This is a great question—and one that we will thoroughly cover throughout your treatment at Baum Ortho. Everyone is different, and that goes for your teeth too, so every person’s treatment plan is going to be just as unique as you are! No two treatment plans are the same. You might have crooked teeth, or perhaps an overbite or an underbite, etc. When you come in for your complimentary consultation, one of #BaumSquad team members will take X-Rays of your teeth to help determine the best course of treatment. If braces or clear aligners are best, Dr. Baum (aka THE Orthodontist Tustin) will help you understand how your special treatment plan will create your perfect smile.
As far as how braces fix your teeth: It’s a lot like the way a ruler helps you draw a straight line. Acting like a guide in your mouth, braces and clear aligners help you get straight teeth. Braces have bands, wires and other fixed components that move your teeth into place by applying consistent pressure over a designated period of time.
What are the parts of braces that help straighten your teeth?
Braces have several important components. There’s the “brackets” which are the little squares that get bonded directly to your teeth, or to orthodontic “bands.” And the brackets are then connected to each other with small wires. Brackets can come in several different forms. There’s the traditional steel or silver, clear—or enamel colored, and gold. Sometimes, depending on your treatment plan, you might also have brackets places behind your teeth which keeps them out of sight. And, it is important to note that not everyone has brackets and bands. Again, your treatment plan will be designed to meet your specific smile needs.
If you do get both brackets and bands, the bands will also match the color of the brackets, which are then attached to your teeth with a special adhesive. they are applied to your individual teeth to ensure the brackets are properly anchored to your teeth.
Then, there’s “spacers” and “wires.” The spacers which are similar to small rubber loops (sometimes they can be metal), that help fill in any gaps or spaces in between each tooth. And wires are the arms, or the tracks of braces that expand across each tooth, connecting the brackets to each other.
You may have also seen what look like mini rubber bands. These are called “ligature ties” and they help connect the wires to the brackets and they often come on many different colors!
Watch this video to view the application process!
There are several other components to braces that help fix and straighten your teeth, and Dr. Baum and the #BaumSquad will answer every question you have at your consultation. We pride ourselves in using the latest and greatest technologies that ensures fast results. Schedule your complimentary visit today!
My braces are on. Now what?
Now the fun part begins! Depending on your unique treatment plan, you can expect to wear braces for anywhere between one to three years. during that time, you can expect to have regular visits to Baum Orthodontics. These visits are to ensure that your teeth are aligning, that your brackets, bands, wires and other components of your braces are doing their job.
We offer early morning, afternoon and evening appointments—plenty of options that meet your busy schedule. We also provide complimentary coffee, tea, and water, an arcade, an outdoor patio complete with lawn games, and a clean, up-scale lounge area with wi-fi. Once at our office, we make every effort to ensure that you are comfortable, and in and out in no time at all!