Traditional Orthodontics – Newark, CA

How Do Traditional Orthodontics Work?

Traditional braces are made up of small metal brackets that are bonded to the front surfaces of the teeth. Then, a wire is used to connect the brackets using small rubber bands. The wires are adjusted in tightness and orientation to move your teeth gradually and gently into their desired positions. Traditional braces are securely fastened to the teeth, but you still need to be careful to keep them in good shape. This means that you should avoid foods that are especially hard or sticky in texture. Approximately every six to eight weeks, you will return to the practice to have adjustments made in accordance with your treatment plan.

What Orthodontic Issues Can Braces Fix?

Traditional braces are very popular because they are able to correct a wide range of misalignment issues. Here are some of the most common ones that we come across.

Bite Misalignment

If your upper jaw and lower jaw don’t come together as they should, this is a bite alignment problem. This can include overbites, underbites, crossbites, and open bites. In addition to taking away from the appearance of your smile, bite problems make it more challenging to speak, eat, and comfortably move your jaw. Traditional braces, sometimes paired with elastics, are able to guide the jaw into alignment for a perfect bite.

Crowded & Crooked Teeth

When the teeth are overlapping, crooked, uneven, or crowded, it can be easy for food debris, plaque, and bacteria to become trapped. This can lead to oral health problems, like gum disease, tooth decay, and infections. Traditional orthodontics can realign your teeth to be the perfect distance apart.

Gapped Teeth

For teeth that are too far apart, leaving gaps in your smile, traditional braces can bring them closer together. This will help to prevent food debris from building up in these areas and wreaking havoc on the teeth and gums.

Caring for Your Braces

When you get braces, it is necessary to implement steps throughout the day to keep your braces in good shape. This includes:

• Brushing twice, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash daily
• Using a threaded flosser or water flosser to clean underneath your wires
• Avoiding foods that are very hard or sticky
• Chewing on hard objects or using your teeth as tools
• Seeing us every six to eight weeks for adjustments

Understanding the Cost of Traditional Braces 

Braces are one of those dental treatments where people are more intimidated by the prospect of paying for their orthodontics than about the dental care itself. We endeavor to make both as stress-free as possible, which is why we aim to be completely transparent about the cost of our orthodontic services.

There are several factors that can influence what you’ll pay for your orthodontic care, but here’s what you should know about their cost before we meet you.

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Factors That Affect the Cost of Traditional Braces

The reason why it can be difficult to tell you what your braces are going to cost without actually meeting you first is because there are a variety fo variable that can influence what you’ll pay, in one way or another.

Generally speaking, the longer your orthodontic treatment takes, the more that it’ll cost. This in itself can be influenced by a few variables:

• The severity of your misalignment.
• How old you are. If you’re older, the teeth are more firmly ingrained and treatment will take a little longer.
• How well you adhere to dentist guidelines

Some patients may also need to make use of more complex oral appliances in order to address all of your issues, which will in turn increase the cost of your treatment.

Professional Braces vs. “DIY” Braces: Which Costs More? 

If you’ve been looking around on the internet, you might have found that there are many people who claim to have completed orthodontic treatment all on their own, making use of everyday household materials to straighten their teeth. Some enterprising people even use back channels to get professional-grade dental materials, hoping that this will be enough to perform treatment on their own.

However, the movement of the teeth is extraordinarily complex; the information we’ve provided here is a profound simplification of what getting braces actually entails. There’s a reason orthodontics is its own specialty, after all. If you try to do straighten your teeth on your own, you could make your smile even worth than it was before, or even damage your teeth!

Does Dental Insurance Cover Braces? 

Some dental insurance plans cover braces, but not all of them. Even among dental plans where braces are included, some of these only pay for orthodontics for patients over the age of 18. For this reason, it’s  incredibly important to consult with your dental plan to ensure that you’re getting all the coverage you can. Of course, we’ll be happy to assist you in this process.

Options for Making Braces Affordable 

Even if you don’t have insurance, we still want your orthodontic care to be affordable for you. For that reason, we offer options that can potentially make the services you receive from us fit your budget much more easily.

Many patients are intimidated by the prospect of paying for their braces all at once, which is why we work with CareCredit to provide financing services. Patients who qualify can get split up the price they pay across several months, often with little-to-no additional interest.

If you have any more questions about how you can make the dental care you receive more affordable, give us a call and make an appointment with us today!