Wire Braces

Teeth to be braced will have a bracket (either metal or clear) applied with dental cement, and then cured with light until hardened. This process usually takes a few seconds per tooth.

Next an archwire will be threaded between the brackets and affixed with elastic or metal ligatures. Elastics are available in a wide variety of colors. Archwires are bent, shaped, and tightened frequently to achieve the desired results.

Typical treatment times vary from six months to two and a half years depending on the complexity and types of problems. A tooth will usually move about a millimeter per month. Each month or two, the braces must be adjusted. This helps shift the teeth into the correct position. When they get adjusted the orthodontist takes off the colored rubber bands keeping the wire in place. The wire is then taken out, and may be replaced or modified. When the wire has been placed back into the mouth, the patient may choose a color for the new rubber bands, which are then fixed to the metal brackets. The adjusting process may cause some discomfort, which is normal.