Traditional Braces Round Rock

How Do Traditional Braces Work?

Traditional braces use a bracket and wire system to place a gentle amount of pressure on each tooth and shift it into its ideal position. Dr. Asrar will adhere a small metal bracket to the center of each tooth. Once this is complete, she will thread a wire across each of the brackets, which will hold the wire in place.

Throughout your treatment, as the tension on the wire is adjusted, it will act to slowly shift the teeth to help address crowding, rotated teeth, and misalignment. The brackets and wires can also be adjusted with elastics, which are like small rubber bands, to address bite problems like open bite, crossbite, overbite, and underbite.

Who is a Good Candidate for Traditional Braces?

There are a few different factors that our team at Big Smile Orthodontics looks out for to determine whether a patient is a good candidate for traditional braces, including:

• Whether the teeth are healthy, strong, and stable. Because the archwire must put pressure on the teeth to encourage them to move, it’s necessary for teeth to be able to withstand this pressure.
• Have a misaligned bite. Those who have bite misalignment and no underlying jaw issues can address their issues with braces.
• Have crooked, overlapped, or gapped teeth. For more drastic misalignment, crowding, and gapped teeth, braces would be a great solution. However, if your concerns are more minor, clear aligners may also work well for you!
• Are dedicated to maintaining good oral hygiene. It’s crucial to maintain good oral hygiene habits throughout treatment to avoid stalling your process or the need to remove the orthodontic appliance to have dental work done.

Benefits of Traditional Braces

When you decide to move forward with getting braces in Round Rock, you’ll have more than just a straighter smile when you’re done with the process. Some other benefits you’ll be able to enjoy include:

• A decreased risk of developing common oral health concerns like gum disease and cavities.
• Improved digestion, which can also lead to fewer gastrointestinal troubles.
• Less jaw stress and a decrease in teeth grinding as a result of fixing a bad bite.
• Prevention of jawbone erosion due to less bacteria build-up at the base of your teeth.
• Drastically lower risk of temporomandibular joint disorder (or TMJD).
• A boost in your confidence and self-esteem.
  

Self-Ligating Braces

There’s a slight but very important difference between self-ligating and traditional braces, and that’s the way the brackets are designed. Traditional braces have fixed brackets that hold the archwire in place, while self-ligating braces have a sliding, gate-like mechanism that allows the archwire to move as the teeth shift. This type of orthodontic appliance still requires periodic adjustments; however, these visits are often shorter and less uncomfortable.

How Long is Orthodontic Treatment Necessary?

The length of time a patient will need to wear braces will depend on their individualized treatment plan. In general, the more complicated the patient’s bite or alignment concerns, the longer treatment will take. Also, as the patient grows older, the length of treatment may increase as growth slows down. Patients can typically expect to be undergoing orthodontic treatment for at least 12 months, possibly up to 24 months, followed by diligent retainer wear.

At Big Smile Orthodontics in Round Rock, our orthodontic treatment team is passionate about helping you gain a confident smile. Whether you are an adult looking for an alternative to traditional braces or your child or teen has orthodontic issues that need to be corrected, we are happy to help. Please contact our office at 512-828-7900 to schedule a complimentary consultation.