Whether you have braces on already or you’re thinking about getting braces, we are sure you’ve wondered how braces actually work!

Braces are made up of a number of different parts. The important ones to note are;

Brackets - These are the metal or ceramic squares that are glued onto your teeth and will stay there throughout your treatment.

Archwires - These are thin, rod-like metal wires. The arch wire is tied to all of the brackets snd creates force to move teeth into proper alignment.

Ligatures - The archwire is held into each bracket with a ligature which can either be a tiny elastic or a tiny twisted wire.

To keep you motivated to eat right while you have braces let’s first talk about why it’s important to avoid certain foods. You want your braces off as soon as possible to show off your smile, right? Then you’ll want to avoid hard, crunchy foods that can bend wires and pop off brackets, slowing down the braces process. And when you do get your braces off, you wouldn’t want to find yourself with a splotchy smile from soda stains outlining where your brackets were.

Invisible braces is a term used to describe a range of less obvious braces. This includes braces such as clear fixed braces (ceramic braces), aligners (such as Invisalign or our own YOURPRACTICE.ie aligners) and lingual braces (braces at the back of the teeth). These three options provide a great choice for a patient who wishes to be more discreet whilst going through orthodontic treatment.

At YOURPRACTICE.ie, we believe it is never too late to get the smile you have always wanted.

Our patients range in age from 7 years old to 64 years old! It is becoming more and more common nowadays to see adults with braces. Whether you do not mind the look of metal braces, or want something more subtle or completely invisible, we offer treatment options for all choices!