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Hello,I was planning to get my overbite corrected with dental braces orthodontic treatments.Recently I had read that the risk of HIV infection during a dental treatment, I read some sample cases...So I was a bit worried about my orthodontic treatment plans. Is it highly risky to get an orthodontic treatment...? Is this treatment can cause some lesions or something in my mouth, so if the devices are not properly sterilised, will it be a problem...? or is it that orthodontic braces are non-invasive and hence they can not cause any HIV infections...? Is there any documented cases of such infections...?
Optional Information: Person's Gender: Male Person's Age: 29
Welcome, and thank you for putting your trust in me!I am unaware of any documented cases of HIV transmission during orthodontic treatment. This is consistent with the knowledge of how HIV is transmitted-- i.e., through intimate contact or by transfer of body fluids, neither of which would be expected to occur during orthodontic therapy.Of course, the proper practice of any dental discipline assumes that your doctor is practicing recommended infection control, including sterilization of supplies and equipment, disinfection of office environmental surfaces, and proper barrier protection (i.e., gloves and masks). Failing that, there is always a risk of transmission of HIV and other blood-borne disease. It would be highly unlikely that any qualified and credentialed dentist would not have implemented the necessary infection control protocols, and your risk would be minuscule.Hope this helps...
Thank you for the reply, Doctor.I was planning to get treated in India, Bangalore...But I don't know how should I make sure that the clinic adhere to the infection control protocols...So I was just thinking the worst case, that if the instruments are not properly sterilized, what could be the risk of this HIV and blood-borne infection...? Do orthodontic treatment cause lesions in mouth or gum from the instruments...?How should I make sure that the clinic follows all the rules...?
I can't give you hard statistics, because the risk of disease transmission is dependent on too many variables to realistically assess (e.g., whether appliance hardware is re-used, the health status of the doctor and his previous patients, and just what type of breach in normal protocol applies). However, because the vector of disease transmission in the medical setting is usually blood, and because bleeding is less common during orthodontic therapy than the surgical dental disciplines, the risk would be low. Being a relatively fragile virus, risk of HIV transmission would be very low. Hepatitis B and C would be a somewhat greater threat, but still low-- probably comparable to that of eating with metal utensils in a public restaurant.I am unsure of the applicable laws in Bangalore, but most authorities mandate that infection control regulations be followed by licensed health practitioners, so you should verify the credentials of the orthodontist with whom you seek treatment.Good luck!
Experience: 35 years experience, member Academy of General Dentistry
Thank you for your reply, Doctor.
I was planning to get ClearPath aligners for my Overjet (I have an overjet of around 8miilimeters).
Can ClearPath aligners work for this kind of Overjet?
Whether or not a clear aligner system would work is dependent on a number of occlusal (bite) parameters. A large overjet such as yours does not yield as well to this methodology as it would to conventional arch wire appliances, but it has been used in this type of situation. Because clear aligner therapy is not too effective when the amount of arch space deficiency requires extractions, the technique of "reproximation"-- a filing down or stripping of the contacting enamel surfaces of adjacent teeth-- is often employed as an alternative to extraction. This approach may not be practical if your teeth are naturally small, because it would make them even smaller.I would advise you to consult with an orthodontist so that he can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the different treatment options based on the specifics of your case. I can understand the attraction of clear aligner therapy, but you should know the trade-offs of the methods before settling on one technique.Good luck!
Hello Doctor,
I just put another question, related to this with some more details.
"http://www.justanswer.com/dental/71asf-hello-i-planning-treated-overbite-overjet.html"
Please have a look...or should I wait for an Orthodontist as you suggested...? Can Inman aligners be a better solution
Thanks a lot for your valuable comments
As important as the choice of methodology is the familiarity with which the orthodontist has with it. Inman aligners are useful for bringing crowded front teeth into better alignment, but are limited in making more complex tooth movements.Your best strategy would be to seek out a local orthodontist (preferably, by personal recommendation), and submit for a formal diagnostic workup. The orthodontist would be best qualified to select the best methodology that is consistent with both his training and your malocclusion.Good luck!