Traditional Braces – Dayville, CT
Make Your Smile Straight and Your Bite Even
The standard treatment for resolving all levels of misalignment, crooked teeth and uneven bites (or malocclusions) has been traditional braces. They have been around as a concept for much longer, but for decades braces have been the go-to treatment at Simply Orthodontics Dayville simply because of how well it helps individuals and families prevent severe complications later in life. If your child needs to address severe misalignment, overbites, or other issues, don’t wait to call our orthodontic office directly to schedule your first appointment for traditional braces in Dayville, CT!
What Can I Expect from Traditional Metal Braces?
In the beginning, our orthodontists will perform an in-depth exam to confirm if any unique issues are present. Afterwards, we’ll schedule you for an additional appointment where the brackets and archwire are directly placed to teeth. Prior to this step, we thoroughly clean and dry your tooth enamel as much as possible so the brackets can properly adhere. Next, an archwire is threaded through each bracket, then trimmed so no excess is poking out of the sides. Finally, a series of small elastic bands are wrapped around each bracket. You can customize the colors to your preference, whether you’re a child who wants bright colors or an adult who wants more subtle ones.
How Long Can I Expect Treatment to Take?
It can vary depending on the severity of your dental issue, but the length of your orthodontic treatment with metal braces will likely take between one and three years. This length varies based on the amount of room you have available for teeth to shift and the distance your teeth need to travel. Both of these factors will determine the overall length of your treatment. With that said, it’s also very important to have good at-home oral hygiene and follow all instructions provided by your orthodontist. Once the braces come off, you will need to wear a retainer for about six to 12 months. This appliance prevents teeth from shifting back to their original position.
Am I a Candidate for Metal Braces?
We can determine if you or your child is ready for a treatment like metal braces at our orthodontic office. Through a detailed exam performed by one of our orthodontists, we will be able to provide a professional recommendation to address your needs. This will depend on the severity of your dental issue and what these issues might be, whether it’s crooked or misaligned teeth, uneven bites or rotated teeth. If your case is more minor, we might recommend a different treatment that does not require as much time to address or as much of a commitment. At Simply Orthodontics Dayville, we pride ourselves on giving multiple solutions and potential alternatives that help you best address your oral health and satisfy your personal life preferences.
Traditional Braces FAQs
Do Traditional Braces Hurt?
It is normal to experience some soreness from time to time as your teeth move into their properly aligned positions. Don’t let that stop you from getting braces, though! After all, the mild discomfort will be well worth it when you have a gorgeous smile to show for it. Plus, there are several relatively easy ways to alleviate your discomfort, like sipping on cold water, sticking to soft foods, and taking an OTC pain reliever (as directed).
What Can You Not Eat with Traditional Braces?
Patients are sometimes sad to hear that they need to avoid crunchy, sticky, and hard foods during their orthodontic treatment. However, the dietary restrictions are there to help you; they reduce your risk of experiencing a broken bracket, ligature, or wire! In other words, not eating hard breads, popcorn, raw nuts, and thin-crust pizza will help ensure the teeth-straightening process is as smooth and quick as possible.
Am I Too Old to Get Braces?
If your age is the only thing stopping you from scheduling a consultation, then you’ll be happy to hear that there’s no such thing as being “too old” for braces. Whether you’re 25 or 65, we recommend getting in touch with us to get an exam on the calendar. From there, we can learn about your medical history, your oral health, and your smile goals. If we determine that you’re a candidate for braces, then we will create your custom treatment plan, answer any questions you have, and get to work on the teeth-straightening process!
What Happens After You Get Your Braces Off?
Some patients are surprised to hear that their orthodontic journey isn’t over the day they get their braces off. Since your teeth need some time to “set” in place, we will provide you with a custom-made aligner to wear. Eventually, you’ll transition to wearing it only at night. It’s important that you make this a lifelong commitment because, if you don’t, then a phenomenon called “orthodontic relapse” can occur. This refers to when your teeth begin to move back into their misaligned positions.
Can I Chew Gum with Traditional Braces?
We don’t recommend chewing gum during your orthodontic treatment. Like sticky foods, gum can tug on your braces, resulting in bent wires, loose brackets, and other orthodontic emergencies. If you want to freshen your breath, opt for a sugar-free mint instead!
Can You Drink Coffee with Traditional Braces?
You can! There’s just one recommendation we have: use a straw. This will help prevent uneven discoloration as well as protect your teeth from enamel erosion. If you want to protect your teeth even further, then keep sugar and other additives to a minimum too.