Traditional metal braces for teens are the most common way to correct a teen’s teeth. While in some cases, other types of braces, such as clear aligners, might be sufficient to correct your teenager’s smile, the strongest and fastest way remains the traditional route. With traditional braces, metal brackets are connected by wire and often reinforced with rubber bands to move teeth into alignment with each other. After being removed, the patient’s new smile is supported by retainers worn at night, sometimes in combination with permanent retainers on the back of teeth. 

At Miler Orthodontics, we are experts in the use of traditional metal braces and can help make the whole experience as comfortable as possible for your teen. Some teenagers actually look forward to getting braces because they are eager to get a straighter smile and enjoy the process of changing the colors on the braces, we have often heard it referred to as ‘tooth jewelry!’ Many dread the thought of navigating the challenging teenage years with a mouth full of metal. We know it can be hard, but we are here to support your teen, answer their questions, and get them the smile they want as effectively as possible.

Choose Miler Orthodontics for Traditional Braces for Teens in Bluffton and Beaufort, SC

It is recommended that your child receive an orthodontic examination by the age of eight. This is not because they need braces yet, as only a minority of children need braces before their teenage years. It is because if your child does have unique needs or issues with teeth coming in, early orthodontic treatment can help save time, difficulty, and money down the road. By giving an examination, we can anticipate possible issues that would require more serious intervention if caught later on. A regular orthodontic visit is just another way to protect and oversee your child’s development. 

Reasons for Getting Braces For Teens

Many types of conditions can occur while a child develops, including:

• Misaligned teeth
• Gaps of varying sizes between teeth
• Overcrowding of teeth
• Protruding or not fully surfacing teeth
• Underbites, overbites, and crossbites

Some teenagers have relatively straight teeth that do not require significant correction. In these cases, the only real tradeoff with treatments like invisible aligners would be the increased cost or slightly longer treatment times. However, with most teens, traditional braces simply work better, especially for moderate to severe orthodontic issues like those listed above. 

Benefits of Metal Braces

• They are the strongest technique – metal braces can apply enough pressure and reinforcement to create meaningful change in even severe cases and are always there working to correct teeth. 
• They work faster in some cases – in many cases, metal braces can work faster because they apply consistent, strong pressure as a complete system.
• They are relatively affordable – metal braces remain the cheapest option for braces and are often covered or partially covered by insurance.
• They are very durable – traditional braces are made from strong metals that are made to endure the regular wear and tear that comes from chewing and brushing, even for treatments that require multiple years of wearing braces.

The most significant benefits of braces are ultimately the long-term health of your mouth. Straight, well-aligned teeth are easier to clean and keep clean with regular brushing and flossing. Corrected teeth also have a lower chance of causing harm when greater injuries occur, like blows to the head. Straight teeth are less prone to be causes of issues like headaches, speech issues, and problems sleeping.

We would love to see you and answer your questions about traditional braces for your teen. Give us a call or schedule an appointment today to get the information you need as you think about the orthodontic needs of your children.