A Time-Tested Path to a Healthier, Straighter Smile
Metal braces have been used in orthodontics for centuries and continue to evolve. Modern designs offer greater comfort and precision than ever before.
Braces are made up of a few simple parts that work together to straighten teeth. These include small brackets, a thin wire called an archwire, and, depending on treatment needs, elastic bands.
The brackets are attached to the fronts of teeth and hold the wire in place. The wire gently moves the teeth over time. Elastic bands may be added when needed to help guide bite changes and fine-tune how the teeth fit together.
Braces are a versatile orthodontic treatment option that can address a wide range of alignment and bite concerns, from moderate to more complex cases, for children, teens and adults of all ages.
Flexible Payment Plans
At Surrideo Orthodontics, we know orthodontic care is a big decision. To make budgeting for care easier, we offer flexible, in-house payment options, including 0% interest plans and low down payment options. So you can focus on your family's smiles.
Damon Braces
At Surrideo Orthodontics, we are proud to offer self-ligating Damon Braces for children, teens and adults.
Self-ligating braces use a built-in mechanism within each bracket to hold the archwire in place, eliminating the need for additional elastic ties. This design allows the archwire to sit securely within the bracket and can result in a more streamlined, lower-profile appearance compared to traditional braces.
In addition to traditional metal options, clear ceramic self-ligating brackets are also available for patients who prefer a more subtle look. These ceramic brackets are designed to blend more naturally with the teeth while offering the same general mechanics as metal versions.
Self-ligating systems, such as the Damon System used by our orthodontists, are designed to reduce friction between the bracket and archwire and help make treatment with braces more comfortable.
Living with Braces
Braces take a bit of getting used to at first, but you will develop new routines around them in no time. Here are some of the things that will affect your day-to-day life during treatment.
Adjustments
Adjustments play a crucial role in orthodontic treatment with braces. Every six to eight weeks or so, you will visit our office to have your braces adjusted. This will help keep teeth moving according to your treatment plan.
You may feel some discomfort in the hours or days after your adjustment appointments as your mouth adjusts. This discomfort is temporary and best managed with over-the-counter painkillers.
Elastics
Elastics are used with braces to apply additional force to certain areas of your mouth to guide tooth movement. They are a key part of your treatment.
Elastics do not maintain their strength for long, though, and need to be changed out at least twice a day. Many of our patients find that making it a habit to change their elastics after each meal makes it easier to remember.
Always follow your orthodontist's instructions regarding your elastics. Contact our office if you find that your elastics break frequently or if the hook for your elastics breaks off.
Hygiene
Good oral hygiene is more important than ever when you have braces. Braces create all sorts of small spaces and crevices where plaque can build up, increasing the risk for tooth discolouration, tooth decay, and gum disease.
To keep your teeth and gums healthy during your braces treatment, be sure to brush after each meal using a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. A Proxabrush® is a specially shaped toothbrush designed to clean out the spaces between braces. You can also use a Waterpik™ or air flosser to help flush out stubborn food particles.
You should also floss frequently. This is easier than you might expect. You can just feed the floss down through the space between the arch wire and your teeth. Pull the end gently towards the back of the tooth and draw the floss up and down between the teeth.
Eating
Undergoing orthodontic treatment with braces will require some limitations to your diet.
Foods that you will need to avoid include chewy or sticky foods (like caramel or licorice), hard or crunchy foods (hard candies, nuts, or whole raw vegetables), and foods you have to bite into (like corn on the cob or apples). You will also need to avoid sugary drinks.
Cutting food into small pieces and chewing slowly and carefully will allow you to enjoy more variety during your treatment, but always defer to your orthodontist's recommendations.
Mouth Guards
If you are an athlete, there's no reason for braces to stop you from playing the sports you love. But if you want to continue getting out on the field, court, or rink during your treatment, we recommend wearing a sports mouth guard to protect your teeth, your mouth, and the braces themselves from damage.
Retainers
After your active orthodontic treatment with braces (or Spark or Invisalign clear aligners) is complete, you will need to wear a retainer to keep your teeth in their new, straightened positions while the jaw bone around their roots reforms and hardens. Your orthodontist will advise you on your retainer wear time.
Questions About Treatment With Braces? We've Got Answers.
If you are considering orthodontic treatment with braces, you likely have some questions. Learn more about braces by reading through the answers to our FAQs below.
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How much do orthodontic braces cost?
The cost of orthodontic treatment varies considerably between patients based on the nature and severity of the misalignment being treated and the type of braces being used. Your orthodontist will provide you with an estimate for the cost of your treatment at the outset.
If you already have an estimate from your orthodontist, you can use our cost calculator to determine your approximate monthly payments.
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Who is a candidate for braces?
Most children, teens and adults who have healthy teeth and gums are generally considered good candidates for braces. That said, people with significant gum or oral health conditions may not be candidates.
Braces come in a variety of styles and can address a wide range of moderate to complex orthodontic issues, so there are very few limits to who can benefit from braces.
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What are my options for low-profile braces?
We offer self-ligating Damon Braces at Surrideo Orthodontics. Self-ligating braces don't require elastics or ties like traditional braces, helping to give them a neater, more streamlined look.
Additionally, Damon Braces have a ceramic bracket option that matches the natural colour of your teeth and blends with your smile.
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How long will I need to wear braces?
The average treatment time for braces is 18 to 24 months, but this can vary significantly from patient to patient. The duration of your orthodontic treatment will depend on the type and severity of your misalignment. As you might expect, mild or moderate cases are quicker to treat than more complex ones.
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How long until I get used to my braces?
You will probably need a week or two to become fully accustomed to your braces after you first get them. You may find it hard to resist poking them with your tongue as you get used to how the wires and brackets feel.
You may also notice that certain areas of your mouth rub against the braces and get sore. Orthodontic wax can be placed on the braces in these areas to help create a smoother surface with less friction as your mouth adjusts. Again, this discomfort is temporary, and after a couple of weeks, your mouth will likely feel normal again.
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Do braces hurt?
You will almost certainly experience some discomfort at different points of your orthodontic treatment with braces. However, any pain you feel during your braces treatment is temporary, and usually resolves over a few days, or even hours.
Discomfort from braces usually happens for a week or so after you first get them, and also for a few hours or days after your adjustment appointments, as the teeth begin to shift. Patients tend to describe it as a sensation of pressure or an ache. This type of pain is usually easily managed with over-the-counter painkillers until it has passed.
Another type of temporary discomfort you may experience during your braces treatment is when the brackets rub against the inside of your mouth. This can also happen when you first get your braces and directly after adjustment appointments. Orthodontic wax can be applied to the braces in the areas where the rubbing occurs to create a smoother surface against the inside of your mouth. You can also use painkillers to manage this discomfort until it passes.
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Can adults get braces?
Yes, adults can get braces! More and more adults these days are opting to undergo orthodontic treatment that they missed out on when they were younger, to improve their oral health and the appearance of their smiles.
Many of our adult patients prefer the lower profile, more streamlined look of translucent ceramic or metal self-ligating braces.
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Can kids get braces?
Yes, children as young as seven years old may be candidates for braces in some cases. Certain developing misalignments and bite problems can be more easily treated when children are young, when we can work with and guide their oral development, rather than undoing issues that are already established later on.
With all that being said, we take a very conservative approach to braces for children, and only prescribe them when there's a serious risk of future orthodontic problems.
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Do I have to brush more with braces?
Yes, excellent oral hygiene is important while undergoing orthodontic treatment with braces. The presence of braces in your mouth introduces a multitude of tiny crevices, nooks, and crannies that were not there before. It is very easy for food particles to get caught in these tiny spaces, making them a breeding ground for bacteria.
To avoid developing cavities (not to mention tooth discolouration and bad breath), extra vigilance with your oral hygiene is essential. Brush your teeth after each meal throughout your braces treatment to help protect the health of your teeth.
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How do I floss with braces?
Flossing with braces may seem complicated, but it is fairly straightforward once you get the hang of it!
To floss your teeth with braces, feed the floss down through the space between the arch wire and your teeth. We supply floss threaders for our patients to make this easier. Pull the end of the floss gently towards the back of the tooth and draw the floss up and down between the teeth. Then repeat this process between each pair of teeth.
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Are there any foods I should avoid with braces?
Eating with braces requires extra care, but you should still be able to eat many of the foods you love. You should always steer clear of hard and sticky foods as well as foods high in sugar.
Hard foods can easily break or damage your wires and brackets.
- Nuts
- Hard taco shells
- Corn on the cob
- Apples and carrots (unless cut into very small pieces)
- Pizza crust
Although often delicious, foods that are sticky can become trapped between your wires and brackets.
- Toffee
- Tootsie Rolls
- Caramels
- Licorice
- Starbursts
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Can I still play contact sports if I wear braces?
We generally recommend avoiding any sports that could involve regular direct blows to the face while wearing braces. Even with a mouth guard, sports like boxing are not advisable.
Other contact sports, like football or rugby, may be possible if you wear a mouth guard, but we advise caution in these cases as well.
For most sports, though, you should be able to keep playing with no problem. If you want to continue getting out on the field, court or rink during your treatment, we recommend wearing a sports mouth guard to protect your teeth, your mouth, and the braces themselves from damage.
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Braces vs. Clear Aligners: How do I choose which is best for me?
Braces, Spark, and Invisalign clear aligners are all effective orthodontic treatment options, but there are differences between them that may affect their suitability for different individuals.
Factors to consider when choosing between braces and clear aligners include your personal preferences and lifestyle, aesthetics, the nature and severity of your misalignment, and cost. You can learn more here.
Your orthodontist will assess your specific case and recommend the best treatment option for your needs.