Dental Braces

Thanks to today’s advances in orthodontic technology, Ohmart Orthodontics can provide our patients with more options when it comes to wearing braces than ever before. While traditional metal braces are still widely used, clear braces are very popular with teens and adults who are self conscious about wearing braces, along with Invisalign® removable aligners, the “braceless” alternative to straight teeth. Dr. Scott Ohmart will help you determine which treatment option is right for you.

Metal Braces

Traditional metal braces are the most common type of braces used today.  They are smaller and more comfortable than ever before and constructed of high-grade space age metal alloys. With metal braces, you have the option of adding colored elastics (rubber bands) for a more unique and colorful smile.

Ceramic Braces

Ceramic braces are made of clear materials and are therefore less visible on your teeth than metal braces. For this reason, ceramic braces are used mainly on teenage and adult patients who have aesthetic concerns. While they are visually less prominent, they do require more attention to oral hygiene since ceramic braces are larger. The only drawback to ceramic brackets is that they are more fragile and the elastic ties can discolor between orthodontic visits with certain foods and smoking.

Invisible Braces

Clear appliances, such as Invisalign®, use a series of invisible, removable, and comfortable aligners to straighten your teeth. No one can tell you are wearing those aligners because they are invisible! Clear aligners are removable so you are not limited in what you can eat and drink during treatment. Plus… brushing and flossing are less of a hassle. The aligners are comfortable and have no metal to cause mouth abrasions during treatment.

Self-Ligating Braces

Self-ligating braces offer several benefits for patients. They use a self-ligation technique using lighter wires and lower friction brackets to move teeth while resulting in faster treatment times due to the slide mechanism; the strong, mechanical base bonding; and solid walls structured to control tooth movement with speed and efficiency. In addition to greater comfort, self-ligating braces make it easier to maintain good hygiene because they are easier to keep clean. This contributes to greater health, happiness, and physical attractiveness for the duration of treatment.

The Wilson Appliance

The Wilson Appliance is used in conjunction with braces. It is placed in the mouth with only four braces on the top teeth and worn with elastics to correct the bite. One of the benefits of the Wilson Appliance is that it allows Dr. Ohmart to correct the bite before all of the braces are on. Therefore, the patient does not have to wear full braces for as long a period of time.