What To Expect With Metal And Ceramic Houston Braces

When your child is at or near the age of 10, dental braces may be considered. When you and your child come visit our South Houston family dentist for their teeth cleaning, we will be able to tell you when it may be a good time to begin Houston braces treatment. While your kid may be excited to wear dental braces and get a beautiful smile, we understand there may be a sensation of overwhelm when it comes to all the steps involved in treatment. Because of this, we have put together this guide on what to expect with Houston braces.

Phase 1: Your First Houston Braces Consultation

Before getting dental braces, your child must come in for a consultation in which we will advise them on what treatment may work best for them. Most braces dentists conduct their consultation in two parts: 

• Gathering materials
  • We will gather x-rays, photographs, and/or digital scans or molds of your child’s teeth
• Evaluating the materials
  • Once gathered, our South Houston braces dentist will study the material and then share our findings with you and examine the bite. At this point, we may recommend a proper treatment plan, including how long to wear dental braces for and what type of dental braces will best meet your child’s needs–ceramic braces, metal braces, or Invisalign.
  • We will also address any concerns you may have about treatment.

Phase 2: Getting Houston Braces

After the consultation, we will schedule a future appointment with your child so that our South Houston dentist can place the braces on your child’s teeth. Here’s how this appointment works:

• Step 1: Thoroughly clean and dry the teeth so that the fitting goes smoothly
• Step 2: Apply orthodontic bonding glue to the teeth and attach the brackets, which are either small metal or ceramic pieces that we affix to the front of the teeth one at a time. After each bracket is applied, we will utilize a curing light to dry the glue and move onto the next tooth.
• Step 3: Place the wire across the brackets. This is what applies gentle pressure to the teeth so they gradually move toward the correct alignment

What Comes Next?

Over the next few weeks and months, your child will get used to wearing braces. They’ll barely notice them until it’s time to see our South Houston dentist again to tighten them, which we will do at predetermined periods of time that are based on your child’s personal treatment plan. Tightening the wire helps ensure the teeth are continuously moving where they should. Some slight soreness is to be expected after the initial fitting and after we tighten your braces, but it is easily manageable and will fade in a short period of time.

In Need Of Houston Braces?

If it’s time for your child to get braces, please book an appointment with our South Houston dentist so we can begin with the consultation. Rest assured that we will answer any and all questions and ensure treatment goes smoothly. We look forward to embracing your smile!