Swan Orthodontics is your Grand Rapids braces expert
Traditional braces are one of the most effective tools we have for achieving optimal tooth and jaw alignment. If you’re looking for someone you can trust to provide a brilliant straight smile in the Wichita area, the team at Swan Orthodontics is here for you. We proudly create beautiful new smiles for patients of all ages in Grand Rapids and surrounding communities. We’re proud to offer patients a variety of orthodontic options, including traditional metal braces and ceramic braces.
Braces treatment with your Grand Rapids braces experts.
Our team will collect digital X-rays, photos, and a model of your mouth before putting your braces on. Our orthodontist, Dr. Kathryn Swan, will then use this data to determine how your brackets will be placed. She will formulate a customized treatment plan based on your particular orthodontic needs, which will include information about the movements each tooth needs to make in order to achieve the best position.
A wire is inserted through the brackets provide customized pressure on all the teeth that need to be moved. Through a process called remodeling, bends in the wire will encourage specific and precise movements of the teeth. This process involves minor changes in the bone that surrounds the roots of teeth. When your braces put pressure on a tooth, cells called osteoblasts and osteoclasts form around its root. Together with the wire, this creates negative pressure on one side of the tooth, where the bone will be removed. On the other side of the tooth, the bone is reformed. This pressure slowly moves teeth into the correct position.
Since remodeling requires constant pressure on a tooth, teeth will often begin drifting back towards their old positions over time once your braces are removed if you don’t wear a retainer. Regular use of a retainer will help prevent this natural drifting and keep teeth in their new and improved positions!
What your Grand Rapids braces offer
The strength, durability, and affordability of traditional braces are a big part of why they’ve withstood the test of time and are still the top orthodontic treatment year after year. We offer fantastic treatment options that can correct a variety of simple and complex oral issues.
Today’s braces are better than ever! Traditional metal braces often work faster at closing gaps and aligning teeth than other treatments might, potentially shortening your overall treatment time, while also representing a cost-effective option for patients on a budget.
Metal Braces
The most common type of braces is the tried-and-true traditional metal braces system. Braces straighten your teeth using metal brackets and archwires and are generally constructed with high-grade stainless steel. Today’s metal braces are more comfortable and also more fun than ever - you have the option of choosing colored elastics to add a punch of personality to your treatment! If you prefer a more subtle approach, we also offer clear or tooth-colored elastics.
Ceramic Braces
Ceramic braces are another option for straightening your smile that works the same way metal braces do, but the brackets are made with a clear ceramic material instead. Ceramic braces tend to be used on the upper front teeth more often than the lower teeth. Ceramic Braces are very popular with older teens and adults because they are such a discrete treatment option. Since the brackets tend to be a bit larger and more brittle than their metal counterparts, we normally won’t recommend them for our younger patients.
No matter what kind of traditional braces you choose, you can often see visible signs of improvement pretty quickly. That might help increase your confidence in both your smile and the orthodontic process!
Your trusted Grand Rapids braces experts
Using our leading-edge techniques and state-of-the-art technology, we will provide efficient, comfortable care that will help you change your smile and your life!
At Swan Orthodontics, we believe that advanced, personalized care leads to the best results and most positive orthodontic experience. Dr. Kathryn Swan and the rest of our skilled team focus on patients as individuals, no matter the age, personal concerns, or clinical needs. When you choose braces treatment with our practice, Dr. Swan will create a treatment plan that works with all parts of your life.
Schedule a free consultation with us today to get started!