Metal Braces
Metal braces are solid and can withstand most types of treatment. They consist of tiny metal brackets (attachments) glued to the front of your teeth. A metal wire is attached to the frames and held by ligatures. There is a wide range of ligatures available, from transparent to silver (to match the metal braces) and to various colours.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Fastest treatment time
- Strong and rarely break
- Don’t stain
Cons:
- More visible than the other types of braces
Metal Braces Treatment Guide
1. Orthodontic assessment
Patient assessment is one of the most important stages of orthodontic treatment and is carried out by one of our lead dentists. This will include:
- Full medical history taking
- Identification of your expectations from orthodontic treatment
- Full assessment of your face and mouth: facial proportions (forehead, nose, lips and chin), examination of your bite, any missing teeth, speech and chewing function
- Smile analysis
- Discussion of proposed changes and outcomes from orthodontic treatment
- Consideration of case suitability for other treatment options may be available
2. Case analysis
This is part of the orthodontic assessment and treatment planning, usually done by one of our qualified nurses. It is needed to plan your treatment and to monitor progress and results. It includes a full mouth x-ray, models of your teeth, and photographs of your face, profile, bite, smile and teeth.
Once completed, we can provide your treatment options and customized orthodontic treatment plans.
3. Dental health check
A dental health check-up and oral cancer screening are also needed to ensure your teeth and gums are healthy and can undergo orthodontic treatment. They include:
- Checking all your teeth for signs of decay and disease
- Gum health check
- Full oral cancer screening
- Jaw joint exam
- Any necessary x-rays
- A detailed chart of your teeth
- Tailored report which will outline your treatment options in detail
4. Fitting of the braces
After your case analysis has been completed and a treatment plan has been designed, you will now be ready to have the braces fitted. This is usually carried out by one of our orthodontic therapists.
Our orthodontic therapists have undergone rigorous training and work alongside our lead clinicians to deliver treatments prescribed by them. Their role has been carefully designed to ensure treatment efficiency resulting in high standards of care and excellent results.
5. Monthly adjustments
We will tighten and activate your braces once a month, while checking in on the progress of your treatment. These are carried out by our orthodontic therapists. At the key stages of your treatment your monthly adjustment will be carried by our lead dentist. They will carry out your routine adjustment as well as review your treatment progress, make any necessary changes to your initial plan and give you the opportunity to discuss any questions relating to your treatment.
6. Keeping your teeth and gums at optimal health during your orthodontic treatment
It’s important that you maintain a good oral hygiene and clean your teeth regularly as clean teeth and gums help with treatment progress.
On top of regular brushing, during your treatment, we strongly recommend that you see a hygienist every 3 to 6 months to ensure any buildup of calculus, tartar or hardened dental plaque is removed and doesn’t slow down the movement of your teeth.
During your orthodontic visits, we will not be checking for other dental diseases such as tooth decay or gum disease so it is important that you continue to see a general dental practitioner to maintain good oral health as dental problems can interfere with your orthodontic treatment and overall oral health.
7. Removing your braces
Once you are happy with the results of the treatment, you will be booked with our orthodontic therapist to remove your braces. At this appointment, we will remove your braces and any attachments.
We will place fixed retainers at the back of your teeth and take impressions for removable retainers which will be ready after one week.
The retainers are needed to hold your teeth in the new position and to prevent them from moving back into their original position. They should be worn “FOR LIFE”.
8. Retention phase
You must wear your retainers after we remove your braces to prevent your teeth from moving out of alignment again. Damaged retainers (fixed or removable) should be repaired as quickly as possible to avoid your teeth moving.
Six months after we remove your braces, we will check to ensure that everything is fine with your retainers.
9. Enhancing your orthodontic results
We often provide other cosmetic treatments to enhance the results of orthodontic treatment. Braces will straighten your teeth and other treatments such as composite bondings, whitening and gum contouring can dramatically improve the appearance of your newly straightened teeth. We offer free complementary assessments as well as 0% interest on these treatments to our existing patients.