Strong & Sturdy
Traditional braces have been around for a long time, and they’re probably the most recognizable symbol of orthodontics at Johnson Orthodontics.
These orthodontics workhorses have a long history of successful treatment and are great at correcting many oral issues for patients in Rehoboth Beach and the surrounding area.
All About Braces at Johnson Orthodontics
Metal braces continue to be the top orthodontic treatment for Rehoboth Beach patients of all ages. They can work faster at closing gaps and aligning teeth than other treatments might. This might even shorten your treatment time at Johnson Orthodontics.
Metal braces are a cost-effective option because they don’t require some of the more complex technology or expensive equipment that newer treatments do.
Modern braces are smaller, more comfortable and more attractive than metal braces of the past. Metal braces are built from high-grade stainless steel and are the most common type of braces you’ll see.
Brackets bond to the front of each tooth and connect to each other by an archwire, helping guide your teeth where Dr. Johnson wants them to move.
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 placing an elastic over the wire.
Glue
Dr. Johnson will use this to attach the brackets to your teeth. It’s common to attach the bracket directly to your tooth.
Wire
This thin piece of metal runs from one bracket to another. Dr. Johnson will change the wire's shape and curvature, which will move your teeth in the direction they need to go.
The wire will attach all of your upper or lower teeth together most of the time, but we might occasionally cut the wire if Dr. Johnson thinks it's better to connect just a few teeth together.
Elastics
If you need bite correction at Johnson Orthodontics, elastics are essential. Usually, they’re strung between an upper bracket hook and a lower bracket hook.
This pulls the upper jaw backward to correct an overbite or a lower jaw back to correct an underbite.
Dr. Johnson may use rubber bands for many different situations, especially when we want to put extra pressure on the teeth or jaws.
Orthodontic Bands
Dr. Johnson may cement these stainless steel rings to your teeth. These bands can provide an anchor for your braces and orthodontic appliances, but they’re not used for everyone.
Elastic Ties/O-Rings/Ligatures/Colors
These tiny rubber rings or bands are used to attach the archwire to the brackets. They're less rigid than spacers and come in dozens of colors.
Spacers
These small elastic “donuts” or rings can be used to create space in between your teeth when needed, typically before bands are placed.
They are also referred to as separators.