Metal braces are orthodontic devices that treat malocclusions and straighten teeth using continuous low pressure. Braces comprise metal brackets attached to every tooth and an archwire linking them. This setup helps the teeth to shift to their ideal position over time. Braces have evolved over the years, and the contemporary ones are not the same cumbersome and awkward gadgets that most people recall from decades ago.
Braces’ long-term success lies in their being based on the key orthodontic postulates of biomechanics, according to which controlled forces provoke cellular activity. This results in bone remodeling and accurate movement of teeth. Over the decades, clinical studies and significant strides in material science and bracket design have made conventional braces an efficient, comfortable, and streamlined treatment, like never before.
To learn about mental braces, you should seek the guidance of an experienced orthodontist. This article thoroughly examines modern metal braces' standards, process, and patient experience. Book an appointment today with us at SoCal Dental of Valencia, and we will offer unmatched help concerning metal braces and other orthodontic services.
What Are Modern Metal Braces Made Of?
When you think of metal braces, you may imagine crude metal bands. Contemporary orthodontic appliances are, however, advanced medical appliances, designed to be precise, comfortable, and biocompatible. Modern braces are not like their predecessors, and they have enjoyed the benefits of vast technological advancements.
Modern braces are made of high-grade stainless steel, an alloy preferred due to its superior strength and ability to resist corrosion in the mouth. The alloy has also been found to be safe when used for a long time in medical practice. Such a material guarantees that the parts can withstand the significant forces of chewing and daily wear without breaking or degrading, which is a dependable structure of your treatment.
The process of manufacture is advanced and usually involves metal injection molding (MIM). This process enables brackets with complicated and precise designs that are small, smooth, and shaped to fit the tooth surface comfortably, which causes minimal irritation to your lips and cheeks.
All the parts are carefully engineered to interact harmoniously, creating a system that exerts the targeted, specific forces to produce a successful and predictable result. You are not merely receiving bits of metal glued to your teeth; you are a well-tuned biomechanical system.
The Essential Elements of Braces
When the metal braces are used, it is essential first to know the specific functions of the three main components of the braces to appreciate how they work fully.
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Brackets
The brackets are the most noticeable components, the tiny metal squares welded straight on the front of your teeth. Imagine them as complex handles; they do not move the teeth, but are used to hold the archwire that does the work in place. Each bracket has a slot designed at a certain angle, determining the direction in which force is applied to that tooth.
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Archwire
Then there is the archwire, the fine metal wire that runs through the hole in every bracket and joins all your teeth into one system. These are not the regular wires but are usually composed of sophisticated alloys such as nickel-titanium. This material can remember its shape and the superelasticity; it will always attempt to reform to its ideal, original shape of an arch. Putting it in your mouth and tying it to your crooked teeth puts a light, continuous pressure, guiding your teeth back to that programmed shape.
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Ligatures
The ligatures, or the small rubber bands, hold the archwire to the brackets. The latter are called O-rings and are where the color to add to your braces comes in. Although these might not appear that important, their role is essential, as they hold the archwire in the bracket slot to pass the guiding force onto it. These ligatures are changed every adjustment appointment, and you can change the color and give a new force.
The Top Advantages of Traditional Metal Braces
With a wide variety of orthodontics available in the market today, one might question why traditional metal braces have become one of the most popular and widely recommended treatments by professionals. The solution is in a strong mix of unparalleled effectiveness, high durability, and high cost-efficiency.
Metal braces are the surest and most predictable route to a healthy and straight smile for many patients, especially those with moderate to complex alignment problems. You will discover that their reputation has been established over a long period based on established outcomes. They are not experimental or new technologies, but are the gold standard, which has been perfected throughout generations of orthodontic practice.
This history offers a degree of certainty and confidence in the outcome of the treatment, which is difficult to replace. By picking metal braces, you are choosing a solution that has already changed millions of smiles, and whose principles are the cornerstone on which a large part of today's orthodontics is built. You are putting your money in a treatment that places more emphasis on fun and outcome.
There is Unparalleled Effectiveness and Efficiency
Clinical effectiveness is the most significant benefit that you will have when using metal braces. Since the brackets are attached directly to your teeth, the orthodontist can exert maximum and direct control over the force used to act on each tooth. This enables 3D movement, namely, tipping, rotating, and physical movement, with excellent predictability. As a result, the metal braces are very suitable for treating even the most serious and complicated malocclusions.
If you have problems with issues such as severely rotated teeth, extreme crowding that may need extractions, impacted teeth that have not properly erupted, or issues with biting, such as a deep overbite or an underbite. Metal braces offer a high level of force, and concentration needs to be fully corrected.
Moreover, such efficiency usually results in the reduction of total treatment periods. The continuous, consistent force of the system implies that teeth will move continuously and in a consistent direction to their end stations, which enables you to complete your orthodontic treatment in less time than with other alternatives that have a restricted ability to treat complex cases.
Durability and Strength You Can Trust
Your orthodontic device should last several months, or even years, performing the daily tasks of biting, chewing, and speaking. This is where the natural advantage of high-grade stainless steel comes in as a saving factor. Metal braces are sturdy and less prone to breaking than other weaker components, such as ceramic or plastic.
You will be at rest knowing that your appliance can meet the demands of your daily living with a lower chance of making emergency visits to have it repaired. This hardness is especially beneficial to younger patients who may be more careless with their diet and adults with a heavy bite or a habit of grinding their teeth.
The material is also non-porous, so the brackets will not stain or discolor with time. You will not have to worry about your metal braces getting stained in the morning with coffee or tea or other foodstuffs like noodles, since your braces will always be the same as they were on the first day of treatment up to the last. This will ensure that you are not so concerned with the beauty of a dirty appliance.
The Least Expensive Way to Achieve a Straight Smile
A beautiful and healthy smile is a priceless investment in your confidence and health, yet the monetary aspect is a sensible thought for every family. In this respect, conventional metal braces are usually offered as the most economical orthodontic treatment option.
The materials, both stainless steel and nickel-titanium, are cheaper to produce on a large scale compared to the high-tech polymers of clear aligners or the crystalline alumina of ceramic brackets. This direct reduction in the cost of materials and production is transferred to you, the patient, and the dream of a perfect smile is more affordable.
You will also discover that the simple nature of treatment using metal braces and the efficiency of the treatment can help to reduce overall costs. Such an effective system lowers the number of appointments or the length of treatment required, which can also contribute to the final price. This is for the families and individuals who want the best orthodontic correction at a premium cost over other, more aesthetically oriented ones.
What to Expect from the Start to the End of Your Treatment
The process of undertaking an orthodontic journey is vast, and you should know all about it before you start. Being informed on each step will help reduce anxiety and make you a more active participant in getting your new smile. Having metal braces fixed is straightforward and consistent, starting with the first phase of diagnosis and ending with the final phase of celebrating the accomplishment of having straight and perfectly aligned teeth. We shall guide you in every step and make you ready and confident.
It is a collaborative effort between you and your orthodontic team; your cooperation and understanding are equal to the clinical procedures. The daily placement of the braces until the regular adjustments, which keep you on track, are meant to propel you towards your objective safely, efficiently, and predictably, with each appointment having a particular purpose. At each milestone, you will be completely informed.
The Preliminary Interview and Referral
Your experience will start with an in-depth preliminary examination. This initial meeting is a fact-finding and planning meeting. Your orthodontist will carry out a clinical examination of your teeth, jaws, and bite. Several diagnostic records will be made to give you a complete picture of your unique orthodontic needs.
These generally consist of digital pictures of your teeth and face, special X-rays such as a panoramic picture to view all your teeth and jaw joints, and a cephalometric picture to study the connection between your jaw and skull. In several contemporary procedures, such as SoCal Dental of Valencia, a digital 3D intraoral scan will also be done, giving an exact virtual duplicate of your teeth without unpleasant impressions.
With all this information, your orthodontist will provide you with a final diagnosis and give you a treatment plan that is specific to you. After making this decision, you will make the placement appointment. Placing your braces is easy and painless and takes one to two hours.
To start with, your teeth will be well cleaned and dried. This is followed by applying a special conditioning agent to the tooth surface to make it ready to be bonded. Then, your orthodontist will place each bracket in the correct location on each tooth with the dental adhesive, which is hardened and fixed with the help of a high-intensity curing light.
Lastly, the archwire is passed through the brackets and is fixed using the elastic ligatures. You will leave the office with your new braces in place and start working.
Adjustments and Progress
Once your teeth have been braced, they react to the constant light pressure exerted by the archwire. You must have regular adjustment appointments to ensure this process is effective. These are usually arranged after every six to eight weeks. These visits will also help your orthodontist review your progress in terms of your teeth movement and your bite repositioning.
The main thing during such visits is to make the appliance fit into position to keep pushing your teeth to their desired ends. This usually entails the removal of the previous elastic ligatures, which may be substituted with a new wire of a different size or strength, and fastening the wire using new ligatures. It is this tightening that makes your teeth go away. After every adjustment, it is normal to experience minor soreness in your teeth and jaw for a few days.
It is a good indicator that your braces are doing their job, and your teeth are going where they should. The pain is short-term and can be treated using painkillers that are readily available in the market. A soft diet for one or two days after adjustments can also help reduce discomfort. These periodic visits ensure that your treatment is on course and the outcome is achieved within the most efficient time.
Average Treatment Duration
Most of the time, you will likely ask, "How long will I wear braces?" The answer is highly individualized and depends on several key factors. The timeline does not exist in the general scheme; however, a typical duration of complete treatment using metal braces is between 12 and 36 months.
The nature of your orthodontic case is the most crucial determinant of your treatment period. The minor crowding will naturally require less time to fix than in the complex case of severe bites, extractions, or impacted teeth. Your age also plays a role. The effect of orthodontic forces on the body is more prompt in teenagers and adolescents with developing jaws, and this may result in shorter treatment periods compared to adults, who have more bone mass.
Your own compliance is an essential aspect of being on schedule. Being a good patient, taking proper care of your teeth, not eating the food that may harm your braces, and keeping all your appointments are entirely in your control and directly influence completing your treatment on time. When you visit your orthodontist for the first time, he will give you an approximate duration that will be used in the treatment, depending on your needs and objectives.
Living with Metal Braces
Living with metal braces entails forming new habits, especially concerning what you consume and how you maintain your teeth. These changes might be overwhelming initially, but you will realize that the changes soon become routine in your life. This is a crucial phase that should be successfully passed so that your treatment is not derailed and your teeth and gums are in good condition during the entire process.
Instead of viewing this stage as a stage of limitation, look at it as an active involvement in getting your beautiful new smile. Hard work in your day-to-day care will be rewarded a million times when you have your braces off and see your healthy, strong, and perfectly aligned teeth. We will give you all the practical advice and tools required to care for your oral health and diet, and make the experience as easy and comfortable as possible.
Maintaining Excellent Oral Hygiene
Good oral hygiene is always excellent, but it is vital when using braces. The brackets and wires create numerous micro-spaces that easily trap food particles and plaque. Failure to carefully remove this plaque may cause such issues as gingivitis (an inflammatory condition of the gums), decalcification (permanent white spot lesions on the teeth), and cavities.
You should make an easy-to-follow cleaning schedule. You have to brush your teeth once after every meal or at least 4 times a day. With a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, it is essential to be very careful to brush above, under, and on top of every bracket. An interdental brush, or proxabrush, is critical for cleaning the narrow spaces between the archwire and around the brackets where the regular toothbrush has no access.
Flossing is another one that should not be negotiated but needs more work. You must apply a floss threader or special orthodontic floss to thread the floss under the archwire in front of all the teeth. Although more time-consuming, it is the sole method of cleaning the gaps between teeth and avoiding cavities and gum disease. An antiseptic mouthwash will also be an added measure of protection, as it will help kill bacteria and prevent inflammation of your gums.
What to Eat and What Not to Eat
A metal brace will require some changes in your diet to avoid breaking your appliance. Bending an archwire or breaking a bracket can be painful and slow down your treatment, which means you have to revisit the orthodontist to get the wire repaired. The common principle is avoiding hard, sticky, chewy, or crunchy foods.
Rigid foods such as nuts, candies, popcorn, and ice can easily break a bracket off a tooth. Healthy yet hard foods, such as raw apples and carrots, should also be taken cautiously. You can still eat them, but the only difference is that you need to chop them into tiny bites rather than biting into them.
Sticky and chewy food, such as caramel, taffy, and gummy candies, is a problem since it can be trapped in your wires and brackets and is strong enough to loosen a bracket. It is also not advisable to eat hard foods that require much tearing, like beef jerky or hard-crusted bread. Instead, you are advised to indulge in many soft foods.
Various options include:
- Pasta
- Mashed potatoes
- Soups
- Yogurt
- Soft cheeses
- Steamed vegetables
- Tender meats
You save money by making smart decisions about food to ensure you finish your treatment on time without any unexpected delays.
Find a Reliable and Experienced Dentist Near Me
Modern metal braces are a strong combination of the time-tested orthodontic principles and modern technological advancements. These braces are the most efficient, long-lasting, and dependable way of correcting orthodontic problems, whether it is the most basic cosmetic treatment or the most complicated bite treatment.
You have realized that the current-day braces are smaller, more comfortable, and more efficient than ever. They also provide a predictable and affordable journey to the healthy, strong, and confident smile you deserve. The path involves a promise of both hard work with brushes and conscientious eating habits, yet these short-term sacrifices are a trifle when compared to the benefits in the long run.
At SoCal Dental of Valencia, we offer the utmost level of support and help throughout the process of fixing metal braces. Our mission is to develop a customized treatment program that will meet your individual needs and assist you in reaching your objectives. We urge you to take the first step and see how orthodontic treatment can change your or your child's life. Call us today at 661-554-4545 to book an appointment.