Here at Dr. Andy’s office, we understand that braces aren’t always the most exciting part of a young adult’s life. Sure, braces can be annoying and sometimes a little painful. If you’re feeling down in the dumps about your braces, take a look at these metal braces innovations. You’ll be happy you have modern day braces once you read this!
Metal Braces Innovations
- Smaller brackets – The first set of braces was invented in the early 1900s and dentists would actually have to wrap metal bands around each individual tooth. Yikes! Even when your parents were kids, brackets on metal braces were much bigger than they are today. The nickname “metal mouth” really wasn’t an exaggeration! The size of metal braces brackets have shrunk considerably in recent years. Your braces are hardly even noticeable compared to braces of the past!
- Thinner wires – With technological advances in the orthodontics field comes smaller and smaller equipment. Thinner wires are easier for your orthodontist to work with, are much more comfortable to wear, and are less visible against your teeth. Pretty awesome, right?
- Cool colors – Today’s braces are so customizable that you can put your own flair into them! With such a wide variety of colorful bands available, you can chose exactly what you want your braces to look like. With Halloween just around the corner, you could get orange and black bands to show your holiday spirit with your smile!
- More efficient – In the past, braces sometimes had to be worn for several years to completely align the teeth properly. Today, the average patient wears braces for 18-24 months. That’s a piece of cake in the scheme of things! There are even products available, such as the AcceleDent Aura, to speed up your treatment time even more!
- Less painful – With smaller brackets and thinner wires, today’s metal braces are significantly more comfortable to wear than braces of the past. With a lower profile, modern braces don’t put as much pressure on the insides of your cheeks and lips. Some discomfort can still occur when you get your braces wires adjusted; however technological advances in the design of your braces have made this process much less painful for patients.
Do any parents out there have any horror stories about their old-fashioned braces? We’d love to hear them in the comments section below!
About Andrew W. Skorobatckyj, DDS
Dr. Andy is an orthodontist practicing in Parma, Ohio. He specializes in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics for patients of all ages. A graduate of the CWRU School of Dental Medicine, Dr. Andy is committed to providing his patients with comprehensive, comfortable, and personalized orthodontic care. Contact Dr. Andy’s office today to set up a free consultation! Give us a call at (440) 842-8015 or send us an email at info@skorothodontics.com.
