Interesting Facts About Orthodontics and Braces

We offer orthodontics as a way to straighten teeth and improve our patients’ smiles. Whether you are a grandma, a working professional or a teenager, you can benefit from having straight teeth. When your teeth are crooked, it becomes easy for food to become trapped in between them and your risk of getting a cavity increases.  If your bite is misaligned, you may also suffer from TMJ symptoms like a bad headache or jaw pain. Fortunately, you don’t have to keep a crooked and unattractive smile.

If you are considering straightening your teeth here are interesting facts you should know.

• Braces can be colorful.  If you are the kind of person that wears a Santa Clause tie or a fourth of July shirt, you can have a lot of fun with braces.  At each appointment, we will switch out the rubber bands that surround your metal brackets.  They come in lots of fun colors so you can be as creative as you like.
• Some braces are invisible.  Certain patients may qualify to wear their braces behind their teeth instead of on the front like normal.  This way your teeth will become straight without anyone noticing.  This type of orthodontics doesn’t work for everyone so ask us if you qualify when scheduling your consultation.
• Braces are smaller.  In the old days, as in a decade ago, braces were much larger.  They stood out more and covered a larger portion of the tooth.  Now, both the brackets and wires are smaller than they used to be but also more effective at straightening teeth.  This makes braces much easier to live with.
• Flossing.  There are new ways of flossing and new tools that make it easier to keep your teeth clean while going through an orthodontics treatment.  We can show you how during your consultation.
• Aligners can straighten your teeth.  You may not need braces at all.  Many people are straightening their teeth using clear aligners that are worn for 22 hours a day.  They look like a retainer and move your teeth into position as you wear a new aligner every two weeks.
• Braces are cool.  It’s fairly normal for people to wear braces now.  When they first came out kids got made fun of because only a few people actually wore them.  Now, most people know someone that is wearing braces at any given time, making orthodontics more common and less geeky.

In our office, we work with patients to help them get the beautiful smile that they have always wanted.  Before getting started, we like to speak with each patient to understand what their goals are and what their lifestyle is like. There are so many types of orthodontics treatments now that it is no longer a one-size-fits-all solution.  Instead, we can make recommendations that are a good fit for you, even if they aren’t the right fit for someone else.  If you are concerned about feeling discomfort or braces interrupting your work schedule, let us know, and we can discuss alternative options.