How braces are put on your teeth

If you decide to start your smile journey with braces, whether that be metal or ceramic, the first appointment involves bonding your braces on your teeth and placing your wires in. The process of getting braces can be daunting for some, especially if you don't know what to expect. Don't worry, we're here to explain it! The procedure itself is painless for most people and nothing should hurt during the appointment.

First, a device is placed into your mouth to help keep your mouth open and dry and to help keep your tongue out of the way. This acts as a suction device to help clear out any extra saliva. The goal of this suction device is two-fold: 1) To keep the teeth dry so that the composite braces glue will stick and 2) to make sure that you are not choking on saliva.

Then, we place "shampoo" on the teeth, which is a blue gel-like substance to help clean off the surface of the tooth. This is rinsed off and the teeth are dried with air to help make everything dry.

Then, we place "conditioner" on the teeth called primer. This is a substance that is placed on each tooth to prepare the enamel for the application of the adhesive. Now, your teeth are ready for the braces installation!

Composite glue is placed on to each bracket and each bracket is placed individually to the corresponding tooth. Each bracket is a different shape and is designed specifically for the corresponding tooth. The extra glue is cleaned off and the brackets are positioned in their ideal place. A blue curing light is shined on to each bracket to help the glue harden faster.

After all the brackets are glued on, the wires are placed. The initial wire is very thin and flexible but don't be fooled, you will probably feel some soreness in a few hours. Then, small rubber band-like ties are used to tie the wire to the brackets. This is when you can choose a color of your choice! When the wires are being tied into the brackets, it is normal to start feeling some pressure. The soreness typically starts to kick in a few hours after the appointment since it takes a little bit of time for the teeth to start to move. Once the wire is tied into all the brackets, you've got yourself a new smile! At VCO Orthodontics in Arlington, we go over all the instructions on how to take care of your braces and answer any questions you may have!