Thanks to today’s technology, patients now have more options when it comes to wearing braces. While regular metal braces are still widely used, clear braces are becoming increasingly popular along with removable appliances that can be used for mild cases of misaligned teeth.
Read below about the types of braces we offer at our office and speak with Dr. Oates to determine which appliance is right for you.
Metal Self-Ligating Brackets
Self-ligating braces offer several benefits for patients. They use a self-ligation technique using lighter wires and lower friction brackets to move teeth, while resulting in faster treatment times due to its slide mechanism, strong, mechanical base bonding and solid walls structured to control tooth movement with speed and efficiency. In addition to greater comfort, self-ligating braces make it easier to maintain good hygiene because they are easier to keep clean.
Porcelain Self-Ligating Brackets
Porcelain self-ligating brackets are the perfect choice for anyone wanting a more aesthetic bracket. These brackets appear transparent and are made from a hard ceramic material that won’t stain or color. In addition, porcelain helps make your braces less noticeable.
Lingual
Having braces doesn’t mean you have to have a “tin grin.” Our office also uses lingual braces, which attach to the lingual side (tongue side) of your teeth. These appliances are well-suited for adults, who may worry about the aesthetic nature of regular metal braces.
Lingual braces are also custom-fit for your teeth and treatment plan. While the fronts of your teeth are fairly consistent, the back side of each tooth has its own distinctive shape. Thus, each bracket must be manufactured for each individual patient.
You can receive the dramatic results of orthodontic treatment without anyone knowing, as the braces are virtually invisible. Ask us if lingual braces are right for you.
Invisalign® straightens your teeth without wires and brackets, using a series of clear, customized, removable appliances called aligners. It’s virtually undetectable, which means hardly anyone will know that you’re straightening your teeth.
Clearly Different
The Invisalign System combines advanced 3-D computer graphics technology with 100-year-old science of orthodontics. Invisalign aligners are designed to move your teeth in small steps to the desired final position prescribed by your orthodontist. Each aligner is precisely calibrated and manufactured to fit your mouth at each stage of the treatment plan. Your first step is to visit our office to determine if Invisalign is right for you. After sending precise treatment instructions, Invisalign uses advanced computer technology to translate these instructions in a sequence of finely calibrated aligners — as few as 12 or as many as 48. Each aligner is worn for about two weeks and only taken out to eat, brush and floss. As you replace each aligner with the next, your teeth will begin to move gradually — week-by-week until the final alignment prescribed is attained. Then you’ll be smiling like you never have before!
If you want to learn more about Invisalign and how it works, please visit the Invisalign Homepage.
To ensure the best possible results, only an orthodontist who has been trained and certified by Align Technology can diagnose and treat using Invisalign. Invisalign is not intended for children and is not appropriate for every adult. Only an orthodontist can determine if this treatment is an effective option for you. To see if Invisalign can help you achieve the smile you’ve always wanted, contact us to make an appointment.
Braces With Colors
Braces are no longer a one-size-fits-all solution to straightening teeth. With today’s orthodontics, patients can make their braces as individual as they are with the use of colorful bands and elastics. Some patients enjoy using colorful bands to express favorite team colors or holiday and seasonal colors. There are so many fun options to choose from, including school spirit colors, patriotic colors, the rainbow, and your favorite colors – just to name a few!