from going loose after death. These cords are similar to the modern wired braces in design.
Fast forward to the 18th century. In 1728 Pierre Fauchard, known as the father of dentistry, made the first official braces as we know them today. These braces consisted of a flat gold metal wire that was connected to teeth via thin threads. In fact, in popular literature around 18th to 20th century, often crooks, thieves, and other cunning people were characterised by uneven, broken, and dirty sets of teeth. This shows a perfectly aligned set of teeth has always been valued by us. Moving forth to the 20th century, dentist Edward Angle added various innovations like brackets and other modern appliances to aid the issues of tooth straightening further.
NASA created Nickel Titanium used in Braces
The wires made to support braces contain some amount of nickel titanium. This is a very suitable metal to support the braces owing to its elasticity and malleability. The thin wires made of nickel titanium are able to well maintain their shape even after being molded to fit around the teeth. This aids in getting the teeth straightened. How many of us are aware that this nickel titanium was originally developed by NASA to support their space explorations?
Famous people have undergone teeth straightening as well
You are not the only one suffering from misaligned teeth. A lot of celebrities like Tom Cruise, Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, Emma Watson, Gwen Stefani, Chelsea Clinton, to name a few, have all used braces to get their teeth straightened to achieve their perfect smiles.
Contact Us
Should you want to know more about teeth straightening options in Melbourne, contact Sunshine Dental Group on (03) 9311 1056.
