Traditional Braces Chicago
Time-Tested Orthodontics
Traditional braces have been used to even out crooked teeth for decades, and they remain one of the most reliable options for orthodontics. If your dental misalignment is too severe for clear aligners, this time-tested bracket-and-wire system could successfully straighten your smile! Plus, dental insurance policies are more likely to offer coverage for traditional braces. All in all, there’s many good reasons to choose braces in Chicago as your orthodontic solution.
Why Choose Grand Dental – OZ Park for Traditional Braces?
- All Ages Welcome
- Dentist with 25+ Years of Experience
- Dental Insurance-Friendly Office
How Do Traditional Braces Work?
Your dentist will strategically adhere a series of metal brackets on the front-facing portion of your teeth. They’ll then attach an archwire to the brackets and use small elastic bands to help hold it in place. Over a series of follow-up appointments, we’ll gradually tighten the wire, which will apply just enough pressure to shift your teeth into more ideal positions.
That’s the basics, though some patients with severe dental or bite misalignment also need attachments to help support the proper movement. If this is necessary for achieving your smile goals, we’ll be sure to let you know and go over the attachments in more detail during your consultation.
What Orthodontic Issues Can Braces Fix?
One of the most notable aspects of traditional braces is that they can fix the vast majority of orthodontic issues. Even if you’re not a good candidate for clear aligners, you could very well be a good candidate for metal braces.
Here’s an overview of the types of orthodontic problems we often treat:
Bite Misalignment
Bite misalignment often has more to do with the position of the jaw, but can also involve crooked teeth. Basically, it’s when the upper and lower teeth don’t come together properly while biting down. Braces can fix this uncomfortable issue and make it easier for you to eat, speak, and clean your smile.
Crowded & Crooked Teeth
Crooked teeth are perhaps the most common orthodontic issue we see. In some cases, the uneven alignment directly causes dental crowding, though this can also occur when the mouth isn’t large enough to accommodate every single pearly white. We may need to extract one or more teeth to make room for orthodontics, but braces can even out your grin.
Gapped Teeth
Large gaps between teeth can be just as bothersome as overcrowding. The empty spaces can make it difficult to chew, and are at greater risk for harboring harmful oral bacteria. Fortunately, braces can move your teeth closer together and close the gaps.
Caring for Your Braces
Accidents happen, but it’s generally best to avoid them by taking good care of your braces! Plus, proper maintenance will help keep your treatment progress on-track. Here’s what you should do:
- Continue to brush your teeth twice daily, taking special care to get the areas near your brackets and archwire
- Floss between your teeth once per day. Special orthodontic tools can make it easier to work around the archwire, and we’d be happy to recommend useful products.
- Rinse with an ADA-approved mouthwash to help ensure you clean those hard-to-reach spaces.
- Do not eat hard or sticky foods like popcorn kernels, apples, and caramel. They can break your brackets or warp the archwire.
- Do not chew on similarly hard objects like ice or pencils.
- Visit our office every six months for regular checkups and cleanings, and make tightening appointments a priority.