Most people know that dental braces are useful for correcting teeth misalignment. However, many people don't know that treatment with braces is just one of the many options for orthodontic treatment. Below are some of the additional treatments that can help you align your teeth.

Headgear

Headgear is typically used to help braces move the teeth or jaw more effectively. The headgear, as the name suggests, attaches to the head and has an extension that attaches to the braces. Not everyone needs headgear; you may need the help if your misalignment is serious and you need more movement than the braces alone can provide.

Extraction

There are various causes of misalignment, and one of them is overcrowding of the teeth. This may be the case, for example, if you have a small jawbone that cannot accommodate all your teeth effectively. In such cases, your dentist may advise you to extract a tooth to give room for the others. In such a case, a tooth is extracted, and other orthodontic treatments are used to pull the remaining teeth into place.

Reshaping

Teeth reshaping or contouring is a dental treatment where the dentist shaves off some dental tissues to attain a desired shape or size. Only the enamel is removed, and even then as little enamel as possible is removed, since removing too much would weaken the teeth and trigger hypersensitivity. Reshaping is usually only an option if the misalignment is minimal.

Bonding

Instead of reducing teeth sizes, the dentist can also build up the teeth as part of your orthodontic treatment. For example, the dentist may use dental bonding, in which a putty-like material is applied to the teeth and hardened to increase tooth size or change tooth shape. Dental bonding may help in cases where one or more teeth are unnaturally smaller than the others.

Surgery

Surgical intervention is not a typical treatment for dental misalignment; this is mostly due to the costs and risks associated with any form of surgery. However, surgery might be necessary for extreme cases of misalignment. This may be the case, for example, if the misalignment is connected to a jaw problem that can be corrected by surgery.

Some of these treatments may be independently used, while others are used in conjunction with other treatments, such as braces. Your dentist will use your initial consultation to assess the extent of your alignment to determine which treatment is best for you. To learn more, visit the sites that have information about dentists and dental work.