Are you interested in braces and curious about how they move teeth? You’ve landed on the perfect article! Farrow & Dewbre Orthodontics is passionate about educating our patients on the details behind their treatment so they feel confident about the care they receive from us. Learn more about how braces align teeth, the benefits of pursuing care, and your treatment options.
Crafting Your New Smile with Braces
Braces are an amazing oral appliance that shifts your teeth into ideal alignment, no matter their current position. Each component, including brackets, wires, elastics, glue, and more, works together to reach your smile goals over a long period. The placement of your brackets decides how effective your treatment will be as it determines which direction they move. Dr. Farrow and Dr. Dewbre will determine placement based on your free consultation.
The archwire is threaded through each bracket on your upper and lower braces and does most alignment work. It places slight, constant pressure on your teeth and gums in various directions to ensure they move to the right place. The positioning and specific pressure needed will change during treatment. Our team will adjust and tighten the archwire during follow-up appointments as required as we learn more about how your teeth react to your braces.
As your teeth shift positions, gum tissue and bones will move. They remodel painlessly and protect your new alignment once it’s completed by creating new roots. Once you have reached your smile goals, Dr. Farrow and Dr. Dewbre will provide a retainer to wear after braces removal to ensure your teeth stay in place. Follow the instructions, and your new smile will last a lifetime.
Does It Hurt?
You won’t have any pain to worry about during your braces treatment. Some soreness and irritation are normal as your mouth adjusts to your appliance’s presence. However, any discomfort should fade in less than a week. Our practice can provide you with tips on how to treat it so you feel prepared. If you continue to experience discomfort, don’t hesitate to let our team know so we can help!
The Perks of a Perfectly Aligned Smile
With a brand-new, perfectly aligned smile, you can enjoy many general health benefits. Thanks to improved chewing and bite function, meal digestion becomes much smoother as your food is broken down into bite-sized pieces. Braces also help your tongue naturally lay in a more comfortable position, improving your speech. They additionally allow you to clean off plaque and bacteria more effectively, as hard-to-reach areas will be eliminated.
Not only does your general health improve, but you can expect a boost in your self-esteem. Gone will be the days of being afraid to smile in public! Our goal is to help each patient accomplish the work to feel good about showing their smile off to friends and family and not being afraid to display their happiness instead of hiding their smile.
Your Treatment Options
We are proud to offer our patients options when it comes to braces treatment. Dr. Farrow and Dr. Dewbre strive to choose the appliance that will provide the most effective treatment and match your aesthetic goals.
Damon Smile Metal Braces
Farrow & Dewbre Orthodontics proudly offers self-ligating Damon Smile metal braces. This appliance uses a built-in mechanism that doesn’t require ties to keep your archwire in place, reducing irritation and requiring fewer adjustments. We can minimize discomfort and facilitate healthy tooth movement to help you reach perfect alignment.
Clear Braces
Clear braces can achieve the same reliable results as metal braces with a less conspicuous look for patients interested in a more aesthetically pleasing appliance. They use tooth-colored ceramic brackets paired with other white or tooth-colored components that blend in with your smile to provide a nearly invisible look. Thanks to its stain-resistant technology, you won’t need to worry about discoloration from dark food or drink.
Social 6
Some patients may only need work on specific teeth to achieve their smile goals. With Social 6, referring to the front teeth everyone can see, you can undergo a customized treatment plan and shorter time in braces to complete care. This appliance is perfect for adults whose teeth have shifted out of place since braces treatment when they were younger.
Preserving Your Appliance Throughout Treatment
Attend Follow-Up Appointments
Dr. Farrow and Dr. Dewbre can keep track of your progress and make any adjustments to your treatment plan as necessary during follow-up appointments. Follow-up appointments are scheduled every four to eight weeks, depending on your progress, and provide our team the opportunity to ensure your teeth are moving as effectively as possible.
They are intentionally spaced out, so we encourage you to stick to your schedule as best as possible to keep your treatment on track.
Everyday Oral Care
Continuing oral care each day is essential in keeping your braces in shape. Especially toward the beginning of treatment, you will likely have inaccessible areas of your mouth that are difficult to reach with your toothbrush. Similarly, tiny food particles will get stuck between your teeth and wires. Making it a point to brush twice daily, in addition to after each meal, and floss once daily will ensure your oral health stays in perfect condition.
Braces-Safe Foods
Unfortunately, braces carry some food restrictions to keep them in perfect condition. Dr. Farrow and Dr. Dewbre recommend avoiding hard, crunchy foods, such as popcorn, fresh veggies, and nuts, and instead leaning on a softer diet of pasta, chicken, seafood, mashed potatoes, and similar items. If you have a question about a specific food, our team will be happy to help!
Achieve Your Smile Goals with Dr. Farrow and Dr. Dewbre
Now that you’ve learned more about the magic behind braces, we hope you feel confident about starting your treatment. Farrow & Dewbre Orthodontics offers free consultations to all first-time patients at our practices in Edmond, Oklahoma City, Clinton, and Deer Creek and serves all surrounding communities. Schedule yours today and feel great about your new smile!