Your questions

Orthodontics is above all the art of treating anomalies in the position of teeth. These anomalies can range from minor to severe and it is the patient’s teeth that determine the duration of treatment and not the method used.

In the first appointment, the orthodontist assesses whether any orthodontic treatment would be medically necessary or whether it is more of an aesthetic improvement, according to German standards adapted to the Luxembourg operating system.

To date, three main methods exist in orthodontics to carry out orthodontic treatment:

• fixed plates glued to the visible side of the teeth (front) which can be made of metal (grey) or ceramic (white). This method is called “vestibular orthodontics”,
• the fixed plates are glued, hidden on the non-visible side of the teeth (behind). This method is called “lingual orthodontics”,
• transparent dental trays which are hardly visible, and are replaced every 10 days depending on the patient. The method is called “orthodontics using aligners”.

No. During the first appointment, the orthodontist will explain the objectives of the treatment, from point A (initial) to point B (final). In most cases, it is the phenotype of your teeth that will decide how quickly the treatment can be done, and not the method chosen.

Yes. After deciding on the treatment goals during the first appointment, the orthodontist will determine the most appropriate and effective method to achieve the goals set.

In rare cases, we refer the patient internally to a practitioner in the group, who is highly specialised in the aligner or lingual orthodontic method.

About one hour (in-house) is required for positioning the appliance in mouth, including 30 minutes of gluing the brackets and 30 minutes of explanations.

Find out more in the video

These involve several short appointments until point B (objectives set) is attained. During these appointments, the orthodontist will be able to change an arch, turn/move teeth forward/back, create space for a tooth, change an elastic to close a space, etc. or very small adjustments to initiate the movement, which will then take effect at home until the next appointment.

Find out more in the video

As on the day of the placement, it will take one hour in-house. This is not painful because we use pliers that are easily removed with a special forceps.

In addition, we use special glues specifically designed for orthodontics, which are made to be weaker than those used by dentists who glue a crown that will last for decades.

Yes, but only if you have good follow-up (see point 10). Since teeth are used to eat three times a day, they wear out and age with time, like any manual instrument, . They will therefore constantly seek to optimize their functioning (incisors want to cut, for instance) because nature wants teeth to fulfil their function regardless of aesthetic degeneration.

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In most cases, on the day the braces are removed, we stick a fixed support behind the incisors, which helps in the period of stabilisation. This very thin glued wire must remain in place for 18 to 24 months so that the bone around the teeth can form properly. It is the same principle as when you have to wear a cast for a few weeks for a broken arm.

Find out more in the video

In addition to the glued wire, the patient will also receive a transparent dental tray that will serve as a gauge for years to come. Indeed, no matter the number of years after treatment:

• if the tray fits correctly, it means that the teeth are still straight,
• if it is difficult to place, simply put it back on for several days and the teeth will find their position,
• if it doesn’t fit, it’s because the teeth have moved and you will have to return to the orthodontist.