Braces for Healthier Teeth
There is a reason braces continue to be a popular option for straightening teeth – they work. Orthodontists have been using them successfully for decades to improve smiles and align jaws.
Braces are essentially made up of three basic elements: brackets, a flexible arch wire, and sometimes elastic bands.
The brackets are fixed to the fronts of the teeth and hold the arch wire in place. The arch wire places pressure on the teeth, moving them into the desired positions. Elastics or other wire is then used to help hold the arch wire to the bracket. Additional elastic bands can be used to apply more force in specific areas.
At Woodstock Orthodontics, we offer Damon™ self-ligating braces for children, teens and adults. These braces do not use elastic bands to hold the wire in place. Instead, the wire is contained in the bracket itself, giving the braces a lower profile appearance.
Flexible Payment Plans
At Woodstock Orthodontics, we believe that finances should never be a barrier to essential health care. To help our patients manage the cost of orthodontic treatment, we offer flexible in-house payment plans with 0% interest.
Damon™ Braces at Woodstock Orthodontics
At Woodstock Orthodontics, we offer Damon™ self-ligating braces for children, teens and adults.
Using a mechanism built into the bracket, self-ligating braces are able to hold the archwire in place without the use of additional wires or elastics. Because of this, they are able to have a lower profile and a sleeker look than many more traditional braces options.
The Damon System is a form of self-ligating braces that uses clear brackets rather than metal ones, allowing for a more discreet look. The archwire is encased within the bracket itself, rather than being held on by added wires or elastics. This gives them a lower profile than traditional braces, and the clear brackets mean your braces are barely noticeable.
Damon Braces can be easier to clean than traditional braces, meaning keeping up with your oral hygiene routine is easier. For some patients, treatment with Damon Braces may even be faster than with traditional braces.
Living with Braces
While braces will take a bit of getting used to at first, you will quickly develop new routines around them and they will incorporate into your regular life seamlessly. Here are some of the elements that will affect your day-to-day life during your braces treatment:
Adjustments
Adjustments are a crucial component of orthodontic treatment with braces, regardless of the type of braces you are wearing. Every four to eight weeks or so, you will visit our office to have your braces adjusted. This will help keep teeth moving according to your treatment plan.
You may feel some discomfort in the hours or days after your adjustment appointments as your mouth adjusts to the new pressure. Keep in mind that this discomfort is temporary, and can be managed with over-the-counter painkillers.
Elastics
Elastics, also called rubber bands, can be used to apply additional force to certain areas of your mouth during treatment with braces to guide tooth movement. They can be a key part of your treatment if your jaw needs to be aligned.
Unfortunately, elastics do not maintain their strength for long, and need to be changed out at least twice a day. Changing your elastics after each meal can make it easier to remember to switch them out.
Always follow your orthodontist's instructions regarding your elastics. Contact our office if you find that your elastics break frequently, or if the hook for your elastics breaks off.
Hygiene
Good oral hygiene is more important than ever when you have braces. Braces create all sorts of small spaces and crevices where plaque can build up, leading to tooth discolouration, decay, and gum disease.
To keep your teeth and gums healthy during your braces treatment, be sure to brush after each meal using a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. A Proxabrush® is a specially shaped toothbrush designed to clean out the spaces between braces. You can also use a Waterpik™ or air flosser to help flush out stubborn food particles.
You should also floss frequently. This can be done by feeding the floss down through the space between the arch wire and your teeth, then pulling the end gently towards the back of the tooth and drawing the floss up and down between the teeth.
Eating
Throughout your treatment, you will need to avoid include chewy or sticky foods (like caramel or liquorice), hard or crunchy foods (hard candies, nuts, or whole raw vegetables), and foods you have to bite into (like corn on the cob or apples). Sugary drinks should also be avoided.
Mouth Guards
There's no reason for braces to stop you from playing the sports you love. But if you're planning on getting out on the field, court, or rink during your treatment, we recommend wearing a sports mouth guard to protect your teeth, your mouth, and the braces themselves from harm.
Retainers
After your active orthodontic treatment with braces (or clear aligners) is complete, you'll need to wear a retainer to keep your teeth in their new positions while the jawbone around their roots reforms and hardens.
Your orthodontist will let you know how often to wear your retainers based on your individual needs. The best way to retain your alignment is to wear your retainer for life.
Questions About Braces? We've Got Answers.
You'll probably have some questions about what to expect ahead of your orthodontic treatment with braces. Get started by reading our braces FAQs to learn more about how they work, and their benefits.
-
How much do orthodontic braces cost?
The cost of orthodontic treatment can vary considerably based on the nature and severity of the misalignment and the type of braces used.
At your consultation, your orthodontist will provide you with an estimate of how much your treatment will cost.
If you already have an estimate from your orthodontist, you can use our cost calculator to determine your approximate monthly payments.
-
Who is a candidate for braces?
Most children, teens, and adults with healthy teeth and gums are considered good candidates for braces.
Overall, braces come in many styles and can address a wide range of orthodontic issues, from moderate to complex. There are very few limits to who can benefit from braces. That said, certain oral health conditions or significant gum recession are factors that make certain people not candidates for braces.
-
What are my options for low-profile braces?
At Woodstock Orthodontics, we offer self-ligating braces.
Self-ligating braces don't use elastics or ties like traditional braces do, which gives them a neater, more streamlined look. Damon braces are another form of self-ligating braces, the difference being that they use a clear bracket rather than a metal one. You can learn more about these braces on this page under 'Types of Braces'.
Clear aligners are also an option for low-profile orthodontic treatment.
-
How long will I need to wear braces?
The average treatment time for braces is 12 to 24 months, but this can vary significantly from patient to patient. The duration of your orthodontic treatment depends primarily on the type and severity of your misalignment and the treatment method you choose. As you might expect, mild or moderate cases are quicker to treat than more complex ones.
-
How long until I get used to my braces?
After first getting them, you will probably need a week or two to become fully accustomed to how braces feel in your mouth. You may find it hard to resist poking them with your tongue as you get used to how the wires and brackets feel.
If certain areas rub against your cheek and irritate it, orthodontic wax can help create a smoother surface with less friction as your mouth adjusts. A benefit of the self-ligating braces offered at our orthodontic clinic in Woodstock is that the brackets contain the archwire, so there should be minimal rubbing compared to traditional braces.
Again, the discomfort is a temporary bump on your path to a beautiful smile. After a couple of weeks, your mouth will likely feel normal again.
-
Do braces hurt?
You will almost certainly experience some discomfort at different points of your orthodontic treatment. However, any pain you feel during your braces treatment is temporary and usually resolves over a few days.
Discomfort from braces usually happens for a week or so after you first get them put on and also for a few hours or days after your adjustment appointments as you get used to the added pressure. This type of pain is usually easily managed with over-the-counter painkillers until it has passed.
Orthodontic wax can be used to create a smooth surface if a bracket is rubbing against the soft tissues inside of your mouth.
-
Can adults get braces?
Yes, adults can get braces! More and more adults are opting to undergo orthodontic treatment that they missed out on when they were younger to improve their oral health and the appearance of their smiles.
Many of our adult patients prefer the lower profile, more streamlined look of self-ligating braces or clear aligners. All these options allow you to straighten your teeth without the pronounced appearance of traditional braces.
-
Can kids get braces?
Yes, children as young as seven years old may sometimes be candidates for braces. Certain developing misalignments and bite problems are easier to treat when children are young. At that point, we can still guide their oral development, rather than undoing issues already established later on.
With all that being said, we take a very conservative approach to braces for children and only prescribe them when there's a serious risk of future orthodontic problems.
-
Do I have to brush more with braces?
During your treatment with braces, it is recommended to brush your teeth after every meal.
Braces create nooks and crannies in your mouth that were not there before. This creates the perfect place for food particles and bacteria to get caught and build up, potentially leading to cavities and gum disease.
Because of this, extra vigilance with your oral hygiene is needed while wearing braces.
-
How do I floss with braces?
Flossing with braces may seem complicated, but it's fairly straightforward once you get the hang of it!
To floss your teeth with braces, feed the floss down through the space between the arch wire and your teeth. We supply floss threaders for our patients to make this easier. Pull the end of the floss gently towards the back of the tooth and draw the floss up and down between the teeth. Then repeat this process between each pair of teeth.
-
What can I eat while I'm wearing braces?
While you will have to take extra precautions when you eat while wearing braces, you should still be able to enjoy most of your favourite foods.
Throughout your treatment, you will need to avoid hard, crunchy, and overly sticky/tacky foods. It is important to chew carefully and take your time while wearing braces. Avoid biting into foods like apples or corn on the cob (cut your apple into bite-sized pieces and shell your corn instead!) and chewing gum completely.
You can generally continue eating your normal diet, with a few modifications.
-
Can I still play contact sports if I wear braces?
We recommend avoiding any sports involving regular direct blows to the face while wearing braces. Even with a mouth guard, sports like boxing are not advisable.
Other contact sports, like football or rugby, may be possible if you wear a mouth guard, but we advise extreme caution in these cases as well.
For most sports, though, you should be able to keep playing without problem. If you want to continue getting out on the field, court or rink during your treatment, we recommend wearing a sports mouth guard to protect your teeth, your mouth, and the braces themselves from damage.
-
Braces vs. clear aligners: How do I choose which is best for me?
Braces and clear aligners are both effective orthodontic treatment options, but their differences may affect their suitability for different people.
Factors to consider when choosing between braces and clear aligners include your personal preferences and lifestyle, aesthetics, the nature and severity of your misalignment, and cost. You can learn more here.
Your orthodontist will assess your specific case and recommend the best treatment option for your needs.