If you’ve recently learned that your smile could benefit from braces, you’re in luck—there’s never been a better time to be an orthodontic patient! Today’s braces are a far cry from previous incarnations, with a sleeker look, more comfortable fit, and increased efficiency. Here at Mack Orthodontics, we offer a variety of affordable treatment options that are able to successfully correct a wide range of orthodontic issues. Traditional braces are the top treatment year after year, and with good reason. Let’s take a look at how braces work, the different types available, and how they can give you a confident smile you love!
How do braces work?
Traditional braces are generally composed of metal or ceramic brackets that are affixed directly to the front surface of your teeth. A wire runs through these, and gradual adjustments to this wire are what encourage your teeth to move in specific directions. Tiny rubber bands, or elastics, are used to create a controlled pressure that will give you a straighter and healthier smile over time. Braces also help reshape the jawline by dissolving bone that is then replaced with new bone growth. This is what will provide long-term support for the teeth in their new positions.
Traditional braces are cost-effective and are capable of correcting a number of common orthodontic issues, including: method of treatment is cost-efficient, and has proven over many years to be incredibly effective at correcting a number of dental issues, including:
- difficulties with chewing or biting
- misaligned teeth or jaws
- excessive wear and tear of the teeth
- teeth that have excessive spacing
- overlapping or crowded teeth
What are the different types of braces?
Here at Mack Orthodontics, you have more treatment options than ever before! We offer the following for a total smile transformation!
Metal braces
Traditional metal braces are the most common type of braces. These are normally constructed with a mix of high-grade stainless steel materials and work to straighten your teeth using the metal brackets and archwires we talked about before. Not only are today’s metal braces more comfortable, they’re also more fun! You can add a pop of personality by choosing a color combination, or even go with clear or tooth-colored elastics for a more subtle option.
Clear braces
Clear braces work the same way metal braces do to straighten your smile, but the brackets are made of a clear ceramic material instead. These are an incredibly discrete treatment method, especially when paired with clear, tooth-colored, or white elastics! The brackets do tend to be a bit larger and more brittle than their metal counterparts, so we normally only recommend them to our older teen and adult patients. We also use them more on the upper front teeth than the lower teeth.
Inbrace lingual braces
Inbrace is the newest in orthodontic technology, and we are really excited to offer it to our patients! Like traditional braces, Inbrace works by applying gentle yet continuous pressure on the teeth to help them shift into the desired positions over time. However, Inbrace uses just a few robotically bent wires behind the teeth to discreetly create a beautiful custom smile instead of brackets on the front of the teeth. They truly are an invisible treatment option!
The process for lingual braces involves taking a digital scan of the teeth, which is then sent to a dental laboratory and used to create the customized wires. This usually takes 3-4 weeks or so. Once we receive the wires, we can affix them to the back surfaces of the teeth.
All three of these options can be a great fit for anyone looking for a straighter smile and fully functioning mouth! Our doctors will recommend the treatment option that they feel will work best for your unique smile, goals, and lifestyle.
What are the benefits of treatment with braces?
Misaligned teeth and jaws go beyond the cosmetic appearance of your smile, and can affect many areas of your life. Your oral health may suffer, along with your total body health, and you might even have increased difficulty with everyday tasks like eating and speaking. It’s harder to keep crooked teeth clean, so dental hygiene can be more difficult and you may find yourself at an increased risk for tooth decay and gum disease. Orthodontic treatment is able to address and correct many of these issues!
Although the most obvious benefit of braces is straighter teeth and a more attractive smile, they can also help with the following.
Improved chewing
When your teeth and jaws are out of alignment, you might have a hard time biting and chewing your food properly. If this is left untreated over time, it can contribute to excess wear and tear on your teeth. This can cause the muscles of the jaws to weaken, leading to painful chewing that can exacerbate any issues you’re already having.
Improved oral health
Everyone knows that brushing and flossing should be part of a daily dental hygiene routine. But teeth that are crooked, crowded, or overlapping teeth can be difficult to keep clean. This creates favorable conditions for a buildup of plaque and bacteria, increasing your risk for issues like:
- tooth decay
- gum disease
- cavities
- gingivitis
These may be common dental ailments, but they’re still preventable! Braces can help move the teeth into better positions, making it much easier to keep the teeth and gums clean and healthy.
Improved jaw alignment
Misaligned teeth can have a noticeable effect on your jaw muscles and joints. If the jaws are forced to compensate for bad positioning, the joints will adapt in response. Unfortunately, this will often be to a position that can cause further damage. This is why we will tend to see jaw issues and misaligned teeth present in a patient together. Some of the symptoms associated with improper jaw alignment are:
- headaches or migraines
- jaw that pop or “creak,” especially when you open your mouth wide
- pain in the jaw, neck, or shoulders
- certain types of sleep disorders
With braces treatment from Mack Orthodontics, these symptoms can be minimized or even eliminated by properly aligning your teeth and jaws.
Find the right braces for your smile at Mack Orthodontics
We go beyond straight smiles here at Mack Orthodontics! Our goal is to help you achieve a confident, healthy smile that looks great and feels even better. If you’re in Burlington, Hillborough, or the surrounding areas and want to know more about how braces can transform your smile, get in touch today! We’d love to schedule a FREE consultation for you and help you take the first step to improved oral health.