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Approaching the end of your Houston braces treatment is an exciting feeling because you will be able to show off a gorgeous smile really soon! However, giving you a new smile doesn’t just finish there. In fact, once your treatment is completed, you will have to switch to wearing orthodontic retainers for an extended period of time, but don’t worry–they are more flexible than dental braces. In this article, we will explain the importance of wearing retainers after your Houston braces treatment.

Your Teeth Will Tend To Shift Again

Both children and adults who wear braces will experience this. This occurs because the teeth haven’t had a chance to fully settle into the soft tissues of your mouth. Remember that, for at least an entire year, your teeth have been 100% reliant on metal, ceramic, or even plastic from your Invisalign Clear Aligners in order to hold them in place. To mitigate this and let them settle into their new alignment, you should wear your retainers day and night for at least a year, but this will also depend on the individual’s case.

Retainers Protect Your Investment

Wearing retainers after completing your Invisalign, metal, or ceramic Houston braces treatment is a sure way to make your investment in your smile well worth it. As we age, our teeth naturally try to shift again, and as frustrating as this is, remember that your dental braces prevented (or got rid of) some serious complications with your dental health. By diligently wearing your retainers day and night and then transitioning to only wearing them most nights, you will strengthen your teeth so they remain straight and healthy for years and years to come. You might even get to enjoy your new, perfectly aligned smile for the rest of your life.

Get Fitted For Retainers at Centra Dental In Houston And South Houston

When you’re near the end of your Houston braces treatment, please book an appointment with us so we can confirm that you’re ready for your braces to be removed soon. At this appointment, we will also take impressions of your new smile so we can fit you for your retainers and educate you and how to wear them. We can’t wait to embrace your smile!

Our South Houston family dentist offers a few different Houston braces treatments, including metal dental braces and ceramic dental braces, but in recent years patients have taken a greater interest in our Invisalign Clear Aligners–and for good reason! In this blog, we will break down the pros and cons of Invisalign so you are well-aware of the different options available at our Houston and South Houston offices.

Pros Of Invisalign

Invisalign has “pros” that outweigh the cons for most of our patients, such as:

Increased Flexibility

Unlike metal and ceramic Houston braces, which we bond to the teeth with a dental cement that can only be removed by a dentist, Invisalign Clear Aligners are designed to be removable by the patient, which makes them our most flexible method for correcting a malocclusion. With this flexibility, our patients should remove their aligner trays at mealtimes. Once you finish eating, thoroughly brush your teeth immediately after and then put your clear aligners back on.

If you follow our wearing guidelines, then you may be able to forgo your Invisalign for the duration of a special/important occasion, such as a wedding, job interview, or prom.

Subtle Houston Braces Treatment

One of the many reasons our patients question whether they should get dental braces or not is that they are rather self-conscious about having metal or ceramic braces on display when they talk, eat, smile, or laugh.

Invisalign Clear Aligners, on the other hand, are nearly transparent. This means that self-conscious teenagers and adults who would rather not draw attention to their teeth while they undergo treatment won’t have to worry about their appearance.

Cons Of Invisalign Clear Aligner Treatment

The greatest downside of Invisalign is that we prefer to recommend it to those with mild malocclusions for maximum effectiveness. If we do recommend Invisalign to you, these are the cons to keep in mind, though they may not be cons to you at all!

Easily Lost Or Misplaced

Invisalign Clear Aligners may be easy to lose since they are removable and transparent. If you find you may be forgetful sometimes, you may struggle to keep track of your aligners. However, we provide you with a case to store your aligners in so you can keep better track of them.

Meticulous Hygiene

Hygiene when wearing Houston braces is critical, but you need to pay extra attention when you wear Invisalign. If you wear any type of dental braces, it’s quite normal to get bits of food stuck in between your teeth, but when it comes to Invisalign, these food particles are notorious for impeding your aligners and making it obvious you have food stuck in your teeth. When food impedes your aligners, they won’t be able to do their job. Please be sure to thoroughly brush your teeth after each meal and floss every night.

Get A Houston Braces Consultation At Centra Dental

If you think Invisalign might be right for you, then please book an appointment with our South Houston dentist so we can evaluate your bite and determine the best treatment plan for you.

Most people associate orthodontic appliances such as braces with younger children and teenagers, but adults can–and should–wear braces as well if they have a malocclusion! In this article, we will explain why adults should get Houston braces and break down the different options we offer for our adult patients.

What Is A Malocclusion?

We use the term “malocclusion” to refer to a “bad bite”. There are different kinds of malocclusions, such as overbites, underbites, and even crowding teeth. Even though Houston braces are seen as a way to make some cosmetic upgrades to your smile, this is only a small part of our overall Houston braces treatment at our Houston and South Houston family dentist offices. The main reason people need to undergo Houston braces treatment is that an untreated malocclusion leads to other lifelong dental health problems.

What Problems Does A Bad Bite Cause?

If a malocclusion isn’t corrected, the following are some of the complications that may follow:

• Migraines
• Tooth decay
• Gum disease
• Lisp
• Difficulty chewing and digesting food

Our Houston Braces Can Correct A Bad Bite And Promote Healthy Teeth

Our Houston family dentist, which treats families in Houston and South Houston, offers three types of dental braces treatments: Invisalign, Ceramic Dental Braces, and Metal Dental Braces.

Invisalign Clear Aligners

As their name suggests, Invisalign Clear Aligners are transparent. Invisalign treatment consists of clear trays that are molded differently in order to match up with your teeth as they shift. Over the course of treatment, the plastic aligners will gradually shift your teeth to the correct alignment. Though suitable for mostly mild cases, there are some benefits and drawbacks of Invisalign for adults to consider.

Ceramic Dental Braces

Our ceramic South Houston braces are designed to blend in with the natural color of the teeth, thanks to the ceramic brackets that are cemented to the teeth. This type of Houston braces treatment is efficient in treating moderate cases and is rather comparable to metal Houston braces.

Metal Houston Braces

Metal Houston braces are the traditional type of braces treatment that we recommend, as they have been available since the 19th century, with major updates since then. Metal dental braces are the most versatile braces treatment for adults.

Adult Dental Braces at Centra Dental

If you’re an adult who wants to improve the appearance of your smile while simultaneously promoting good oral health, then please book an appointment with us at our Houston or South Houston offices so we can begin with your Houston braces evaluation. We look forward to embracing your smile!

Approximately 4 million Americans wear braces at any given time due to malocclusions. A malocclusion is what we refer to as a “bad bite” or an “unideal bite”. Although we offer ceramic dental braces and even Invisalign in addition to metal Houston braces, we like to recommend metal dental braces for a variety of cases, simply because they are the strongest and are effective on virtually all malocclusions. In this article, our South Houston dentist will explain how metal dental braces work to correct malocclusions. 

What Are Metal Braces Made Of

In order to understand how metal dental braces work, we first have to explain how they are designed. At their most basic level, metal Houston braces are made up of 3 components.

• Metal brackets, which are glued to the front of the teeth utilizing dental cement.
• Archwire, which is laid across the brackets.
• O-rings, which help attach the archwire to the brackets and keep everything in place.

How Metal Houston Braces Straighten Your Teeth

Whether you’re an adult in need of dental braces or are doing some research because your child may need braces soon, metal braces are a great method to correct a bad bite that any of our South Houston family dentist patients may have, regardless of their age. Today, metal braces are thinner and lighter in weight, which creates a far more pleasant experience.

The way metal dental braces correct the alignment of your teeth lies in how all three components work together. With the o-rings connecting both the metal brackets and the archwire, our South Houston braces dentist will tighten the archwire in different ways that will place specific amounts of pressure on your teeth and jaw at any given time. This guides your teeth to the proper alignment, thanks to the help of our 3D modeling software. Every so often, you will come back to our Houston dentist office so we can re-tighten the archwire, continuously guiding your teeth until we have helped you achieve a straight smile.

Ready For Metal Houston Braces? Visit Our South Houston Dentist Office

Now that you know more about metal dental braces, if you think they’re suitable for you please book an appointment so we can begin with our braces consultation.