Getting braces is a big decision, especially if you aren’t sure how braces work. How do braces move teeth? How do you get braces? Will braces solve your dental problems?
These are a few of the most common questions we hear at Ohana Orthodontics. Even parents who wore them as children may not be as familiar with today’s options as they think. Orthodontic treatment continues to evolve and improve. Ohana Orthodontics offers braces treatment that can move teeth more efficiently and comfortably than ever for its Canby, OR, patients.
How much do you know about the types of braces? What are braces made of today? Let’s explore your braces options and show you what to expect with today’s options.
What Are Braces?
What are braces for? It may seem like a question with an obvious answer, but today’s orthodontics offers more options than just the traditional metal braces you may remember. To understand your options, let’s explore one of the most popular questions: How do braces work?
Traditional metal braces involve brackets that attach to most of the teeth and bands that attach to the back molars. What are braces brackets and bands? Brackets are small metal squares with a center groove in which the archwire nests. Bands encircle the whole molar in the back, and they have a small tube on the side to hold the ends of the archwire.
Archwires slide into the tubes on the metal bands and connect each bracket. These different parts combine to apply gentle pressure to move your teeth.
Elastic bands hold the archwires to the brackets. Ohana Orthodontics offers these elastics in several colors so you can express yourself.
What Are the Types of Braces?
What are the different types of braces? Patients today have several options for braces treatment — or even treatment without them.
Metal Braces
You know about traditional metal braces. These are made of stainless steel and are the most tried-and-true method of moving teeth.
Unlike the metal braces of the past, today’s versions are smaller, more comfortable, and more efficient than ever. That means you have a more pleasant experience in less time than with those of the past.
Metal braces can be used with even the most severe dental issues. They also tend to be less expensive than other options, which is why Ohana Orthodontics has many patients with metal braces.
Clear Ceramic Braces
Patients who need the moving power of metal braces but want a lower profile have the option of clear braces. The metal brackets are replaced with ceramic ones, which are more rounded for added comfort. These brackets can be made to match the natural color of your teeth.
Ceramic braces are a popular alternative to metal braces. Ohana Orthodontics offers clear braces to patients who want less of a metal look. However, our clear braces also use elastics, so you can still show off your favorite colors.
Lingual Braces
Lingual braces go on the inside, or tongue side, of the teeth. They are metal and pull teeth into their correct positions. They are very difficult to see. However, they don’t work for everyone, so we prefer metal or clear braces.
Clear Aligners
What if you really don’t want braces but want to repair your smile? Clear aligners like Invisalign can move your teeth without brackets and wires.
Invisalign uses clear acrylic trays that are custom-molded to your teeth. Each set of trays — one for upper teeth, one for lower teeth — moves your teeth a little more. You wear each set for 1-2 weeks, then switch them out for the next set in a sequence.
Invisalign won’t work with the most severe dental cases, but improvements over the years mean clear aligners can do far more than they once did. During your first visit, we can tell you whether Invisalign is right for you.
What Do Braces Fix?
Braces fix all kinds of orthodontic issues, from “buck teeth” to bad bites. Here’s a list of what they can fix:
- Overbite
- Underbite
- Crossbite
- Open bite
- Gap teeth
- Crowded teeth
Why fix teeth with braces? A misaligned bite and crooked teeth can cause a host of problems. Crooked teeth are harder to clean, increasing your risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
They can also make it harder to chew food, leading to digestive problems. With teeth out of place, they can hit each other in the wrong places, causing cracks, chips, and breaks in teeth.
A bad bite can add stress to your lower jaw and jaw joints. This can cause headaches, neck aches, and jaw aches. It can also cause jaw fatigue and deteriorate the jaw joint, called the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
Dental problems get worse over time. The sooner you treat your dental issues, the less damage will be done. Moving teeth in children is easier because the jaw is still developing. That’s why we encourage parents to get braces for their children as soon as possible.
Can Adults Get Braces?
While it’s easier to move teeth in children, it isn’t impossible to move teeth in adults. You can get braces for adults at any age. It may take a little longer for your teeth to start moving, but once they do, they can go exactly where they need to.
Ohana Orthodontics offers braces for adults and children. Schedule an appointment with us if you’re ready to fix your dental problems, whether you’re 13 or 30!
What Is the Braces Process?
What does it take to get braces? We start with your first visit, where we thoroughly examine your dental issues. Next, we’ll draw up a plan for your orthodontic treatment and let you know what type of treatment is best — metal braces, clear braces, or Invisalign.
We’ll set up financing and a treatment schedule, and you’ll be ready to go. We’ll start the braces process on your next visit. Not every patient gets braces right away.
Some people may need a palate expander to widen the jaw or a tongue crib to stop tongue thrust or thumbsucking. Others will get braces right away. It will all be part of your treatment plan.
Once your braces or clear aligners are on, you will visit us every few weeks to check your progress and to change your elastics or get new sets of clear aligners. This will continue until your treatment is finished!
After braces, we will fit you for retainers, keeping your smile beautiful for years to come.
Braces Treatment in Canby, OR
These are a few of the questions people have about getting braces. If you have questions about braces or Invisalign in Canby, OR, Ohana Orthodontics is happy to help. Schedule an appointment with us to see what braces treatment can do for you!
