Brace Yourself at Northside Orthodontics
About Braces
Braces are the most common appliance used to achieve ideal tooth alignment and bite. Braces work by applying gentle forces to the teeth moving them into the desired positions. Once fitted, patients must attend regular appointments with the orthodontist (every 6-8 weeks) to have their braces adjusted with a series of high-tech wires. Treatment time varies from person to person but an average treatment time is 18-24 months.
When your braces are removed, custom made retainers will be fitted to ensure your teeth don’t move.
Types of Braces
Metal Braces
Metal or stainless steel braces are silver in colouring. Whilst the brackets and wires are metal, the orings that hold everything together come in an array of colours so you can jazz up your teeth in any colour combination you like every 6-8 weeks!
Ceramic Braces
Ceramic braces consist of a clear, tooth coloured bracket. The wire is still metal but the orings are clear, making the braces overall less visible and therefore more appealing to some patients. If you wish, you can choose to mix things up with coloured o-rings as well!
You can see the braces components up close on our typodont models at your consultation appointment.
What to Expect
Appointments
Once your bracket type and oring colours have been selected, the Orthodontist will use a gritty paste to buff the surface of each tooth before using a blue gel to give the tooth a thorough clean. Retractors will be placed to hold your lips back and the teeth will be blown with air to keep them dry. One by one the brackets will be glued down and set with a blue light.
Next, the archwires are inserted. The o-rings are then wrapped around each bracket, to hold the wires in place. This process will take about an hour. Once complete, a Dental Assistant will give you care kit and demonstrate how to use the items in your kit to look after your braces and teeth at home. All up the appointment will go for an hour and a half.
Your orthodontist will see you every 6-8 weeks for adjustments on your braces. When nearing the end of treatment, your appointments may become closer together. There will be times throughout treatment when your orthodontist will request longer appointments and times when you will need to be seen by the Hygienist.
To keep your treatment on track, it is best to book your next appointment upon checking out of your current appointment.
Elastics
Retainers
At the end of treatment, the hygienist will remove your braces and fit custom retainers to ensure your teeth don’t move or shift back. You will be required to wear retainers for the rest of your life.
Cleaning & Eating
It will be up to you to keep your braces clean and your teeth and gums healthy.
You will need to brush a minimum of 3 times a day. Always use a soft bristled-brush, moving it around the teeth, gums and appliances in gentle, angled, circular motions. An interdental brush should be used after normal brushing and can be used between brushes after snacking. If you are unable to brush, rinse your mouth thoroughly with water. You must floss at least once a day.
Opt to eat softer foods like pastas, soups, mashed potatoes, yoghurt and smoothies after your fitting and initially after each adjustment. These are foods that don’t require heavy chewing when the teeth are feeling sore or sensitive. Avoid hard or sticky foods and drinks high in sugar or acid like soft drink, sports drinks and juice. Cut up foods that you would normally bite into as these can cause damage to your appliances.
Most patients will require Elastics at some stage of their braces treatment. Elastics (small rubber bands) stretch between small hooks on the braces and apply the steady force needed to guide the teeth and jaws into position to correct the bite.
They come in different sizes, strengths and colours and can be worn in many different configurations depending on your treatment requirements.
For some patients, the following appliances are used in conjunction with the braces:
Forsus
The Forsus springs are a fixed functional appliance attached to the braces designed to correct the bite and improve the facial profile. The springs are fitted once the teeth have been aligned and strong wires are in place. They work by applying continuous force to pull the upper teeth back and posture the lower teeth forward. Wear time varies per patient, depending on the level of correction required.
TADs
Temporary Anchorage Devices, or TADs, are small titanium alloy screws that are positioned into the gum and underlying bone to serve as an anchor, enabling greater control of tooth direction.
