Today there are many orthodontic treatment options. There are traditional or metal braces, ceramic or clear braces, self-ligating braces, lingual braces and clear aligners. The most common orthodontic treatment uses traditional or metal braces. Metal braces do a wonderful job moving your teeth, tend to be the most affordable and allow you to change the rubber band color to add some personality to your braces. The only drawback is they are the most noticeable. Ceramic or clear braces are the less noticeable option in the "traditional" braces category. They do an excellent job moving teeth and move the teeth quicker than clear aligners. Clear braces do require more care as they can stain easily, are more brittle than metal braces and are more expensive than traditional braces. Often they are only used on the top teeth and with older patients. Self-ligating braces are similar to traditional braces, but they do not require the use of rubber bands. Self-ligating braces … [Read more...]
Time for Braces?
It's a big deal when your child loses their first baby tooth. They look so adorable with their missing teeth! Shortly after, one week to six months, an adult (permanent) tooth will appear-this is what I call the awkward years! Their little faces don't quite fit their new adult-size teeth. This can be concerning for parents when they see crooked teeth and large gaps as the new teeth erupt. It is often difficult for the untrained eye to determine if there really is an orthodontic problem. Here is an example of a little girl through the years. When her permanent teeth started to appear, they looked quite crooked. But when all of her permanent teeth came in, her teeth looked really straight. In reality, she ended up needing braces for smaller problems (malocclusions) that are not as noticeable, but if left untreated would have left her with jaw issues as an adult. Dr. Bomstad and Dr. Karban send most of their patients to Harrington Orthodontics or Lake Minnetonka … [Read more...]