Hamer & Glassick Orthodontics is your Charlottesville braces expert
The team at Hamer & Glassick Orthodontics is here for you If you’re looking for someone you can trust to provide a brilliant straight smile in the Charlottesville area. We think patients of all ages in the Charlottesville area deserve a beautiful smile, and we’re proud to be the ones to create them. Traditional braces are one of the most effective tools we have for achieving optimal tooth and jaw alignment, and we’re proud to offer patients a variety of orthodontic options, including traditional metal braces and ceramic braces.
Braces treatment with your Charlottesville braces expert
Our team will start the process by collecting digital x-rays, photos, and a model of your mouth. Dr. Hamer or Dr. Glassick will use this data to create a customized treatment plan based on your needs and will attach your braces to your teeth. This will include information that will determine how your brackets are placed, such as the movements each tooth needs to make in order to achieve optimal positioning.
Once the brackets have been attached, a wire is inserted to 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 a negative pressure on one side of the tooth, where bone will be removed. The bone is reformed on the other side of the tooth. This pressure and bone remodeling slowly moves teeth into the correct position.
Remodeling can only occur if constant pressure is put on a tooth. This means that teeth will often begin drifting back towards their old positions over time once your braces are removed. The best way to help prevent this natural drifting and keep teeth in their new and improved positions is by using a retainer regularly.
What your Charlottesville braces expert offers
Modern braces are the best they’ve ever been. We offer many treatment options that can correct simple and complex oral problems. Traditional metal braces tend to close gaps and align teeth faster than other treatment options might. This can shorten your treatment times and as a result, your treatment may also be more cost-effective for patients on a budget.
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.
Metal Braces
This reliable system is the most common type of braces chosen by our patients. Metal braces work by attaching brackets to you teeth and archwires the run through them to apply the necessary pressure. These components are generally made of stainless steel that is sometimes mixed with other metals. Today’s metal braces are more comfortable and fun than ever - you have the option of choosing colored elastics to add a punch of personality to your treatment! But don’t worry, if you prefer a more subtle approach, we also offer clear or tooth-colored elastics.
Ceramic Braces
Ceramic braces, also known as clear braces, are another great option for straightening your teeth that work the same way metal braces do. The primary difference is that the brackets are made out of clear ceramic material instead of metal. We are more likely to suggest ceramic braces for the upper front teeth than the lower front teeth. They’re very popular with our older teen and adult patients because they are such a discrete treatment option. The brackets tend to be a bit larger and more brittle than their metal counterparts, so we normally won’t recommend them for our younger patients.
You can often see visible signs of improvement relatively quickly when using traditional braces, which can help increase your confidence in both your smile and the orthodontic process!
Your trusted Charlottesville braces expert
Using our leading-edge techniques and state-of-the-art technology, we will provide efficient, comfortable care that will help you change both your smile and your life! At Hamer & Glassick Orthodontics, we believe that advanced, personalized care leads to the best results and most positive orthodontic experience. Dr. Hamer, Dr. Glassick, and the rest of our skilled team focus on patients as individuals, no matter the age, personal concerns, or clinical needs. Your doctor will create a treatment plan that works with all parts of your life when you choose braces treatment with our practice.
Schedule a free consultation with us today to get started!