At Denton Family Smiles, Sleep & TMJ, we know that a brilliantly straight smile is about much more than just cosmetics—it is the foundation of lifelong oral health and function.
Serving the Denton, TX community, our highly patient-oriented practice is committed to delivering honest dentistry and exceptional orthodontic care. While clear aligners are incredibly popular, traditional metal braces remain one of the most powerful, predictable, and effective tools we have for correcting complex bite issues. If you or your child are struggling with severe crowding or a misaligned bite, our expert team is here to guide you toward a perfectly balanced, healthy smile.
How Traditional Braces Work
Traditional braces rely on a simple but incredibly effective mechanical system. We use a specialized dental adhesive to safely bond small, high-grade metal brackets to the front surface of each tooth. A thin, flexible metal archwire is then threaded through these brackets and secured in place with tiny elastic bands.
Over time, the archwire constantly tries to return to its original, perfectly curved shape. As it does, it applies steady, gentle pressure to the brackets, slowly moving your teeth through the jawbone and into their correct anatomical positions.
Who Can Benefit?
While clear aligners are fantastic for mild to moderate tooth movement, traditional braces are often the superior choice for patients facing complex orthodontic challenges. We frequently recommend traditional braces for patients who need:
- Significant bite correction: Fixing severe overbites, underbites, or crossbites that require precise, three-dimensional tooth control.
- Severe crowding: Closing large gaps or shifting severely rotated teeth into alignment.
- Guaranteed compliance: Unlike removable aligners, braces are permanently fixed to your teeth. This makes them a highly effective option for children, teens, and even adults who do not want the daily responsibility of remembering to put clear trays back in after every meal.
The Treatment Process
Guided by our famously gentle and reassuring approach, getting your braces put on is an exciting, entirely painless milestone.
1. Preparation & Bonding
We thoroughly clean and dry your teeth. Using a safe, specialized adhesive, we carefully place and cure a bracket onto the exact center of each tooth.
2. Placing the Archwire
We thread a flexible archwire through the brackets. Depending on your treatment plan, we may also attach specialized bands around your back molars to serve as strong anchors.
3. Securing the System
We secure the wire to the brackets using tiny elastic ligatures (the “color bands”). You can choose silver to blend in, or pick fun, bright colors to customize your smile!
Caring For Your Braces
When you have braces, your daily oral hygiene routine requires a little extra time and attention. The brackets and wires create numerous tiny ledges where food particles and plaque can easily become trapped.
You must brush thoroughly after every single meal to prevent permanent white stains (decalcification) or cavities from forming around the brackets. Traditional string floss cannot easily drop between teeth connected by a wire, so we will teach you how to use specialized floss threaders, interdental brushes, or a highly effective water flosser to keep your gums perfectly healthy throughout your treatment.
Foods To Avoid
To ensure your treatment stays on track and you do not accidentally break a bracket or snap a wire, you will need to modify your diet slightly. You must completely avoid:
- Sticky and chewy foods: Caramel, taffy, chewing gum, and gummy candies can pull brackets entirely off the teeth.
- Hard and crunchy foods: Nuts, popcorn kernels, hard pretzels, and hard candies can snap your archwire.
- Biting directly: You should avoid biting directly into hard foods like whole apples, raw carrots, or corn on the cob. Instead, cut these healthy foods into small, bite-sized pieces and chew them with your back molars.
Adjustments & Progress
To keep your teeth moving smoothly, you will visit our Denton office every four to eight weeks for an adjustment appointment. During these visits, we will evaluate your progress, replace your elastic bands (allowing you to pick new colors!), and often swap out your archwire for a slightly thicker one to continue applying the necessary pressure. It is completely normal for your teeth to feel a bit sore or tender for a day or two following an adjustment, but this discomfort fades quickly.
Life After Braces
The day your braces come off (debonding) is incredibly exciting! We use a special instrument to gently pop the brackets off your teeth and thoroughly polish away any remaining adhesive, revealing your beautiful, straight smile.
To ensure your teeth do not shift backward, you will immediately transition to the retention phase. We will provide you with a custom-fit retainer that you will need to wear exactly as instructed—usually full-time at first, and eventually just at night. Retainers are a lifelong commitment to protecting the investment you have made in your oral health.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not at all. The process of bonding the brackets to your teeth is entirely painless and does not involve any drilling or shots. You will simply have to keep your mouth open for a while as we carefully place each bracket.
Every patient's anatomy is unique. While minor crowding issues might be resolved in 12 to 14 months, more complex bite corrections typically take between 18 and 24 months. We will provide you with a clear, personalized timeline during your initial consultation.
Yes! You can definitely still play contact sports, but we highly recommend wearing an orthodontic mouthguard designed specifically to fit over braces to protect your lips and cheeks from impact. If you play a wind instrument, it may take a week or two to adjust your mouth placement, but it will not stop you from playing.