Braces
Braces are brackets and wires that move teeth gradually, for teens, adults and children who have most of their permanent teeth.
Your orthodontist chooses the type with you: metal brackets, or tooth-colored ceramic ones that show less. A thin wire joins them, and each adjustment changes how the wire presses, so your teeth move step by step toward the plan.
At a glance
Metal or tooth-colored brackets
Adjusted every 4 to 10 weeks
Many people wear them from about one to three years
What happens
- 011 to 2 visits
Step 1: Plan
A consultation and records: photos, X-rays and a scan. You hear the plan and the estimate before anything is placed.
- 021 visit
Step 2: Bonding
Brackets are glued to your teeth and the first wire goes in. The visit takes a while, and you can ask for a break.
- 03Every 4 to 10 weeks
Step 3: Adjustments
The wire or bands are changed. The gap between visits depends on how your teeth are moving.
- 041 to 2 visits
Step 4: Taking them off
Braces come off when the plan is done, and you get your first retainers.
Comfort, other options and what to watch for
Comfort
Teeth feel sore for a few days after bonding and after some adjustments. Soft foods and the pain relievers your doctor suggests help most people. Orthodontic wax covers a bracket that rubs. Tell us if you need a break during a visit.
Other options, and waiting
Aligners fit some mouths and not others, and we explain which suits you. Waiting is also a choice: some bite problems can be watched while a child grows. If you wait, crowding may stay or shift, and we tell you what we would watch for.
Risks
Brackets can loosen and wires can poke. Plaque builds up around braces and can mark teeth or irritate gums if brushing slips. The roots of some teeth can shorten during treatment, which is uncommon, and X-rays help us watch for it. Teeth can shift after braces come off if retainers are not worn.
After-care
Brush after meals and floss with a threader. Skip hard and sticky foods, and call us if a bracket comes loose. Keep seeing your regular dentist for cleanings.
How it is billed
Braces are billed as one course of treatment, not by the visit.
You get a written estimate before you decide, and we check your orthodontic benefit first. Visits for adjustments are part of that estimate.
- A written estimate before treatment
- Your orthodontic benefit checked first
Questions about braces
How long will I wear braces?
Many people wear them from about one to three years. The range is wide, and your plan will give you your own estimate. It can change if teeth move slower than planned.
What can I eat?
Soft foods for the first days. After that, skip hard, sticky and chewy foods that break brackets or pull on wires, like hard candy, caramel and ice. We give you a list.
Can I play sports or an instrument?
Yes. A mouthguard made for braces protects your mouth in contact sports, and players of wind instruments usually adjust within a few weeks. Ask us if something is in your way.
Braces here are placed by Dr. Gisela Osorio or Dr. Reem Qasim, orthodontists who completed residencies in orthodontics at accredited programs.
Ask about braces
Tell us who the visit is for and which office suits you. We will call, text or email you back.