Neighborly, Reliable Treatment
The most common type of braces at Polk Orthodontics are metal braces. These orthodontic workhorses have a long history of successfully straightening smiles at every age for patients all around Bartlett and the surrounding areas.
Bartlett Braces
At Polk Orthodontics, we offer the latest braces technology to our patients of all ages in Bartlett and the surrounding areas.
Metal braces have had a reputation for being awkward and obvious. But, because of modern orthodontics, you'll benefit from smaller, less conspicuous, and more comfortable brackets than ever before.
Braces are great at fixing complex tooth issues. They apply constant pressure to your teeth to shift them into straighter positions in your mouth. Braces at Polk Orthodontics can work faster at closing gaps and aligning teeth than other treatments.
Metal braces are cost-effective because they don’t require some of the more complex technology or expensive equipment that newer treatments do. The average time spent in metal braces is around 18 to 22 months but could be shorter or longer, depending on your treatment plan from Dr. Polk.
What Are Braces Made of?
Brackets
Dr. Polk uses robust brackets, made from a mix of stainless steel, nickel, and other metals, and has little hooks or doors where we thread a wire.
Dr. Polk secures your bracket by closing the door or placing an elastic over the top of the wire.
Glue
With glue, Dr. Polk attaches the brackets to your teeth. It’s common practice to affix the bracket directly to the tooth with glue.
Elastics
Elastics are key for repositioning your teeth. They’re generally threaded between an upper bracket hook and a lower bracket hook.
This pulls your upper jaw backward to correct an overbite, or the lower jaw back to correct an underbite. We use rubber bands for many different situations, especially when we want to put extra pressure on the teeth or jaws.
Wire
This thin piece of metal runs from one bracket to another. Dr. Polk alters the wire's shape and curvature to set your teeth in the correct direction.
The wire will attach all of your bottom or upper teeth together in many cases. We might occasionally cut the wire if connecting just a few teeth is better for your treatment plan.
Orthodontic Bands
Thanks to dental bonding agents, we cement these stainless steel rings to your teeth. The bands anchor your braces and orthodontic appliances, but we don’t always use them for everyone.
Spacers
Dr. Polk uses these tiny elastic “donuts” or rings to create space between your teeth when needed, typically before we place your bands. People also refer to them as "separators".
Elastic Ties/O-Rings/Ligatures/Colors
Dr. Polk uses these tiny rubber rings or bands to attach the archwire to the brackets. Elastics are less rigid than spacers and you can get them in dozens of colors.