What are Metal Braces?
Traditional metal braces are a dental technique that is a perfect option for straightening teeth and fixing spacing issues in a patient’s mouth, and correcting certain types of issues like an underbite or overbite.
With traditional metal braces, a series of small metal brackets are affixed to each one of the teeth in a patient’s mouth for the duration of treatment. Those brackets are then connected via two metal wires – one for the top row of teeth and one for the bottom. The strength of those wires is what gently pulls the teeth into their desired position over time.
Are Metal Braces Better?
One of the most important things for you to understand the types of braces available to you is that they all have their unique pros and cons. The size of the brackets with traditional metal braces tend to be a bit smaller than their clear counterparts, for example, and some people find that important. Likewise, traditional metal braces tend to be a bit cheaper than clear braces – but they’re also far easier to notice in a patient’s mouth.
What is a Typical Treatment Like with Metal Braces?
The treatment process starts with a digital scan of your smile. That’s right: no goop or gagging, and we are completely digital! Even under the best conditions, traditional impressions were messy, uncomfortable, and occasionally unreliable. That’s why we are proud to offer state-of-the-art digital scanning technology for all treatment starts. These digital scans also allow us to create a more accurate model of your smile, meaning better bracket placement and more efficient adjustments.
After the brackets and wires are attached to a patient’s mouth, we typically see patients every 6-8 weeks for appointments to make sure that everything is proceeding along exactly as it should be. Adjustments will be made to the wire’s strength to help achieve the desired results in the expected amount of time.
How Much Do Metal Braces Cost?
This is a particularly difficult question to answer, as no two patients are created equally. If you’re only trying to correct crooked teeth, treatment will obviously be shorter than if you were also taking care of an under or overbite. As the length of treatment is a major contributing factor to the amount you’ll need to pay, this will definitely vary by the patient. Having said that, please call our office at (865)-457-2299 or schedule an appointment for a custom quote today!
Do Metal Braces Hurt?
Traditional metal braces do not necessarily “hurt,” but as you’ll suddenly have a series of metal brackets and wires in your mouth at all times, they may definitely take some getting used to. Some people report a sore or an uncomfortable feeling, but most of the time, this can be taken care of with over-the-counter pain medication.
What are Clear Braces?
The biggest difference between traditional metal braces and clear braces is exactly that – the latter is clear thanks to the fact that the system itself is made out of ceramic, while the former is not.
Clear braces typically consist of either clear or tooth-colored ceramic brackets affixed to the surface of each tooth in a patient’s mouth. They operate very similarly to traditional metal braces, but they are the more discreet option of the two.
What is the Typical Treatment Length with Clear Braces?
As previously stated, the typical treatment length for any dental-related service will vary significantly based on the patient in question. Having said that, most people can expect to be in a set of clear braces for about two years – or roughly the same length of time as metal braces.
Do Clear Braces Hurt?
Just like traditional metal braces, clear braces are more uncomfortable than painful. You’ll still have to get used to the different metal brackets and wires in your mouth at all times, so you may feel a sore or uncomfortable feeling, but most of the time, this can also be taken care of with over-the-counter pain medication.
How Much Do Clear Braces Cost?
Again, this will vary pretty significantly depending on the patient in question, as the total treatment length will directly impact the price you’ll be expected to pay. However, they usually work out to be a bit more expensive than traditional metal braces due to the unique material used in their construction.
Are Clear Braces Better?
Since the term “better” is relative, this is a difficult question to answer as it will ultimately come down to the patient’s opinion. They are certainly harder to notice than their traditional counterparts. However, they’re very durable. The size of the brackets used with clear braces do tend to be a bit bigger than the ones used on traditional metal braces, so you’ll definitely want to keep that in mind before making any type of decision one way or the other.
Smile with Style with WildSmiles Braces
Besides looking forward to a beautiful, healthy smile, our patients love the designs they get to choose from with WildSmiles Braces. You get to choose from fun bracket designs featuring Disney characters or Signature shapes. Take a look at how you can mix and match brackets with our WildSmiles Design Tool.
