How is the treatment time of Damon shorter than of other braces?

Doctor's Answers 1

I don't think that Damon can shorten orthodontic treatment time (the duration you spend wearing braces) significantly because it does not change the fundamental biology of how teeth move.

Orthodontic tooth movement is a cellular process of bone remodelling in response to forces on the tooth. The force can come from a brace (like Damon or Invisalign) or from a finger (like when a child sucks on their thumb). The force needs to be present for more than 8 hours in order to trigger bone remodelling.

At the level of the tooth (where the braces is attached), only force direction and force magnitude (how strong the force is) matters. Remember that the tooth has no idea what type of appliance (Damon, conventional braces, Invisalign etc) is moving it!

The main difference between Damon and conventional brackets is how the archwire is attached to the tooth. Damon has a self-locking system while conventional braces use rubber elastics or metal ties. In the end, most of the time-saving come from how quickly the archwires can be changed (how much time you spend in the dental chair) instead of how quickly the teeth can move through the bone.

Osteoperforation through periodontally-accelerated osteogenic orthodontics (PAOO) or Propel, makes use of inflammation to accelerate tooth movement. Creating holes in the bone makes moving teeth easier since bone becomes soft during the healing process. This is a biologically-plausible mechanism to move teeth more easily and quickly which has been objectively proven in clinical studies.

Similar Questions

During the alignment stage of braces, what are causes for the front teeth to tip inwards or outwards, and is this a cause for concern?

Conventional braces treatment sequence is divided into a few stages, the first stage is termed as levelling and alignment, followed often by space closure and finally a stage called finishing where final tooth movements are made to ensure an aesthetic and functional outcome. During the initial alignment stage a very thin and flexible wire is tied into the brackets bonded on each individual tooth. The wire exerts a force to pull each tooth to conform to the shape of this wire hence the teeth move relative to each other.

Photo of Dr Priscilla Lu

Answered By

Dr Priscilla Lu

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Apart from braces, what can be done to improve the appearance of my teeth? (photo)

Some patients may just want straight teeth and are not concerned with the proportions of the teeth or the colour. A harmonious smile has optimal aesthetics in: tooth size, position, proportions, shape and colour. Some patients like a very obvious "done" look with very white and straight teeth with little variation in tooth form. They may feel that it is not worth spending so much on their teeth if people cannot tell at first glance what they have spent their money on. Other patients may prefer subtle aesthetics that is hyper-natural but "perfected".

Photo of Dr Jaclyn Toh

Answered By

Dr Jaclyn Toh

Dentist

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