BRACES

MODERN METAL BRACES

Butterfoss Barton offers the latest in orthodontic treatment, meaning even traditional metal braces are smaller, more discreet and more comfortable than ever before! As the most common and popular type of dental alignment treatment, metal braces are a great choice for any patient because they allow your orthodontist complete control over each tooth so we can adjust the position of your teeth in small increments.

Why Get Braces?

Orthodontic treatments like braces are intended to rectify orthodontic problems, referred to as malocclusions. These might include an overbite or underbite, as well as rotations, crowding or gaps in your teeth. A full list of common orthodontic problems is available here. Many patients choose to get braces for purely cosmetic reasons, because a straight, healthy smile can improve your appearance and your self-confidence, but orthodontic problems can have significant effects on your health as well. Malocclusions in your teeth and jaw can cause difficulty speaking, premature wearing of your teeth and enamel and increase your chances of sustaining injuries in your teeth and jaw. Orthodontic treatments like braces can rectify these issues, all while providing you with a beautiful, brilliant smile!

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Parts Of Your Braces

Modern metal braces consist of a few different parts that all work together to gradually adjust and align your teeth. Depending on your particular needs and treatment goals, you may have more or fewer parts than another patient, but each piece is an essential part of your individual orthodontic treatment experience!

Brackets

Brackets are small, metal squares that attach directly to your teeth and act as an anchor for the archwire. In the past, these brackets could be quite large or even uncomfortable, but modern advancements have made wire brackets smaller and more discreet than ever before. This piece is often made of stainless steel, though it is also occasionally made of ceramic material to blend in with the color of your teeth.

Archwire

The archwire is the continuous metal wire that connects each of the brackets. It is this wire that is responsible for moving your teeth into their proper alignment. Throughout your treatment, your orthodontist will shape and adjust these wires, swapping them out at each appointment for different sizes and strengths as the treatment progresses.

Bands

Bands are metal rings that fit snugly around your back molars, anchoring the ends of the archwire in place. This allows the archwire to exert the right amount of pressure across your teeth to begin shifting them into their new positions.

Elastics

Elastics are the tiny elastics or ties that hold the archwire and bracket together. This prevents the archwire from sliding around the bracket and grinding the metal together. These elastics are customizable to you, allowing you to choose a variety of colors to turn your braces into a colorful accessory!

Rubber Bands

Not every patient will need rubber bands as part of their orthodontic treatment, but it is a common feature of braces for those patients who are adjusting the alignment of their bite as well as their individual teeth. These bands latch onto the upper and lower braces, assisting in the process of realigning your upper and lower teeth.

Caring For Your Braces

It’s always important to practice good dental hygiene, but it is essential when you are in the middle of orthodontic treatment like braces. When you have braces, food particles have ample places to hide, leading to increased amounts of plaque and tartar buildup. This can lead to a decay in your teeth. Failing to maintain proper dental hygiene with braces can also lead to cosmetic problems, such as your teeth yellowing around the bracket while the tooth under the bracket remains white. When your braces come off, that spot of discoloration may be visible.

But fear not! At Butterfoss Barton Orthodontics, we help guide you through the process of brushing, flossing and caring for your teeth during your orthodontic treatment. We want to see your orthodontic treatment succeed! We want you to be thrilled with your results, so we give you every opportunity to make that a reality.

Brushing and Flossing

We recommend using an electric toothbrush when brushing your teeth during orthodontic treatment. These electric tools do a great job at removing plaque buildup throughout the day and, with the right technique, can get into the tiny nooks and crannies in your braces where food particles love to hide. If you don’t have an electric toothbrush, though, that’s perfectly okay! It’s still very possible to take great care of your teeth and braces with just a little extra time and effort.

Flossing is always helpful to get out stubborn food particles in your teeth, but it is essential during orthodontic treatment. It may seem like flossing is an impossible task when you have metal brackets and wires on your teeth, but we provide you with the tools you need to keep up with your daily flossing routine! Floss threaders help guide the floss under the archwire so you can floss normally. You may also choose to use interdental cleaners or water picks to assist with this part of your dental hygiene routine.

You’ll want to brush and floss your teeth regularly, ideally after every meal, to remove food particles stuck to the brackets and archwires. If you don’t have a travel toothbrush with you for on-the-go cleaning, simply rinsing your mouth out with water can help until you make it home.

Diet and Eating Habits

Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet is important regardless of your orthodontic treatment. However, with your braces providing food particles with ample places to hide, certain foods and snacks are more likely to cause buildup or even damage to your braces. Avoiding sticky foods like gum and candy, hard, crunchy foods like popcorn or tortilla chips, and brittle foods like nuts, seeds and taco shells is essential to keeping your braces intact and avoiding increased amounts of plaque buildup.

A more extensive list of foods to stay away from, habits to avoid and foods that can be eaten with precaution is available here.

Start the journey to a stellar smile today! If you or your child is in need of braces, contact Butterfoss Barton Orthodontics at (757) 838-3400 or use our online booking tool to schedule a consultation!