Metal Braces – Are they Effective & How much do they cost?

Did you wake up one morning and notice your disproportionate jaws? Don’t worry. Metal braces will help you align them.

As there are multiple types of braces, they are usually referred to as Dental braces. The magicians for dental problems, they are backed by the logic of science. Their presence helps in healing the aesthetic appeal of your face by aligning the upper and lower jaws, straightening the crooked teeth, and relieving the strain on various joints. Now that you know what they do, will you visit a dentist or an orthodontist?

Many people confuse the two professions – Dentistry and Orthodontics – with each other. But there lies a rudimentary difference between the two. A dentist is a general physician of oral health. Dentists deal with many areas under the sun like jaws, gum, and teeth. However, an Orthodontist is a specialized licensed doctor who only deals with the alignment of teeth, fitting braces and devices, gaps between teeth, temporomandibular disorders, and improving the bites.

What do the braces do?

Now that you know enough about your doctor, let’s see how braces exactly work. Doctors generally recommend braces for children between the age of three to twelve. This is because the bodies of children are in the moulding stage. It becomes difficult to produce the desired results in adults because their bodies are developed.

The treatment of fitting metal braces or any other kind of braces is known as an orthodontic treatment in medical terms. In kids, the orthodontic treatment will define their shape by aligning their jaws. It will create an improvised facial profile that will form a part of their lifelong facial feature. However, to maintain the results, the person would have to wear a retainer for the years he lives for. But that will be only during the night-time.

Braces pressurize the teeth into the right position with the help of the wire. As the wires put pressure on your teeth, the brackets hold them in place as the function takes place. Depending on the stubbornness of the teeth, the pressure is increased using the wires of different materials like rubber. As teeth are bones of the human body, this process is also called as ‘Bone Remodelling.’ This process strengthens your teeth like never before.

Types of Braces

One session at your orthodontist’s office will perplex you. The overwhelming choices of braces available in the market screams confusion. The list below mentions the different variants of braces.

• Metal Braces

The first idea that your mind relates to the word braces is the image of the traditional braces. Since 1950, steel started getting used for manufacturing braces. Don’t complain of the metal braces’ visibility, the ones used in the 20^th century were far more evident and wider than the ones in use today. With the use of technology, the heat-activated archwires are used to produce the metal braces available in the market today. The wires use body heat to seamlessly move teeth to the desired location.

As recommended by the doctors then and now, the traditional braces, aka metal braces, are the most effective ones available for use today.

• Ceramic Braces

Another epitome of technology advancement in the medical industry is the ceramic braces. They may not be as evident as the metal braces, but their purpose is exactly the same. Their size and shape are parallel to the metal braces. However, the clear tooth-coloured brackets make them a common choice within adults who look for an invisible option.

Apart from the features mentioned above, the ceramic braces have some unfavourable points. They require high maintenance. If not taken care of properly, stains develop on their surface. This makes them unworthy of the money that people spend on purchasing them.

• Invisalign

Invisalign are clear plastic aligners that are tailor-made according to your teeth shape. You can eat or drink according to your choice while wearing these over your teeth. But, losing them is pretty easy which is why doctors don’t recommend spending money over them.

• Lingual Braces

The brackets of the lingual braces are wired at the inner side of the teeth. Invisible to the upper surface, these braces perform the same function as the metal braces. But at the same time, they are uber expensive, while being inappropriate for severe things. Cleaning them is a task that many people choose to avoid.

More About Metal Braces

We’ll be listing some of the most common questions asked about the metal braces. This section will effectively guide you through all the expense and effectiveness details about the metal braces. So, you have the tool of information to guide your decisions.

The first question that people ask is, “How long do metal braces take?” Orthodontists say that the average time to realign your teeth by metal braces is in between 16 and 18 months. Usually, the gap between your teeth, decides the average time taken by the metal braces to work its magic. If the gaps are wider than the average cases, it could take approximately 24 months to work. But in majority cases, teeth are realigning within 6 to 10 months. Consult your orthodontist to have a better perspective on the numbers.

Cost of Metal Braces

The next question is, “How much does the metal braces cost?” We could have provided an exact number, but the cost varies from orthodontist to the orthodontist. The average cost of metal braces in India ranges from Rs. 8000 to Rs. 20000. If you opt for imported brands, the prices are usually higher than their local counterparts. The price of the imported metal races in India range between Rs. 25000 to Rs. 40000. Depending upon the recommendation of your orthodontist, make a wise decision based upon the options available to you. This is because the severity of many cases is not judged upon, and only an experienced orthodontist can suggest the right type of braces for your problems. Good luck with your treatment and have a speedy recovery.