Traditional Metal Braces in Kingwood, TX

We believe that in order to really make you smile, we need to provide you with dental treatments that produce outstanding results. While we can offer clear aligners to patients, our Made Ya Smile Dental team in Kingwood, TX still treats patients with traditional metal braces with excellent outcomes. Because metal braces have to stay put, our practitioners find that patients (teens and adults) are more compliant with their orthodontic care when they are fixed to the teeth.

The traditional bracket and wire system still do a fantastic job of adjusting the position of the teeth and jaw. After a consultation with our practitioner, we can go over the pros and cons of removable or fixed orthodontic approaches for your teeth. Ceramic braces may also be an alternative to metal braces if you are interested in a tooth-colored option instead of silver. Learn more about traditional braces at your next appointment at the Kingwood Made Ya Smile Dental office. 

Men, women, and children are all great candidates for traditional metal braces if they exhibit tooth crowding, spacing issues, unevenly aligned teeth, and/or problems with bite position. One thing that can be a hindrance to treatment with orthodontics is not being compliant with taking care of your teeth, going to scheduled appointments, and following instructions that were given to you at Made Ya Smile Dental. If you feel like you can comply with the demands of orthodontic treatment, then we would be happy to have a consultation with you.

When you come into Made Ya Smile Dental for your braces to be placed, we will initiate the preparation process by capturing digital x-rays and 3D cone beam scans of your teeth and jaw. We may also create impressions of your upper and/or lower arches to study your bite further. Together, we will discuss all of your orthodontic options. Your Made Ya Smile Dental team in Kingwood will gladly help you decide on the best treatment for your investment in time and money. As we establish your orthodontic strategies with traditional braces, we will also talk about the time requirements needed for scheduling multiple appointments for adjustments and progress checks. You will need one appointment for the placement of your traditional metal braces, brackets, bands, and wires. Your practitioner will clear a clean surface on your teeth to attach your metal brackets. Then, a tooth-colored bonding material will be placed to affix the bracket to your teeth. Finally, a metal wire will be threaded within the brackets and secured with elastic ties.

Give yourself time to adjust to the braces being on your teeth. We can talk about what to expect the first few days with braces and how to care for your teeth. If you break a bracket or have trouble talking, smiling, chewing, or opening your jaw, then you will need to reach out to our team in between appointments for adjustments and/or repair. To keep your treatment on track, it is crucial to attend each appointment at the Kingwood Made Ya Smile Dental office. Here are some of the aftercare suggestions we have for patients with braces for the first time:

• Keep over-the-counter medications on hand at home for the minimal discomfort the braces may cause your teeth as you adjust

• Stay away from hard candies, ice, and foods you may have a concern about hurting your teeth

• Consume soft foods and avoid crunchy, sticky, chewy foods that are a workout for your teeth and jaw

• You must brush and floss your teeth after each meal or snack to prevent tooth decay from bacteria that can build up behind your braces

Your orthodontic care timeline may be short, or it can be prolonged (1 – 3 years) to correct your teeth. We will give you an estimated timeline for how long you will need to wear braces. Tension in the wire will need to be adjusted on a regular basis, which means that the wires will guide your teeth to a new position with each session. Of course, we want to see your corrected smile without the assistance of metal braces, too! This is why we take great pride in caring for your orthodontic needs — we know how your braces can produce the means for a lifelong, gorgeous smile.

Keep in mind that you may need to wear a retainer after your braces to keep your teeth in their modified position. The retainer can be made as soon as your braces are removed from your teeth. An impression will have to be made of your newly positioned teeth. Old impressions will not work in this case because your teeth are no longer in the same position. We will explain how to wear and maintain your retainer as well.

It is quite normal for a patient with braces to have a dental emergency when something is no longer functioning properly or becomes unattached. This happens to patients of all ages. When you experience an issue that you cannot resolve yourself, please give us a call. We will work you into the schedule for a repair as time allows. Here are two of the more common remedies we suggest you try until you are seen by our team:

Pain and discomfort in the teeth or jaw
Tooth pain and inflamed gums are no fun. Having braces on top of that is even more uncomfortable. We recommend taking a pain reliever and rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater rinses as needed.

Unattached wire, band, or bracket
Try using something small and gentle to push the wire back into the area where it needs to stay. Make sure that whatever you use is clean and sterilized with rubbing alcohol. If a wire, bracket, or band pokes into your cheek or is rough on your tongue, try applying orthodontic wax or a piece of sugarless chewing gum on top of it to hold it in place. 

We will work with your insurance provider to determine your available coverage for traditional braces. One of our billing coordinators can file your orthodontic claim on your behalf. Some insurance plans only cover a percentage of orthodontic care for children and not adults. If you do not have insurance or will need financing for the out-of-pocket expenses, you can also finance through low-interest options with CareCredit®.

How long will I have to wear braces?
Many of our patients who have dental braces can expect to wear them for 1 – 2 years. However, this will largely depend on your particular reason for needing braces, along with your unique goals. We will also work to make sure you undergo treatment as quickly and efficiently as possible.

What foods should I avoid when wearing braces?
It is important to avoid eating certain types of foods when wearing metal braces to help prevent the wires and brackets from becoming damaged. These include hard foods like nuts, popcorn, pretzels, carrots, and hard candies, along with sticky and chewy foods such as gum, caramel, and bagels. We can further discuss what foods to avoid on the day your braces are applied.

You will need to avoid certain foods when you have braces. This is mostly to ensure your wires or brackets don't break. We often suggest our patients avoid foods such as:

• Gum
• Nuts
• Popcorn
• Carrots
• Hard candy

We will give you more instructions when you come in for your treatment.

Do traditional braces work the same as clear teeth aligners?
When getting clear aligners or braces to straighten your teeth, they work somewhat similarly. They both place a gentle pressure on the teeth to shift them into their proper place. They are different, though, in that clear aligners, such as Invisalign® clear aligners, are removable while metal braces are not. There are advantages to both systems, so we will work with you to decide which orthodontic option is best for your needs.

Schedule an orthodontic evaluation at Made Ya Smile Dental for yourself or your dependent. We are accepting new patients in all life stages to receive premier dental and orthodontic care in Kingwood, TX. We are looking forward to showing you the difference between all of our orthodontic treatments, materials, and more at your consultation.