Braces

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Braces

How do braces straighten crooked teeth?

Braces use constant, gentle pressure, which over time, move teeth into their proper positions. Your braces are at work every moment of your orthodontic treatment.

The two main components of your braces are:


	Brackets: Placed on your teeth. The bracket is a piece of shaped metal or ceramic that we affix to each tooth. Archwire: connects the brackets. The archwire is shaped to reflect your "ideal" bite. In other words, it reflects the way we want you to look after treatment.

The wire threads through the brackets and, as the wire tries to return to its original shape, it applies pressure to move your teeth. Picture your tooth resting in your jaw bone. With pressure on one side from the archwire, the bone on the other side gives way. The tooth moves. New bone grows in behind.

Attached to your braces, elastics (rubber bands) exert the proper force that creates the right amount of pressure to move teeth. In order for this force to remain constant, elastics-when needed- must be worn all the time and changed every day.

Different Types of Braces

smiles “Metal braces” are the most popular with kids and teenagers. They love using different colors of ligature ties at every visit. These braces are much smaller than ever before.

“Gold braces” are an addition to our line of brackets. They are stainless steel braces coated with 24 karat gold.

We have even become more fun: we have “Wild Smiles Brackets”! Kids can choose from heart, star, flower, football and soccer ball shaped brackets to create their unique orthodontic smile.

Translucent clear “Ceramic brackets” and “Self Ligating brackets”are very popular among adults.