Braces

 Removable Appliances

Removable braces are made of plastic and are attached to your teeth with metal clips. There are also small wires attached to the plastic, which gently move the teeth. Removable braces can be taken in and out for cleaning but you will have to wear them all the time if the treatment is to be effective.

Functional Appliances

Functional braces are a special type of removable brace used for teeth that stick out a lot. We use various designs of functional appliance and your orthodontist will choose the right one for you. The most common type of functional brace we use is called a Twin Block. This consists of two removable braces - one for the top teeth and one for the bottom teeth - which are worn at the same time. If worn properly, these work very quickly - usually their job is done in about nine months. Most people then go on to fixed braces to complete the alignment of their teeth.

Fixed Appliances

Fixed braces (train track braces) are the most commonly used braces, as they are the best at controlling the positions of all the teeth at once. They consist of metal blocks (or squares) that are glued on to the teeth. Each block is glued onto the tooth individually, and the glue is set with a blue light.

The wires are held on to the metal blocks with little coloured elastic bands or by tiny metal clips. You cannot take fixed braces in and out.

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