Types of BracesDalton, GA

Types of Braces

Traditional Metal Braces

At Dr. Call Dental Center, we offer traditional metal braces because they are still one of the most effective ways for straightening teeth and transforming smiles. While these types of braces have been in existence for decades, the technology continues to improve. In the past twenty years, the metal brackets and wires have become significantly smaller, so they are more difficult to see and don’t monopolize a patient’s smile. While the metal is still obvious, more of the natural tooth shines through.

Traditional metal braces work by having Dilmar Callejas DMD place a metal bracket onto each tooth. This looks like a small rectangle. Once secured in place, a thin metal wire is threaded through the brackets. The wire is then secured in place by using rubber bands. This is the fun part for kids because the rubber bands come in a variety of colors, and they can change them at each visit based on their mood or the holiday season. For example, they can have their rubber bands match the colors of their favorite football team during the playoffs.

These braces are also the least expensive option, making them ideal for both children and adults. Since this is the most proven technology, it is known for dependable results, and it is still one of the few solutions for effectively moving a child’s teeth into position.

Ceramic Braces

Patients throughout Georgia often ask us about clear ceramic braces. This is an excellent solution for those that want to straighten their teeth, but don’t want anyone to notice. These types of braces are primarily recommended for adults because the ceramic bracket that is placed onto the teeth is hard to keep clean and take care of. If it gets stained, your tooth will appear stained or like you have food on it for the remainder of the treatment time unless it is replaced. This is a significant responsibility to place on a child, making metal braces a more practical solution.

As an orthodontist, the process for applying ceramic braces is similar to metal ones. The main difference is that the bracket is made out of a tooth-colored ceramic material instead of metal. Simultaneously, the wires can be made of a tooth-colored material as well. This helps them to blend in, something that our Dalton patients appreciate.

Lingual Braces

These types of braces are unique and not suited for everyone. At Dr. Call Dental Center, we don’t recommend this for complex cases because it is difficult to access the brackets and wires. Lingual braces are made of the same materials as metal braces but instead of being placed onto the surface of your teeth, they are placed behind your teeth. This makes them virtually invisible, an excellent choice for those that want straight teeth without anyone noticing.

The challenge with lingual braces is that they are difficult to access, making them an inferior option when more complex bite adjustments need to be completed. They are also more expensive due to the additional labor time that goes into installing and maintaining them. While patients like that they are virtually invisible some due complain about the discomfort of having metal brackets and wires in that position. If you are considering this option, we recommending calling (706) 425-6240 and scheduling a consultation with Dilmar Callejas DMD to discuss the procedure in further detail.

Invisalign®

For those that don’t want to wear brackets at all, Invisalign® or clear aligners are an ideal option for straightening teeth. Patients throughout Dalton wear aligners without anyone noticing. They look like a clear retainer that surrounds both your upper and lower teeth. The aligners are created in a dental lab after several impressions are taken of a patient’s teeth. Each aligner targets specific teeth and moves them that much closer to being straight. The aligners are switched out every two weeks and once they have all been used, teeth should be perfectly straight. This is an ideal solution for people that have busy lifestyles and don’t want to visit the orthodontist on a regular basis. While some checkups are necessary, they are less frequent because the aligners are created in advance.

Another advantage to wearing aligners is that they come out. An aligner is only supposed to be worn for 22 hours a day. Patients throughout the 30721 area find it a convenient way to continue eating their favorite foods and caring for their teeth while receiving an orthodontics treatment. As a result, there is a decreased risk of staining or damaging aligners as compared with traditional braces. The drawback is that they can be more expensive, and they are easy to lose by accidentally throwing them away. At Dr. Call Dental Center we recommend that patients keep them in a special case so that they cannot be accidentally lost in the garbage, they are clear after all.