Orthodontic Smile Expert in Denton, TX

Need Braces in Denton & Krum, TX?

We’re committed to providing you with the highest quality care and personalized treatment plans. Whether you’re looking for traditional braces, Invisalign, or other orthodontic treatments, our experienced team is here to help you achieve a beautiful, healthy, and confident smile.

Life With Braces

An orthodontist is a dental specialist who is trained to diagnose and treat dental and facial irregularities. They are responsible for creating and implementing your individualized treatment plan, which may include the use of braces or other appliances. During your treatment, our trained orthodontist, Dr. Cramer, will adjust your braces as needed and monitor your progress to ensure that your teeth are moving in the desired direction. He will also be able to answer any questions you may have and address any concerns you may have about your treatment.

Eating with Braces

Firstly, let’s talk about what you shouldn’t eat! For the first day or so, stick to soft foods. Avoid tough meats, hard breads, and raw vegetables. Before long, you’ll be able to bite a cucumber again. But you’ll need to protect your orthodontic appliances when you eat for as long as you’re wearing braces.

Foods to Avoid

Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, licorice
Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, chips
Sticky foods: caramels, gum
Hard foods: nuts, candy
Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, apples, carrots
Chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer.

Does Getting Braces Hurt?

When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. If the tenderness is severe, take aspirin or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain. The lips, cheeks, and tongue may also become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can put wax on the braces to lessen this. We’ll show you how! Tissue irritation can also be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water and rinse your mouth vigorously.

Caring for Your Braces

To successfully complete the treatment plan, you’ll have to work together with our team. Your teeth and jaws can only move toward their corrected positions if you consistently wear the rubber bands or other appliances as prescribed.

Brushing and Flossing With Braces

It’s more important than ever to brush and floss regularly when you have braces so the teeth and gums are healthy after orthodontic treatment. Patients who do not keep their teeth clean may require more frequent visits to the dentist for a professional cleaning. Adults who have a history of gum disease should also see a periodontist during orthodontic treatment. Click here for a list of recommended products to help with your home care.

Tips for Brushing

Step 1 Using a wet brush with a small amount of toothpaste, place bristles where gums and teeth meet.
Step 2 For 10 seconds on each tooth, use circular, vibrating motions around the gum lines.
Step 3 Every tooth of both arches should be brushed slowly.
Step 4 Brush the lower teeth from the gum line up and the upper teeth from the gum line down. Brush the roof of your mouth and your tongue, too!

Tips for Flossing

Step 1 Carefully thread unwaxed floss between braces and wire. You may find a floss threader or floss pick helpful.
Step 2 Carefully floss around the braces.
Step 3 Carefully floss around the gum areas.
Step 4 Carefully floss around each tooth.

Removing Braces Early

While it’s possible for braces to be removed early, it’s generally not recommended. The goal of braces is to gradually and safely move the teeth into the desired position over a specific period of time. If the braces are removed early, the teeth may not be fully corrected or stable in their new position, which could lead to relapse or the need for additional treatment in the future.

Additionally, removing the braces early may increase the risk of damage or injury to the teeth or gums.

That being said, there may be some rare circumstances in which it is appropriate to remove the braces early. For example, if a patient is experiencing severe pain or discomfort or if the braces are causing significant damage to the teeth or gums. In these cases, your orthodontist will work with you to determine the best course of action.

In general, it’s important to follow your orthodontist’s treatment plan and stick with the prescribed length of treatment. This will ensure the best possible outcome for your teeth and help prevent the need for additional treatment in the future.

After Your Braces

Once you’ve finished your orthodontic treatment, you’ll need to wear a retainer to help keep your teeth in their new position. Retainers are typically worn at night and can either be removable or permanent. Dr. Cramer will give you specific instructions on how often to wear your retainer and for how long. It’s important to follow these instructions closely to ensure that your teeth don’t shift back to their original position.

Types of Braces

Traditional Metal Braces

Traditional metal braces are the most common type of braces and are more comfortable today than ever before. Made of high-grade stainless steel, metal braces straighten your teeth using metal brackets and archwires. 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 older teenagers and adult patients who have cosmetic concerns. While they are visually less prominent, they do require more attention to oral hygiene as ceramic braces are larger and are more brittle than their metal counterparts. For these reasons, ceramic braces tend to be used more on the upper front teeth than on the lower.

"Invisible" Braces

Clear appliances (such as Invisalign®) use a series of invisible, removable, and comfortable aligners to straighten your teeth. And no one can tell you are wearing those aligners because they are invisible! Not only are the aligners invisible, they are removable, so you can eat and drink what you want while in treatment, plus brushing and flossing are less of a hassle. The aligners are comfortable and have no metal to cause mouth abrasions during treatment.

Types of Appliances

Elastics (rubber bands)

Wearing elastics (or rubber bands) with your braces improves the fit of your upper and lower teeth. Wear your rubber bands as instructed – remember that the rubber bands work far more efficiently if they’re worn as prescribed.

Palatal Expander

The palatal expander “expands” (or widens) your upper jaw by putting gentle pressure on your upper molars each time an adjustment is made. Your orthodontist will instruct you about when and how to adjust your expander. When you achieve the desired expansion, you will wear the appliance for several months to solidify the expansion and to prevent regression.

Retainers

Retainers may be removable or fixed. They hold your teeth in their new, correct positions after your teeth have been straightened. Your orthodontist will instruct you on how to care for your retainer and about the duration of the wear. Wearing your retainer as directed is crucial to prevent regression of your treatment.

The Best Way To Wear Your Retainer

Wear it every night unless instructed otherwise.
Take your retainer out when eating, and always put it back in its case!
Clean them once a day with a toothbrush and a non-abrasive cleaner (like dish soap or RetainerBrite) – brushing retainers remove the plaque and eliminate odors. Remember to use warm but not hot water.
Initially, you may find it difficult to speak. Practice speaking, reading, or singing out loud to get used to them faster.
Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care. If retainers are lost or broken, call us immediately.
If you have any questions or concerns about your retainers, or your retainers need adjusting, call us. Do not try to adjust them yourself.
Always bring your retainers to your appointments.
Remove your retainer when swimming.

Separators or Spacers

Separators are little rubber doughnuts that may be placed between your teeth to push them apart so that orthodontic bands may be placed during your next appointment. The separators will be removed before we place the bands. Separators do not mix well with sticky foods, toothpicks, or floss.

Carriere® Distalizer™ Appliance

Creating a Corrected Bite Without Headgear

The Carriere Distalizer is an orthodontic device developed to correct a bite without removing permanent teeth when teeth have erupted incorrectly. With an effect similar to headgear, but without the use of a bulky appliance, the Carriere Distalizer pushes upper teeth back to create a corrected bite prior to the addition of braces. How does the Carriere Distalizer work?

First, your orthodontist will create an anchor point, most commonly with a lower Essex Appliance, a passive lingual arch, a full mandibular fixed appliance, or mini-screws. A Carriere Distalizer arm is then attached to the upper teeth on both sides of your mouth.
An elastic band is attached from the upper bar to the lower back molars and should be worn at all times except when eating.
With good elastic wear, your bite can be corrected in a matter of months, depending on the severity of your case.
When the Carriere Distalizer arms are removed, we will place the remaining braces to finish correcting your bite and aligning your teeth to the perfectly straight, ideal smile you’ve always wanted.

Braces Diagram

Elastic Tie

The Two-Phase Orthodontic Treatment is a process that involves tooth straightening and physical, facial changes. The purpose is to accomplish the ideal healthy, functional, and aesthetic result you will have for the rest of your life. The two-phase treatment maximizes that opportunity.

Loop in Archwire

Sometimes, it is used to close space left by an extraction. Most archwires don’t have a loop.

Archwire

The main wire acts as a track to guide the teeth along. It’s changed periodically throughout treatment as teeth move to their new positions.

Bracket

Small attachment that holds the archwire in place. Most often, a bracket is cemented directly onto the tooth’s surface, eliminating the need for a band.

Headgear Tube

Round, hollow attachment on the back bands. The inner bow of the headgear fits into it.

Coil Spring

Fits between brackets and over archwire to open space between teeth.

Tie Wire

Fine wire that is twisted around the bracket to hold the archwire in place.

Band

A thin ring of metal fitted around a tooth and cemented in place. The band provides a way to attach the brackets to the tooth.

Hook

Welded or removable arm to which elastics (rubber bands) are attached.

Elastic (Rubber Band)

A small rubber band is hooked between different points on the appliance to provide pressure to move the teeth.

We Specialize in Surgical Orthodontics!

Surgical orthodontics can be a transformative solution for complex dental issues. We combine the expertise of both orthodontists and oral surgery to address severe misalignments, jaw discrepancies, and other challenging cases. By surgically repositioning your teeth and jaws, we can create a harmonious balance and achieve a beautiful, functional smile. If you have a complex orthodontic need, surgical orthodontics may be the ideal solution for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do braces straighten teeth?

Braces consist of metal brackets and wires that are attached to the teeth. The brackets are glued to the front of the teeth, and the wires are threaded through them. The wires are then tightened periodically by the orthodontist, who applies pressure to the teeth and moves them into the correct position.

How long do you have to wear braces?

How often do you have to visit the orthodontist while you have braces?

The frequency of visits depends on your individual treatment plan and the type of braces you have. Generally, patients with traditional metal braces need to visit the orthodontist every four to six weeks for adjustments. Patients with clear aligners typically visit the orthodontist every six to eight weeks.

What happens if I have a loose wire or band on my braces?

Don’t be alarmed if a wire or band comes loose. This happens occasionally. If a wire protrudes and is irritating, use a blunt instrument (the back of a spoon or the eraser end of a pencil) and carefully, gently push the irritating wire under the archwire. Simply get it out of the way. If irritation to the lips or mouth continues, place wax or wet cotton on the wire to reduce the annoyance. Call our office as soon as possible for an appointment to check and repair the appliances. If any piece comes off, save it and bring it with you to the office.

Will I still need a sports mouthguard with braces?

If you play sports, it’s important that you consult us for special precautions. We will provide a complimentary mouthguard, or you can order one online or pick one up at your local athletic store. A protective mouthguard is advised for playing contact sports. In case of any accident involving the face, check your mouth and the appliances immediately. If teeth are loosened or the appliances are damaged, phone at once for an appointment. In the meantime, treat your discomfort as you would treat any general soreness.

Invest in Your Smile (And Yourself!)

We believe that a beautiful smile can positively impact your life. Our braces in Denton & Krum, TX, are designed to help you achieve a smile that you’re proud to show off. Schedule your consultation today and take the first step towards a brighter, more confident you.

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Braces 101