What are Traditional Braces?
Traditional braces, often known as metal braces, are a method of dental components that are used in conjunction to effectively treat a variety of dental issues. Braces can be used to treat one dental issue or multiple. Traditional braces provide all patients with the same goal: a straight and healthy smile.

Components of Traditional Braces?
Braces consist of a variety of components that work together to achieve a patient’s dental goals. The components of braces include:

• Brackets: Small square elements made of either metal or ceramic that are bonded to each tooth.
• Arch Wires: Connects to each bracket that works to put pressure to help the teeth move.
• Ligature elastics: Small ties, that can be coloured or invisible, that connect to wire to the bracket.
Depending on the patient’s case, they may have additional components to their braces, such as chain elastics, hooks, and separators.

How Do Traditional Braces Work?
When the day comes to get your braces on, your dentist will bond brackets to each tooth and apply the wires and ligature elastics, as well as any necessary additional components. When a patient gets braces, they will have their wires tightened every four to six weeks. When the wires are tightened this causes pressure in the gums which then causes the body to send in cells called osteoclasts. The purpose of osteoclasts is to restore blood flow and release pressure by extracting the calcium out of the jawbone. This allows for a space created within the jawbone for the tooth, or teeth, to move. This process is repeated after every dental visit which allows the teeth to eventually shift into an aligned position. 

What Cases are Braces For?
Braces serve a huge cosmetic purpose; however, braces can also help deal with several dental issues that may affect an individual’s day-to-day life. Typically, during a patient’s regular dental checkup the dentist will be able to establish their need for traditional braces. There are some common dental cases that traditional braces are used to treat, these include: 

• Crowding and crooked teeth
• Misaligned bite such as open bite, overbite, underbite, crossbite.
• Difficulty flossing between the teeth
• Jaw clicking
• Difficulty with speech

Braces can treat a multitude of dental cases beyond this short list. The period of treatment time will depend on several individual patient factors. Some of these factors include the severity of the patient’s case, overall dental health, space in one’s mouth, and how much the teeth must shift.

Benefits of Traditional Braces
Traditional braces in Ottawa have been used for decades to treat severe dental cases while being both effective and efficient. When a patient chooses braces as a path of treatment, they are on the route towards a healthier mouth. The results that braces provide allow a patient to benefit both cosmetically and functionally.

Issues That May Occur with Braces
There comes a sense of responsibility when having braces. To assure treatment is successful, there are some cautions the patient must take. Braces are not invincible, and a patient can experience some issues such as:

• Broken wire: This often can occur if you eat a hard object that moves the wire out of place. It is best to follow your dentist’s instructions and avoid certain foods.
• Loose bracket: If you find the bracket is moveable this is a sign that it has come loose.
• Loose bands: A band may fall loose unnoticeably, if you find that you have a loose band call your dentist right away.

If you experience any of the following, or other, issues with braces it is best to call your dentist at the Upper Hunt Club Dental Centre, in Ottawa, immediately to check up on the problem and have it fixed as soon as possible. Wearing braces with broken elements can negatively affect the effectiveness of your treatment.

Patients of all ages take the route of braces to successfully treat their smile. At the Upper Hunt Club Dental Centre, located in Ottawa, we specialize in providing patients with beautiful and healthy teeth. If you are considering improving your overall dental health with the help of braces, contact us to schedule a consultation.