All About Braces

Braces use constant, gentle pressure, which over time, move teeth into their proper positions. Your braces are at work every moment of your orthodontic treatment. The two main components of your braces are — the metal brackets that are placed on your teeth and the main archwire that connects them. 

Each bracket is secured to the connecting wire with rubber bands which we’ll change for you each month. Over time, the wire is tightened to pull the teeth into perfect alignment. Treatment times usually fall between 18 – 24 months, but may vary depending on the severity of your case.

Metal Braces

Metal brackets are still a standard in orthodontic care, due to their superior control of tooth movement & treatment efficiency of mechanics.

We provide our patients with low-profile metal brackets  which are much smaller and sleeker in shape – increasing comfort and aesthetics for our patients.  Metal braces are typically easier to maintain and keep clean – with less breakage than clear braces.

We use American Orthodontics Brackets which are USA-made, low-profile metal brackets and are much smaller and sleeker in shape 

Clear Braces

Clear braces work in the same way that metal braces work. Both Clear & Metal Braces use constant, gentle pressure, which over time, move teeth into their proper positions.

We use American Orthodontics Radiance Brackets These USA-made brackets offer the dual benefits of superior translucence (crystal clear vs. the opaque ceramic seen with other clear brackets) along with improved bracket strength.

While Ceramic braces offer an aesthetic advantage, they are more brittle and less resilient to force than metal braces – thus they are more prone to fracture with excess force from chewing or function. In certain patients with excessively deep bites or long cusps on opposing teeth, ceramic braces are not recommended.

Self-ligating Braces

Self-ligating (or frictionless) braces eliminate the need for the ligature (elastic) ties that wrap around each bracket and secure the wire to the bracket.

In theory, this system of braces allows for less-binding of the wire to the bracket – creating a smoother (frictionless) movement of the tooth along the wire, with more potential for arch development (expansion).

We use self-ligating or friction-less braces in certain cases with severe crowding and/or severely rotated teeth.

We use American Orthodontics Empower Dual Activation™ System which combines interactive brackets on the anterior teeth with passive brackets on the posterior teeth in one unified system.

Lingual (Invisible) Braces

Lingual braces are a revolutionary new way to straighten your teeth with optimal aesthetics and accuracy. These special braces are bonded to the back (lingual) surfaces of your teeth- allowing us to align your teeth with optimal mechanics of a bracket & wire system, but without any visibly bonded appliances or aligners.

For most candidates, treatment times are generally much shorter than with Invisalign, and the results are just as precise as with standard braces.  With lingual braces, the orthodontist does the work, and you simply show up for your appointments without having to worry about tracking and wearing your trays.

The MTM No Trace system of lingual braces is an effective and cost-efficient way for patients who have mild crowding or spacing issues. Lingual braces are placed only on the inside surfaces of your 6-8 anterior teeth to correct mild crowding, spacing or alignment issues.

White Gold Braces

White gold braces offer the durability of stainless steel and the aesthetics of "white" gold. The Iconix stainless steel champagne colored brackets truly offer the best of both worlds.

The champagne colored brackets blends beautifully with teeth. The braces are low profile, contoured design for maximum comfort. Combined with a cosmetic tooth colored wire, this system offers the durability of stainless steel with aesthetics that rival ceramic brackets.

We use the Iconix White Gold Aesthetic Braces from American Orthodontics.

Clear Aligners

Learn more about Invisalign, Suresmile and our Invisible Aligner treatment options by clicking on the link below.