Metal Braces
Metal braces are very strong and correct most types of orthodontic bite problems. At first, they may irritate your cheeks or gums. However, after a few weeks, your mouth will adjust.
Most traditional metal braces require an elastic o-shaped rubber band, called a ligature, to hold the arch wire onto the bracket. Fry Orthodontic Specialists uses metal tie wires (little wires twisted around the bracket) in place of elastic ligatures.
In the “old days”, metal braces were not just brackets, but bands that wrapped around the entire tooth. Modern, high-tech appliances and methods allow us to use the self-ligating type: patients wear small metal brackets that are glued to the front of each tooth which is a big improvement! Those old-fashioned bands are usually reserved for molars or teeth with fillings that spill to the outside surface of a tooth.
Metal braces tend to be a more affordable option than Invisalign. In addition, you can make them colorful with ligatures that come in a rainbow of colors.
Advantages of Metal Braces
- Metal braces tend to take the least amount of time.
- Self-ligating brackets do not contain rubber ligatures, so staining will never be a problem.
- Metal braces are strong and rarely break.
Call one of the Fry Orthodontic Specialists’ Kansas City offices today: Overland Park , Olathe, Shawnee, Prairie Village, Blue Valley , Ottawa, Atchison, Hiawatha, Lee’s Summit , Raytown, Gladstone, Platte City, and Leavenworth.