Braces

How do Braces Work to Straighten Your Teeth?

Braces work to straighten your teeth by employing constant, gentle pressure. This works to gradually move your teeth into their intended position.While they may seem stationary, your braces are working through your entire treatment to slightly shift your teeth. Braces are made of brackets, which are placed on your teeth and connected through a main archwire. A bracket is made of metal or ceramic and is attached to the tooth using specialized cement. The archwire is made to simulate your ideal, or goal, bite shape. It roughly represents the idea biteline we are aiming for at the end of your treatment. If you are looking to get braces, contact our office to schedule an appointment today.

Overview of Braces Types

To get a narrated overview of our different types of braces, click on the picture below to launch our educational video. It will launch in a separate window and can help answer some of your questions about the variety of braces we offer.

Within braces, wire threads between the brackets in order to cause a constant pressure on your teeth. As the wire tries to fight back against the restraint of the brackets, it will move your teeth with it. As the wire gradually moves your tooth towards its ideal position, your bone shifts in order to compensate, thus creating a new position for your tooth.

Elastics, or rubber bands, are attached to your braces to create a constant force that can help move the teeth. Elastics must be worn daily in order for them to function properly.

Different Braces Types

Metal braces are the typical design for kids and teenagers who need orthodontic treatment. Ligature ties can come in a variety of colors, offering stylization to the braces themselves, which are smaller and more discrete than in years past.

Metal brackets that are self-ligating remove the need for ligature ties, streamlining the design.

Clear ceramic braces are the design of choice for adults who need orthodontic work, as they are not as visually apparent as metal braces. However, their ceramic material makes them more prone to breakage than metal braces, and they can be more expensive.