Why Are My Braces so High Up?

Author Lee Cosi

Posted Jan 27, 2023

Reads 59

Library with lights

Braces are an important tool in orthodontic treatment, as they help to straighten and align teeth. But sometimes patients may be surprised to find that their braces are placed further up the teeth than they expected. This can be particularly noticeable if the previous orthodontic treatment involved just one arch of the mouth, while braces on both arches now gives a noticeably higher position. Here, we explain why your braces might be high up on your teeth and what you can do if you don’t like the look.

To begin with, doctors will often place the brackets of your braces higher up on your teeth for a practical reason. This allows them to work with more tooth surfaces at once and such a placement can provide better force control throughout the treatment when guiding teeth into desired positions. Additionally, placing brackets higher on the tooth can produce greater stability in areas where crookedness is more severe and difficult to manage. It also prevents too much torque and emphasizes more on vertical correction compared to horizontal one.

That said, people who dislike the high placement of their braces have options to improve their appearance without hampering their progress in orthodontic treatment. One way is for you to discuss translucent braces options with your orthodontist. These types of transparent or tooth-coloured brackets tend to blend out better with natural teeth as opposed to metal ones that are harder to hide or camouflage. Alternatively, ceramic “invisible” braces apply transparent brackets which can effectively hide them from public view while still achieving desired alignment results.

The decisions that go into choosing a certain type of bracket and its placement should always come down to a discussion between patient and doctor based on assessed needs and preferences. Therefore it is important that you speak up before or during any treatment if you feel uncomfortable or unhappy with where your brackets are placed or how they look; bracket placement does not have to compromise progress if modifications are carefully planned out!

Why are my braces so far back?

Braces are used to correct a wide array of orthopedic maladies, from misaligned teeth to incorrect bites. But why does one's Orthodontist insist on putting braces so far back? This can be an understandably baffling prospect for a patient whose teeth have not changed significantly since their initial appointment.

The answer lies within the nature of braces themselves: they work by gradually and gently pushing teeth into the desired position over an extended period of time. To achieve this gradual alignment, orthodontists must begin by attaching the brace’s brackets in locations that allow them to exert a greater force against the teeth. This often means placing them slightly further back so as to give the braces greater leverage when manipulating teeth into their desired position.

Knowing this fact should also help to assuage any anxiety a patient may have about discomfort as they settle into their new braces: because the positioning of their appliance allows for an increased amount of pressure on each tooth, alignment should happen earlier on in treatment and with fewer adjustments required along the way. If your Orthodontist takes care to ensure that the brackets are properly placed from day one, you should see successful results quicker than if they had started with a less optimal placement.

Why do I need upper braces when my lower teeth are straight?

The question of why one might need braces when they seem to have perfectly straight lower teeth is an important one. The answer can be best understood with a brief overview of the mechanics behind orthodontic treatment. Braces work to reposition the upper and lower teeth in order to make them fit together in harmony. When a patient has straight lower teeth but crooked upper teeth, braces are placed on the upper teeth to move them into their desired location and create a harmonious bite.

When these two sets of teeth don't fit together it can cause jaw misalignment and long-term pain or discomfort. Thus, even if your lower teeth already appear straight, it’s important for your overall oral health and comfort to ensure that your upper and lower teeth also fit together properly. Upper braces can help reposition your upper teeth so that they are in perfect relationship with your lower ones, providing better function and less risk of developing oral health problems over time.

Upper braces may also be recommended when people want more desirable aesthetic results than would be possible without the addition of upper braces, since they will provide more balanced and symmetrical results overall. Furthermore, when both the top and bottom are aligned together correctly, this can also help protect against problems associated with any future crowding or misalignment as well as potentially lengthening the lifespan of other procedures such as dental fillings or crowns. So even if you’re already happy with the look of your straight lower teeth, upper braces could be beneficial for enhancing their functionality and appearance over time too!

Why does my orthodontist want me to keep my braces on so long?

When it comes to your orthodontic treatment, you may have wondered why your orthodontist wants you to keep your braces on so long. The answer is simple yet complex—it all comes down to achieving the best, most lasting results for improving your smile and oral health. Although it can seem like a tedious task to wear braces for an extended period of time, it pays off in the end by improving the look of your teeth and aiding in better oral hygiene.

It’s important that you let the orthodontic treatment process take its course in order to get the desired outcome. This means that the length of time you’re wearing braces will depend on how much correction is needed and how cooperative your teeth and jaw are throughout treatment. In many cases, changes occur over extended periods of time—which can drive up the number of visits and add additional months (or even years) onto an initial treatment plan.

Throughout your orthodontic journey, proper home care for keeping your braces clean can help reduce risks such as staining or decay associated with trapped food particles or plaque buildup due to poor oral hygiene. Especially during later stages of treatment, greater precision can be obtained when keeping brackets, archwires and other components in place for a longer period of time. By allowing extra time for teeth to move in accordance with prescribed instructions from an orthodontist, more accurate outcomes can often be gained when it comes to aligning teeth into their proper positions.

At the end of the day, patience is key when undergoing any type of dental care—and this goes double when required wearing braces for a long period of time since it allows your mouth more opportunity in sculpting a gorgeous smile you won’t soon forget!

Why do I have to have my braces adjusted so often?

Braces are a common way for individuals to straighten their teeth, but why do so many people have to have them adjusted so often? Braces need adjusting in order to ensure that the teeth are being moved into the intended position. Adjustments must be done so the teeth can be moved little by little over the course of treatment. If a person's braces aren't adjusted regularly, it is less likely a patient will receive optimal results.

Adjustments play an essential role in the process of realigning misaligned or crooked teeth. Prior to each adjustment, a dentist or orthodontist uses an X-ray to map out each tooth’s spot, and then creates a plan of how much moving each tooth needs during that visit. As soon as an initial arch-wire is placed into brackets on each tooth, the wire begins to apply gentle tension on the jawbone and surrounding connective tissue which causes the teeth to move together in one direction. This pressure must be gradually reapplied at each visit in order for progress towards straightening goals to be constantly tracked.

Overall, having your braces adjusted regularly is important because it signals positive development for your ultimate goal of having straighter teeth – and soon! Though it may feel uncomfortable or time consuming at times, good orthodontic care means that you’ll have improved oral health from having a balanced bite and properly working teeth at the end of your treatment.

What is the purpose of having my upper braces so high?

The purpose of having your upper braces so high is to achieve uniform and accurate alignment of the upper and lower teeth. This method, known as “high pull therapy”, uses a combination of elastics and archwires in order to pull the upper teeth into perfect alignment. By placing the upper braces high on the gum line, it increases the amount of force needed to stretch the jaw open during treatment. This helps to keep your teeth in an arch shape while slowly pushing them into their desired position over time.

High pull therapy helps to ensure that you receive the most precise results possible with orthodontic treatment. It also helps reduce discomfort or irregular pressure applied during treatment, making it easier for you to wear your braces with less discomfort or soreness.

Not only does this method reduce potential discomfort and create better results faster, it also allows for a better fit of tooth-aligning appliances such as retainers or headgear. This helps you obtain a more stable long-term result as well as improved retention and more aesthetically pleasing smile once completed.

When all is said and done, having your upper braces placed higher can be beneficial for both treating and correcting dental problems in a variety of ways that are tailored to each individual patient’s needs throughout orthodontic care. Utilizing high pull therapy provides considerable accuracy when it comes to results while reducing potential soreness caused by consistent pressure over an extended period. Don't worry - all this pushing and pulling is worth it in order to achieve the most precise alignment possible!

Lee Cosi

Lee Cosi

Writer at CGAA

View Lee's Profile

Lee Cosi is an experienced article author and content writer. He has been writing for various outlets for over 5 years, with a focus on lifestyle topics such as health, fitness, travel, and finance. His work has been featured in publications such as Men's Health Magazine, Forbes Magazine, and The Huffington Post.

View Lee's Profile