Dental braces are wire-based appliances that orthodontists use to correct crowvded and misaligned teeth or jaws. … The goal of dental braces is to properly align your teeth and jaws to produce an even bite and pleasing smile.

Signs You Need Braces

Teeth that meet abnormally or not at all. Jaws and teeth are out of proportion to the rest of the face. Crowded, misplaced, or blocked-out teeth. Jaw shifting or making sounds, which could signify a developmental issue with your teeth and jawline.

What is a good age for braces?

Between 10 and 14 years of age, patients with orthodontic problems can benefit from treatment at nearly any age. An ideal time for placement of braces is between 10 and 14 years of age, while the head and mouth are still growing and teeth are more conducive to straightening

How fast do teeth move with braces?

You may feel some soreness in your mouth the first few days or weeks as your teeth and jaw get used to this new pressure. Once the process is in place, it takes about three months to grow new bone, and then generally 1-3 years to fully stabilize

How can I straighten my teeth without braces?

Invisalign is one of the easiest ways to straighten teeth without braces. It uses a series of clear plastic aligners to slowly reposition your teeth. Your dentist will start by taking molds of your teeth. Then, she or he will have aligners specially crafted to fit your mouth and your care plan.

What color braces should I get?

You can choose braces colors that help complement your skin tone. If you have dark or olive skin, opt for bright jewel tones, like gold, turquoise, violet or navy. If you have fair skin, cool colors look best, so try silver, sky blue, light pink or lilac.

Types of Braces:

Metal braces/Traditional braces

These are the metal brackets and wires that most people picture when they hear the word “braces.” However, modern brackets are smaller and less noticeable than the notorious “metal-mouth” braces that many adults remember. Plus, new heat-activated archwires use your body heat to help teeth move more quickly and less painfully than in the past.

Ceramic Braces

Ceramic braces are the same size and shape as metal braces, except that they have tooth-colored or clear brackets that blend in to teeth. Some even use tooth-colored wires to be even less noticeable.

Lingual Braces

Lingual braces are the same as traditional metal braces, except that the brackets and wires are placed on the inside of teeth.

Invisalign

Invisalign consists of a series of 18 to 30 custom-made, mouth guard-like clear plastic aligners. The aligners are removable and are replaced every 2 weeks.