Traditional Metal Braces
Traditional metal braces—the most common type of braces—are more comfortable now than they have ever been. Made of high-grade stainless steel, these braces straighten your teeth with archwires connected to metal brackets that are fixed to each tooth. The archwire exerts constant, gentle pressure on the teeth, which causes the teeth to shift slowly to their ideal final positions. Patients who choose metal braces have the option of adding colored elastics (rubber bands) to add a pop of color and pizazz to their look.
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Clear Braces
Ceramic braces are a great option for patients who are considering braces to align their teeth and bite but prefer a seamless, uniform look. The brackets of ceramic braces are fashioned from tooth-colored and clear materials that blend in with your smile. Ceramic braces are equally as effective as traditional metal braces and offer many of the same benefits. Ceramic braces are a popular choice among our adult patients.
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Gold Braces
Gold braces are the newest addition to our braces collection, offering our patients a luxury look. The champagne color of our gold braces complements nicely the color of the teeth and gums. A very sleek addition is the gold archwires (instead of stainless steel) we use to connect the gold-colored brackets. Most patients opt to complete this look with gold ties to fasten the archwire to the brackets, although they can mix in color ties if they like
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Life With Braces
As with most big changes, braces take a little getting used to. At first, they’ll feel a bit sharp and abrasive to the lips, tongue, and gums. Our best advice is to apply the wax we give you at your first visit around the problematic spots on your braces as a buffer between the brackets and the soft tissues of your mouth.
Because of the new pressure, your teeth will feel sore for the first few days but will dramatically improve within a week’s time. If necessary, you can take a mild, over-the-counter pain medication—the same medicine and strength you’d normally use for a headache. And maybe you’ll just have to have ice cream for dinner.
It’s not common, but sometimes a bracket becomes loose or a rubber tie falls off. If this happens, just call our office to discuss your next best step. If you’re having a painful and irritating problem outside of office hours, call our office number and follow the prompts to reach the doctor on call for further advice.
Life After Braces
Imagine that glorious day when your braces are removed and you see your beautiful new smile on its own for the first time. It’s definitely a day to celebrate! Keep in mind that your orthodontic journey isn't quite over. With or without orthodontic treatment, teeth shift throughout your lifetime—it’s just part of aging. To keep your smile looking its best for years to come, our practice offers two types of retainers that will hold your teeth in their new position while the bone hardens and the tissues tighten: fixed and removable. Fixed retainers generally last three to five years, but take care not to bite on hard foods with the front teeth, which may break or loosen the retainer. Removable retainers are meant to be worn around the clock (except while eating) for the first week and then are worn only during sleep hours. Our motto for removable retainers is “nighttime for lifetime.” Protect your investment!
"As a parent of a patient, I could not be HAPPIER with our time at MK&Y!!! My daughter recently got her braces off and her teeth are lovely. Over the past few years, the physicians and staff were ALL wonderful! The professionalism, expertise and efficiencies made our "braces experience" excellent! Also, they do not only work on our kids, many times I saw adults in their patient chairs. If I could give 10 stars, I would! :)" - Betsday
Braces FAQs
Braces effectively resolve all kinds of issues, which is why they are one of our most popular treatment options. Below are a few common concerns we treat with braces:
- Overcrowded or ill-spaced teeth.
- Misaligned jaw.
- Overbites and underbites.
- Open bites.
- Asymmetry of the smile.
- Improper contact of the chewing surfaces of the teeth.
- Issues with chewing and speech.
- Reduced self-esteem due to a misaligned smile.
Dr. Kaye and Dr. Yucha will determine the right duration of treatment for your specific situation because each person’s mouth responds differently to treatment. Depending on the type of correction, treatment with braces can take anywhere from six to 30 months. A standard treatment for braces in either our Mount Holly or Moorestown location typically takes about 22 months.
We won’t sugarcoat it: When you first get braces, you’ll feel mildly uncomfortable for a couple of days as your teeth, gums, cheeks, tongue, and mouth get used to the brackets and wires. You might live on soups, oatmeal, and applesauce for a few days. This is totally normal and won’t last too long, we promise. When you feel a pang, just picture how great it’s going to be when your treatment wraps up and you have a dazzling smile to show for it.
When Dr. Kaye or Dr. Yucha periodically adjust the wires to guide your teeth, you’ll probably feel sore again for a few days. Soon you’ll be a pro at managing the short-lived discomfort, and most of the time, you’ll feel just fine.
Following the best practices below will ensure your treatment is as fast and effective as possible:
- Brush your teeth after every meal and snack and floss at least once a day. Traditional floss can be difficult to use with braces, so check your local store for flossers designed to be used with braces. You’ll be happy you did.
- To help prevent tooth decay and cavities, use toothpaste that contains fluoride or hydroxyapatite. Check with us or your family dentist to see if you’d benefit from a fluoride rinse.
- During your treatment, avoid foods with a lot of sugar, like sweets or soda. Sugar fuels bad bacteria growth in your mouth, causing more plaque and possibly cavities.
- Some foods can stick to or get caught in braces. Here are a few to avoid: sticky and chewy foods (caramel, chewing gum, gummy candy, taffy), hard foods (hard candy, nuts, ice cubes), or other foods that could possibly get stuck in your braces (corn on the cob, bagels, ribs, etc.). It won’t be long until you can go back to eating all the foods you love.
- Schedule routine checkups with your family dentist every six months.
- Keep your retainer’s case with you all the time so that when you take out your retainer to eat, you can store it safely in its container. If it’s not in your mouth, it should be in the case so it doesn’t get lost or broken. Floss and brush your teeth and retainer before putting your retainer back in your mouth.
- Keeping your retainer clean is an important part of good oral health. When you brush your teeth, gently brush your retainer with dish soap. You can also soak it in retainer brite as instructed by our orthodontists. Don’t put your retainer in boiling water or in the dishwasher, or else you’ll be coming in for a replacement.
Braces can trap food easily, so you should brush your teeth at least three times a day to remove any bits of food caught between the braces or in your teeth. Flossing daily is critical to clean all the nooks and crannies where your brush can’t reach. The orthodontist will show you how to properly brush and floss once your braces are placed. A thorough brushing and flossing routine is the best way to prevent tooth decay, bad breath, and gum disease. When your oral hygiene is up to snuff, your smile will shine and your teeth, gums, and mouth will stay healthy.
Do you ever! In fact, it's even more important that orthodontic patients visit their dentist regularly because braces make brushing and flossing trickier. Bits of food caught where your toothbrush can't reach cause bacteria to build up, leading to cavities, gingivitis, and gum disease. Your dentist and orthodontist work together to help you keep your teeth clean and healthy while wearing braces.
Some people worry they’ll have to give up their favorite activities after they get their braces on. Rest assured, wearing braces won’t prevent you from participating in any of the activities you love. Because the position of the mouth and tongue affects how you play certain instruments, you may take a little time to adjust to playing with your braces on. Soon you’ll play as well as you did before. Braces won’t get in the way of playing sports, but we strongly recommend that you wear a mouthguard while playing contact sports to protect your mouth, braces, or any other appliance.
Not to worry—this sensation is completely normal and is expected. In order to change the alignment of your teeth in your mouth, your braces must first loosen your teeth before they can move them into the right position. Once your teeth have been repositioned, the surrounding tissue will retighten and will feel the way it usually does.