Braces

Braces Sydney

TRADITIONAL METAL BRACES

Traditional metal braces have been used to treat millions of patients around the world, and for a good reason – they work.

Today’s conventional metal braces are much more streamlined and visually appealing than they used to be. Comprising of thinner and smaller materials, traditional metal braces can now fix over and under bites and more complex dental issues like severe crowding. As the teeth are being gradually straightened, your bone structure will change with it. This leads to a better, fuller bite.

How do these teeth braces work?

The idea behind any form of teeth braces is to bring them into a more desirable alignment over time. Teeth braces apply a steady, gentle pressure to help your teeth move so they align more correctly with each other.

Traditional metal braces have several different components and the three primary components include:

  • Brackets – Brackets are small attachments that are bonded to the front of your teeth. They are joined with a non-damaging, secure dental adhesive.
  • Archwires – This is attached to the brackets and will help guide your teeth into their correct positions. These wires are usually made from titanium alloy or stainless steel.
  • Ligature elastics (rubber bands or o-rings) – These colourful rubber bands are used to hold the archwire into the brackets.

How long do I have to wear traditional braces?

The treatment time for traditional braces will vary greatly from patient to patient. The time the orthodontic braces are worn will be dependant on many factors, including how severe your dental issues are, your age, and how well you take care of your braces. To ensure you get your braces removed at the correct time, it’s important to attend your scheduled orthodontic appointments so Dr Manku can keep your teeth on track.

Braces are usually worn for 1 to 3 years, with regular visits to see us, so we’re always available to answer your questions and make the necessary adjustments. This keeps improving your teeth alignment to ensure you get the best smile.

Do you want to straighten your teeth by a technique that is historically proven to work?

Traditional metal braces are still the most cost-effective way of producing a perfectly straight smile. To see how braces can help your smile, book a consultation with Dr Amrik Manku today.

FAQs

Teeth braces can sometimes cause irritation and sores to the soft tissue of your mouth. Sometimes a wire can come loose, or a bracket can painfully rub against the skin. Orthodontic wax creates a barrier against your braces and your mouth.

At the time of application, Dr Manku will give you orthodontic wax and show you how to create this soft barrier. Orthodontic wax is made from natural substances like beeswax, so it’s safe if you accidentally consume it.

When Dr Manku fits your braces at our Fairfield clinic, you shouldn’t feel any pain at all. Most patients notice a slight ache in the first 1-2 days of having braces. Within the first week, your braces should have settled in, and the pain should have completely diminished. You might experience similar aches when your orthodontist tightens the wire. This is done to ensure that your teeth continue to straighten over time.

If you do happen to experience a strong pain, you can take over the counter pain medication (if no allergy exists) to help minimise the discomfort. If the pain does persist, simply come back in, and we will loosen your wire until it is comfortable.

Just because you have braces doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favourite foods; you’ll just have to make a few slight adjustments. You can still eat most things with braces, but you should begin the first week with soft foods and after that, keep these handy tips in mind:

  • Don’t eat sticky, chewy, or hard sweets like toffies, hard caramels, and chewy lollies. It can be hard to remove the sticky treats and built up sugar from your braces.
  • Don’t bite into large, tough objects. Try to cut up foods like apples, carrots, and crusty bread rolls before eating them.
  • Avoid anything that can’t be cut into small pieces like ice cubes. This will reduce your risk of snapping or breaking your braces.
  • Don’t gnaw on foods like corn on the cob or meats. Even though your braces are quite durable, they can break under pressure.

For more information on what not to eat with your braces, contact the team at Best Smile Orthodontist today.

The time taken to place dental braces on at our Fairfield or Glenfield clinics will depend on each patient. The typical time needed is around 1-2 hours. The process may seem a little daunting, but don’t worry, you shouldn’t feel any pain while the braces are being placed.

Placing braces is a relatively straightforward process. Firstly, your teeth will be cleaned and a special dental glue will be put on the front of your teeth to hold the brackets firmly in place. Then the archwire will be placed through the brackets and secured with elastic bands.

Sometimes it’s clear when a patient needs orthodontic treatment; other times it can be hard to spot. It’s important to identify early symptoms of orthodontic issues early, especially in children. Come visit us as soon as possible so we can determine if any orthodontic treatment may be needed.

Some noticeable signs you might see if you need orthodontic braces can include:

  • Crowding – Put simply, this means there is insufficient space in the mouth for all of your teeth.
  • Overbite –Refers to the vertical and horizontal overlap of the front teeth.
  • Underbite – Opposite to an overbite and is an abnormal bite where all the upper front teeth are behind the lower front teeth.
  • Crossbite – This happens when the upper tooth is behind the lower opposing tooth.
  • Openbite – This happens when the front teeth don’t touch and can cause, difficulty biting and speech problems like lisps.

The best way to know if you or your child needs orthodontic braces is to book in a consultation at Best Smile Orthodontist today.

Orthodontic problems can be treated at just about any age. The age during which teeth are more conducive to straightening is between 10-14 years. However, it really depends on the individual, his/her needs, and preferences. It is advised that a child be evaluated by an orthodontist by age 7, which allows for Phase 1 treatment to be implemented if need be.

There isn’t an age limit to wearing braces: more and more adults are turning to braces to improve their smiles. Although braces may take just a little longer to work on adults, the rate of success isn’t compromised due to age.

Adults turn to braces to correct orthodontic issues that couldn’t be corrected when they were younger, perhaps because of financial issues or insufficient knowledge regarding braces and the numerous benefits they provide. Age can cause teeth to shift, and some adults may find that teeth that were once straight, have now become crooked or overcrowded, causing problems such as jaw pain and difficulty cleaning those hard-to-reach places.

In some cases, teeth will have to be extracted. Primary teeth can either fall out too soon or not soon enough. When the latter occurs, it is necessary to remove those that have failed to fall out to allow for the normal eruption of secondary/permanent teeth.

Sometimes, permanent teeth will have to be extracted. This usually occurs when:

  1. There is crowding in the upper or lower jaw or both.
  2. A tooth has sustained damage due to disease or trauma.
  3. A bite asymmetry needs to be rectified.
  4. Teeth are protruding. When the front teeth protrude, some teeth on the sides will have to be extracted in order to make space for the front teeth to move backwards.

If you are interested in getting straighter teeth or want a consultation to learn about our other services, either call our Fairfield or Glenfield clinics on (02) 9070 7342 or contact us through our website.