Braces are used by orthodontists to help straighten your teeth and properly align your bite and your jaw. If your dentist or orthodontist thinks that you or your child may need braces, you should know that the braces of today and not like the braces of the past! New materials, technological advances, and better treatment plans have all contributed to today’s braces.
Today’s Braces Are Very Different—And For the Better!
Today’s braces are more effective and can even position and straighten teeth more quickly and efficiently. The difference is in:
- Types of braces. Traditional braces are probably the type of orthodontic treatment with which you’re most familiar. They are made of stainless steel brackets and wires and are very noticeable when someone talks or smiles. There are also braces that are made of clear material, like Clarity® braces, that are very similar to metal braces but are nearly invisible. Some, like Invisalign®, are completely invisible and fit many teens’ and adults’ lifestyles.
- Look at braces. In addition to conventional metal braces, some braces now can go behind the teeth, like Incognito®, where they are positioned unseen with special wires. The most advanced orthodontic treatment, Invisalign®, and Invisalign Teen® are actually a series of invisible, removable trays that are replaced every two weeks and position teeth—without anyone knowing that you’re wearing them! One trend with traditional braces is that many kids choose to personalize them by picking different colors for their upper and lower elastics.
- Materials. Braces are now made out of many different materials. Traditional braces are stainless steel, of course, and there are also ceramic, metal, and plastic combinations, depending on what you’re most comfortable with and what your orthodontist suggests for your particular situation. Today’s braces also don’t discolor teeth because the chemicals used in the materials are completely different.
- Feel of braces. Advanced materials and techniques mean better-fitting braces. Braces no longer cause a patient pain when they’re placed on the teeth, and the metal is much smoother, which means that a lot of the discomfort that braces used to cause the gums, tongue, and inside of the mouth is now gone!
No matter what advances have been made in the last few decades, the most important part of your orthodontic treatment is to choose an experienced, board-certified orthodontist. King Orthodontics, which boasts more than 50 of years experience among the members of their team, has two convenient offices in the Pittsburgh area. Call us today for your free consultation.
Dr. Bryan King earned his DMD from The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine and holds his Master of Dental Science in Periodontics from The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Bryan has also completed an Orthodontic residency at St Barnabas Hospital in The Bronx, New York. Dr Bryan has received many honors as a practicing orthodontist including, being named a Diplomate of the American Board ofOrthodontics and being named a “Top Dentist” by Pittsburgh Magazine for several years running. He also earned the Lifetime achievement award given by Align Technologies in 2014 for his work with Invisalign.
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