Strong & Reliable
Traditional braces have been around for a long time, and they’re probably the most recognizable symbol of orthodontics.
These orthodontic workhouses have a long history of successful treatment and are great at correcting many oral issues.
What Are Braces Made of?
Brackets
The brackets are durable and made from a mix of stainless steel, nickel, and other metals.
Brackets have little hooks or doors where a wire is threaded. A bracket can be secured by closing the door, or by placing an elastic over the top of the wire.
Wire
This thin piece of metal runs from one bracket to another. Dr. Parikh will change the shape and curvature of the wire to move your teeth in the right direction.
The wire will attach all of your bottom or upper teeth together in many cases, but we might occasionally cut the wire if connecting just a few teeth is better for your treatment plan.
Glue
This is what Dr. Parikh will use to attach the brackets to your teeth. It’s common to attach the bracket directly to the tooth with glue.
Elastics
If you need bite correction, elastics are essential. They are generally strung between an upper bracket hook and a lower bracket hook. This will pull the upper jaw backward to correct an overbite, or the lower jaw back to correct an underbite.
We may use rubber bands for many different situations, especially when we want to put extra pressure on the teeth or jaws.
