Must-Read If You’re Considering Orthodontic Treatment at Apgujeong Dental Clinic

Nice to meet you.

We are Blanche Dental Clinic, where we study and treat your healthy smile in Apgujeong.

If you are reading this post now, you have probably wondered dozens, or even hundreds, of times whether to get orthodontic treatment while looking at your teeth in the mirror.

"Will braces really make me look better?"

"Will my gums be okay even if I do it when I’m older?"

"The cost is also high—what if the result turns out badly?"

Orthodontic treatment is on a completely different level from simply changing your hairstyle at a salon.

Because it is a major life project that requires a long period of at least one year, and often two years or more, as well as a significant financial investment.

That is why, when patients come in for consultations, I sometimes give advice that may sound a little blunt.

"If you don’t feel confident, don’t start in the first place."

Does that sound too frightening?

But this is honest advice from a dentist and an orthodontic specialist who wants to help you avoid wasting your precious time and money. (I also had orthodontic treatment 20 years ago.)

This post is filled with the things you must read if you are worried about orthodontic treatment.

If you take just 3 minutes to read it, it will definitely help you.

Does the success of orthodontic treatment depend not on the doctor, but on the patient?

Many people think that if they use an expensive, good device, or if they receive treatment from a famous doctor in Apgujeong, everything will work out on its own.

But orthodontic treatment is not something a doctor does alone; it is more like a race run in a three-legged game between the patient and the doctor.

The principle of orthodontics is a biological process in which teeth are moved by applying continuous force to them and using the metabolism of the bone cells around the gums.

Once orthodontic treatment begins, you will usually visit the dental clinic once a month (monthly treatment).

At this time, the medical staff will help the teeth move by replacing the elastic bands, changing the archwire (the wire) to the appropriate thickness for each stage, or tightening between the brackets.

But what happens if you say, "I’m busy, so I’ll skip this month"?

The momentum of tooth movement stops. It’s not just that the treatment period gets longer.

If the rhythm of tooth movement is broken, the overall treatment plan can go off track, and it may not proceed in the desired direction, which can reduce the quality of the result.

For office workers near Apgujeong Dental Clinic, I often see that they have difficulty making time because of overtime, business trips, dinners with colleagues, and so on.

You may ask, "How can you keep a hospital appointment perfectly when you have a social life?"

But if you postpone appointments or fail to show up on the day without notice, most orthodontic clinics have tightly packed schedules, so it is very difficult to make another appointment soon.

In the end, the treatment period stretches out like taffy, and the longer the orthodontic appliance remains on your teeth, the greater the risk of cavities and gum disease.

If you have decided to get orthodontic treatment, you need to think of "the one day a month when I go to the dentist" as the number one appointment in your life in order to achieve successful results.

Braces off and done? The lifelong companion, retainers

Some people cheer, "Finally, the railroad tracks are off!" and walk out of the clinic.

But unfortunately, real management starts at this point.

Our teeth have a strong tendency to return to their original positions.

This is because the periodontal ligament, the tissue surrounding the teeth, has memory. What is needed to prevent teeth that were painstakingly moved from becoming crooked again is a retainer.

Retainers are broadly divided into two types.

① Removable retainer (a device you can put in and take out)

• This refers to a device made of plastic and wire, or a clear plastic appliance.

• It should be worn except when eating or brushing your teeth.

• For at least about one year, it is recommended to wear it every day except during meals, and after that, the wear time is gradually reduced according to the medical staff’s instructions, such as wearing it only أثناء sleep.

② Fixed retainer (bonded wire)

• This is a method in which a thin wire is attached with resin to the inside of the front teeth (the part that touches the tongue).

• It is completely invisible to other people.

• You should keep it attached for at least as long as the period you had orthodontic treatment (for example, if you had braces for 2 years, then for 2 years or more).

In my case, it has been 20 years since my orthodontic treatment ended, but I still have a retainer attached to the inside of my teeth.

Thanks to that, I have maintained the same straight alignment from 20 years ago.

If you ask, "Do I have to keep it on forever?" I would say the answer is to keep it on for as long as possible if you want to maintain straight teeth for a long time.

That is because there are surprisingly many unfortunate cases of patients coming back for retreatment after neglecting retainer care and having their teeth shift again.

We cannot promise patients that they will "absolutely become perfect like a celebrity" or that their facial shape will be completely changed without surgery.

If a dental clinic says things like that, you should be careful. haha There are clear medical limitations to orthodontic treatment.

① Skeletal asymmetry (facial asymmetry)

• Orthodontic treatment moves the "teeth," not surgically adjusts the length of the "jawbone."

• In cases where asymmetry caused by differences in the lengths of the upper and lower jaws, underbite, or chin deficiency is severe, orthodontic treatment alone has limitations, and in some cases, surgical procedures such as double-jaw surgery may need to be combined.

② The shape and color of the teeth themselves

• Orthodontics is a treatment that straightens and aligns the teeth.

• If the teeth themselves are round like corn kernels, or too pointed, or yellowish in color, orthodontic treatment cannot change that. (In such cases, veneers or whitening treatment should be performed together.)

• Even when the midline (the center line of the teeth) is significantly off due to a skeletal problem, it may be difficult to make it match perfectly 100%.

The medical staff at Apgujeong Dental Clinic makes every effort to find the best possible bite and aesthetics within these limitations. During consultation, it is important to receive a clear diagnosis of whether your condition can be solved with orthodontic treatment alone or whether surgery or prosthetic treatment is needed.

The unwelcome guest of orthodontics, the 'Black Triangle,' and the solution

As orthodontic treatment nears its end, there is one thing patients worry about most when looking in the mirror.

"Doctor, there’s a big gap between my teeth. Has my gum gone down?"

The black triangular space that appears between teeth and between the gums is the Black Triangle.

This phenomenon may be a side effect of orthodontics, but in fact it is often a problem with the shape of the teeth.

As teeth that were overlapping and crooked become straight, the empty spaces that were not visible when they were overlapped (spaces where the gums could not fill in) become exposed.

In adult orthodontics, the elasticity of the gums decreases, so these empty spaces may be more noticeable.

Then, do you have to live with this gap forever?

• The shape of the teeth can be refined into a neat rectangular form to improve aesthetics.
• The spaces between the teeth can be closed to reduce black triangles.
• Additional space for the teeth to move can be secured.

"Is it okay to file down healthy natural teeth?"

You may worry about this, but it is performed within the safe range of the outermost layer of the tooth, the enamel, so you do not need to worry too much about sensitivity or cavities.

Did I scare you too much today? Let’s summarize. haha

• If you miss treatment appointments, the orthodontic treatment period can become longer and the results may worsen.
• Retainers after orthodontic treatment are not optional; they are essential. (For at least as long as the orthodontic treatment period.)
• Skeletal asymmetry and the shape of the teeth themselves cannot be changed by orthodontics.
• Black triangles can appear, but they can be addressed to some extent with interproximal reduction (IPR).

Looking at it this way, you might think orthodontics sounds too difficult and complicated.

If you are considering orthodontic treatment, rather than only searching online, please visit a dental clinic in person and get examined.

Wishing you a wise choice and a beautiful smile, this was Blanche Dental Clinic. Thank you.

[🚨Notice Regarding Cautionary Information Under Medical Law] All procedures may cause side effects such as fracture, detachment, sensitivity, and inflammation depending on the individual’s oral structure and condition, and results may vary. Please make your decision carefully after sufficient consultation with the medical staff before the procedure.