How do Traditional Braces Work?

Traditional braces work by using wires to place pressure on brackets attached to the front surfaces of teeth. At regular adjustment appointments once or twice a month, the orthodontist will move the wires to place pressure on brackets. This pressure is transferred to the tooth, which begins to move. Throughout the course of treatment, these wires are adjusted repeatedly until the tooth reaches its ideal position. In order to move larger parts of the smile than one individual tooth at a time, we may also make use of oral appliances like palatal expanders or rubber bands to shift the entire bite for patients suffering from over, under, or cross bite. Once your teeth are in their new position, you’ll need to use a retainer to keep teeth in place as the roots fuse with supportive structures.

Should I Consider Traditional Braces?

Traditional braces can be beneficial for any patient who wants to address serious orthodontic alignment issues, including uneven spacing, crowding, and over, under, or crossbite. Even the most advanced orthodontic issues can be corrected with traditional bracket and wire braces. During an orthodontic consultation appointment, our knowledgeable dentistry team members will review your situation and help you plan for effective treatment.

How do I Take Care of My Smile with Braces?

For the most part, you will be able to continue brushing and flossing your teeth as usual. However, there are some changes you will need to make to ensure you keep your teeth completely clean and healthy during traditional bracket and wire braces treatments. You should brush two minutes at a time at least in the morning and before bed, but because food can so easily get stuck between brackets and wires, it may be best to brush between meals as well. Flossing can be a little more challenging for patients with bracket and wire braces. There are a number of flossing tools available to make the process easier, including air and water flossers. During your dental exams twice a year or your regular adjustment visits, our skilled dentist and dentistry team members will be happy to show you the best techniques to keep your smile clean and healthy throughout orthodontic treatment. We will also provide a list of foods you should skip in order to avoid damaging your brackets and wires. If you do notice changes to the function of your braces or you’re experiencing scratching or irritation to soft tissue, call our team right away to find out more.