Different Types of Braces
Dental brackets, commonly known as braces, are small devices that attach to either the front or back of your teeth and work as a handle to move your teeth to a more ideal position. Braces use many different materials and techniques to help align your teeth.
AvA Orthodontics offers choices that are built to fit your needs. Our clear and metal braces focus on your convenience, comfort, aesthetics, and timing. Getting the smile you want with braces is simple.
Tooth Movement
This is a process that requires constant pressure. Teeth will move once they receive light pressure over a period of time. That is why Dr. Amin and Dr. Vaziri bond braces to your teeth for the life of your treatment or want you to wear your Invisalign trays at all times.
If you are wearing braces, your orthodontist moves your teeth by the wire, not the braces themselves. It’s with the help of wire that we can apply consistent pressure to your teeth. These wires are made of different materials, thicknesses, and different specifications.
Depending on the stage of your treatment we might need to use different wire. As you might guess, even though it will work, it can become extremely difficult and time-consuming if we glue the archwires directly to your teeth. Therefore instead of bonding the wire, we bond the braces directly to the teeth and leave them on for the course of your treatment. These braces hold the wire. This way, braces work as handles to hold the wire and transfer the pressure from the wire to the teeth.
Traditional Metal Braces
Traditional Clear Braces
Self-Ligating Braces
Clear Damon Braces – Ortho Treatment
Damon Braces are one of the many passive self-ligating braces available in the market. The myth about them is that teeth move faster, the patient experiences less pain using this system or there is no need for pulling teeth! None of these claims are correct.
Classification
Braces are categorized by different features; among those are the overall size of the braces, size of the area that the wire fits in, type of material they are made of and how they hold the wires. These classifications are independent of each other. Each kind of braces can fall into different categories. Think of movies. One can be a comedy, action, and adventure all at the same time.
Materials
Metal: Stainless steel, titanium, or gold
Clear: Ceramic, porcelain or ceramic-reinforced plastic
Ligation
Traditional: Need colored bands to hold the wire
Self-Ligating: Does not need colored bands
Overall Size
Profile: Ultra-mini, mini, and large
Width: Narrow, medium, and wide
Slot Size
The designated area on the braces to receive the archwire.
18 Slot: The biggest wire that can fit is 0.0018 inch
22 Slot: The biggest wire that can fit is 0.0022 inch
Hidden Braces
Hidden braces have been developed to make your treatment more discreet and aesthetic. Hidden braces are a great choice for adults or teens that wish to minimize the appearance of metal braces.
Hidden braces, also known as lingual braces, are placed behind your teeth. While on your teeth, nobody will know or guess that you are wearing them. The only way your friends can know about your braces is when you tell them. They still will find it hard to believe, but once you show them, their response will be nothing but WOW!
For the best adaptation and maximum invisibility, these braces are custom made for each one of your teeth. Even the wires are 100% custom made. They are pre-shaped and bent to guide your teeth to their final position. These braces are smaller than regular braces and are nicely polished for the comfort of your tongue.
If you have always wanted a beautiful smile and are not comfortable wearing regular braces or Invisalign for social reasons, hidden braces are a great option for you. We are one of the few offices that offer them. Ask Dr. Amin Movahhedian or Dr. Hamed Vaziri on your free consultation visit to find out if you are a good candidate for hidden braces.
Lingual (Hidden) Braces
Facts
Hidden Braces vs. Regular Braces
Pros:
Cons:
Incognito Braces vs. Harmony Braces
There are two types of hidden braces currently available in orthodontics: Incognito and Harmony.
Similarities:
Differences:
Incognito braces...
Treatment Planning
Like any kind of treatment, the first step is planning. As they say “If you don’t know where you’re going, then it doesn’t matter which road you take.” By studying your models, x-rays and a detailed analysis of your smile, Dr. Amin and Dr. Vaziri will make a thorough treatment plan that is tailored specifically based on your needs and expectations. He wants you to be involved as much as possible during this phase. At the end of the day, it is your smile!
Design & Fabrication
A set of precise impressions is required to register the exact anatomy of your teeth. Hidden braces are totally custom made and there is no room for error. We will send them to the manufacturer to make the exact digital replica of your teeth. Dr. Amin and Dr. Vaziri utilize state of the art computer technology to choose the bracket type, size and wire sequence that suits your needs. Using CAD/CAM technology and high-end rapid prototyping machines, the hidden custom made braces will be manufactured for you. A series of pre-bent wires are also fabricated by an advanced robotic system.
Active Treatment
Your active tooth movement starts once the braces are placed behind your teeth. Your follow up visits will be similar to the regular braces visits. This phase ends upon the removal of your braces. Although the hidden braces are behind your teeth, they are still easy to remove. We have specifically designed instruments just for hidden braces to make this experience as pleasant as possible for you. After your treatment comes to an end, you will receive retainers to maintain your beautiful smile.