One of the most common concerns people have with orthodontics is the treatment duration. Orthodontic treatment usually takes about two years or longer depending on the extent of the malocclusion, but some people consider this too long. If treatment duration is one of your orthodontic concerns, talk to your dentist about the use of accelerated orthodontics to shorten the duration.

How It Is Done

For accelerated orthodontics, the orthodontist first performs a minor dental surgery to hasten the treatment time. The minor surgery involves shaving the enamel and reforming the gums to allow for faster movement of teeth in the desired direction. The orthodontic then installs a special type of braces, which are designed for accelerated teeth movement.

There is also a relatively new orthodontic treatment that involves the use of electrical pulses in addition to the mechanical action of the braces. The electrical stimulation encourages bone growth and movement and helps in the acceleration of the treatment period.

The Advantages of Accelerated Orthodontics

Fast Alignment

The most obvious advantage of accelerated orthodontics is that it shortens your treatment time. This is a huge advantage to anyone that, for one reason or another, wants to straighten their teeth as fast as possible. For example, if you are planning for a wedding in about a year, and you don't want to wed with braces (not that there is anything wrong with that), you cannot risk conventional orthodontics because the wedding date may arrive while you are still wearing braces.

Minimal Side Effects

Another advantage of accelerated orthodontics is that it reduces the effect of your orthodontic treatment on your health. Wearing braces can affect your health because there are certain foods you need to avoid during your orthodontic treatment. With accelerated orthodontics, this will only go on for a short time and you will soon be back to eating normal foods.

The Potential Drawbacks

Relatively Expensive

Unfortunately, accelerated orthodontics doesn't come cheap; it is expensive compared to conventional orthodontics. This makes sense because the procedure is more intensive and requires some treatments that you may not need in conventional orthodontics.

Not Suitable For Everyone

Lastly, accelerated orthodontics is not suitable for everyone. The current status of your teeth and the extent of your misalignment are some of the factors that determine whether you can benefit from the treatment or not.

Whether or not you are a candidate for accelerated orthodontics, you should follow your orthodontist's advice if you don't want your treatment duration to lengthen unnecessarily. In most cases, this involves maintaining good oral hygiene, avoiding hard foods as advised, and keeping all your dental appointments. 

Contact a dentist like Jacob L. Revercomb DMD for more information.