Braces use steady, gentle pressure over time to move teeth into their proper positions. Like the hour hand on a clock, braces may not appear to be doing anything, but they are in fact causing positive changes in your mouth at every moment of your orthodontic treatment. The brackets we place on your teeth and the main arch wire that connects them are the two main components to braces. The bracket is a piece of specially shaped metal or ceramic that we affix to each tooth. We then bend the arch wire to reflect your ‘ideal” bite (what we want you to look like after treatment). The wire threads through the brackets; the wire’s attempt to return to its initial shape applies the pressure to move your teeth. Picture your tooth resting in your jaw bone. With pressure on one side from the arch wire, the bone on the other side gives way. The tooth moves. New bone grows in behind. It may look like nothing is happening but we’re making progress a little at a time.
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