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Learn About Metal Braces and How They Can Help You

Metal braces are the most common type of braces for orthodontic patients. Today's metal braces are much smaller, flatter, and more comfortable than in the past. Patients of all ages choose metal braces to help them achieve straight, beautiful smiles. Contact Becker Orthodontics today for more information if you’re looking for braces in Collegeville, PA or the surrounding areas.

What Braces Are Made Of

Traditional metal braces are made of high-quality stainless steel or titanium. The three main parts of your braces are:

 

  • Brackets — Brackets are attached to the teeth using special glue that bonds them to the tooth surface and holds them in place for the entirety of the time that you need your braces.
  • Archwire — The archwire is the thin metal wire that connects each bracket and puts pressure on the teeth to help guide them into place. These are tightened and adjusted over the course of your time with braces to help straighten your teeth.
  • Ligature Elastic (also known as the “rubber bands”) — Elastics, or rubber bands, are the colored ties that hold the archwires to the brackets. Your orthodontist will change the elastics at each appointment. Elastics may come in a variety of colors.

 

How Braces Work

Once placed on your teeth, braces place constant pressure on your teeth, and the force of the pressure helps move teeth into proper position. At each appointment, your orthodontist may tighten the archwires. In addition to braces, some patients may need to wear rubber bands or headgear. Patients wearing braces may notice their teeth feeling a little loose.

This is normal and temporary; once the teeth are done moving this feeling will go away.

Are Metal Braces the Right Fit for You?

Braces are extremely common and, in many cases, even a rite of passage. Currently, as many as 4 million Americans wear braces. Although the American Association of Orthodontists suggests children visit the orthodontist as young as age seven, young children, teenagers, and adults alike wear braces to fix overbites, underbites, and crossbites. Braces are also often used to correct crooked teeth.


Thanks to the popularity of orthodontia, patients now have several options when it comes to braces, the main ones being clear aligners or metal braces. If you are contemplating braces to correct your smile, how do you know if metal braces are best?


At Becker Orthodontics, we pride ourselves in helping you select the most effective treatment options! What many patients do not realize is that traditional metal braces still have their advantages, even when compared to more modern options like clear trays or aligners. Here are some of the reasons you or your child may be best suited for metal braces:

 

  • Metal braces are more cost-efficient. Whether you are purchasing braces for your child or finally correcting your overbite after all these years, metal braces are the most cost-effective treatment.

  • Metal braces treat severe cases most effectively. Invisible aligners straighten teeth, much like traditional braces. Even so, the process is not entirely the same and metal braces are most effective when it comes to treating more severe or complex problems, like crossbites and malocclusions.

  • Children enjoy the customizability. Invisalign and clear aligners are transparent, leaving no room to customize them. Many children and teenagers enjoy picking out metal or rubber band colors to match their personalities.

  • Traditional braces are permanent and fixed onto your teeth. With clear aligners, wearers are tasked with the responsibility of removing them before meals or hot drinks like coffee and tea and duly replacing them again. This can present an issue for children, adults, and young adults. It is more common than you may think to leave clear aligners out for longer than intended. Traditional options are fixed to your teeth. They're always working and cannot be rendered less effective by constantly taking them in and out.

  • No accidents! When you take clear aligners or clear trays out to eat, it is wise to keep them in a case specifically designated for that purpose. That doesn't always happen. In fact, it is very common for patients to go to school, go out to eat, or even to go on trips and leave their cases behind. Without the case, it means you must keep aligners on the table or in napkins, paper towels, or tissues -- places they can easily be forgotten and mistakenly discarded.

Caring For Your Metal Braces

If you’ve known anyone with metal braces, you’ve probably heard some of the difficulties that can come with caring for metal braces to keep them in peak condition. Here are a few tips to help you care for your metal braces:



  • Brush Your Teeth at Least Twice a Day. This may seem like obvious advice, but it’s important to make sure that you’re brushing your teeth consistently when you have braces. If you skip out on brushing, you can end up with permanent discoloration on your teeth from the brackets. Ideally, you should be brushing your teeth after each meal, but twice a day will also work.
  • Floss Regularly. If you aren’t flossing regularly already, it’s a good time to start up the habit! To floss, thread the piece of floss between your archwire and tooth and proceed to floss as you regularly would. If you eat a food that you probably shouldn’t with your braces, make sure to floss immediately after to ensure that nothing sticks to your brackets or archwires.
  • Watch What You Eat. When you first get your braces on, you’ll get a list of foods that you should avoid while you have braces. These foods have the potential to stick to your braces and damage your teeth because of prolonged exposure and should be avoided completely. If you do eat one of these foods, make sure to brush and floss immediately to dislodge anything that may get stuck.

Contact Your Experts on Metal Braces Today

Talk to Becker Orthodontics about the treatment option best for you or your child! Call us at (610) 628-4727 to schedule an appointment today. We look forward to helping you get a straight, beautiful smile.

Call Today to Schedule a FREE Consultation

(610) 628-4727

(610) 628-4727

Locally and Family Owned and Operated

Same-Day and Walk-In Appointments are Accepted

Member of the American Association of Orthodontists & the Pennsylvania Dental Association

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Becker Orthodontics

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