Could braces be right for you? That will depend on a wide variety of factors, including the current position of your teeth, the combination of movements that will need to be completed, your lifestyle, your budget, your timelines, your tolerance for treatment, and more. Here’s an introduction to orthodontic treatment with braces, and what to expect from braces.
Orthodontics in Orlando begins with a consultation where your orthodontist will take and review x-rays of your teeth and jaw. Not every spacing and alignment issue requires braces. Your dentist will recommend treatment options and answer any questions about orthodontics near you, braces, and length of treatment.
Getting Braces
Once you or your family has made the decision to get metal braces near you, the process of placing them on your teeth involves five steps. These five steps can be accomplished quickly in a single appointment.
- Your teeth will be polished, then air-dried, so that the metal brackets will bond securely to your teeth. Traditionally, those brackets are made of high-quality stainless steel or titanium, but your dentist will describe the option of providing ceramic braces near you. Ceramic braces are more expensive and less durable than metal brackets but do offer the advantage of subtlety since they blend more naturally with the color of your teeth
- Conditioner is used on your teeth for 30 seconds to prepare them for bonding to the braces’ brackets. Once the conditioner is removed and your teeth are dried, an orthodontist near you will apply adhesive primer to your teeth
- Cement will be put on the back of the brackets which will then be placed on your teeth in the precise position required to reposition them over time
- The cement will be hardened using high-intensity light which bonds those brackets securely to your teeth
- Dental archwires are then placed in and between the brackets with elastic ties to connect them to each other and exert the subtle pressure needed to re-align the teeth
Getting Used to Braces
Beginning several hours after braces are placed on your teeth, you will experience tightness and even some soreness. That tightness and soreness is a normal and expected sensation caused by the dental arch wires beginning to shift your teeth. Patients usually experience that soreness for three to five days, after which it subsides. Over-the-counter pain medication can help resolve the discomfort if necessary.
Adjustment Appointments
Orthodontics is a dynamic exercise of moving and responding to the movement of your teeth to accomplish your goal. Every three to 10 weeks, you’ll visit your orthodontist in Orlando so that the elastic ties that properly position the dental archwires can be adjusted to ensure the right pressure is placed in the right locations to achieve your goals. After each adjustment appointment, you’ll probably feel familiar tightness for several hours. That’s a symptom of progress.
During the adjustment appointments, the elastic ties and archwires are often removed. With those ties and wires off your teeth, your orthodontist will review your progress, renew your bands and wires, and answer any questions. Best yet, you’ll even be able to brush and floss thoroughly before wires are put back in your mouth.
Your orthodontist will provide you with clear instructions about living with braces in Orlando, including foods to avoid and how to keep your teeth clean throughout the whole process. It is not the time to fall down on your oral care habits.
Orthodontics is a proven solution for crooked, misaligned, and improperly spaced teeth. It is an investment of time and money that will pay off with a lifelong smile that is straighter, healthier, and more confident. When you’re ready to take the first step toward that healthier and more confident future with metal or ceramic braces in Orlando, contact an orthodontist for an assessment.