Fixed Braces
Explained

Crooked teeth, crowding, a gap you’ve always hated. Really common, and fixed braces are still one of the most dependable ways to deal with them. If you’ve been searching for fixed braces or dental braces in Droitwich, this is the treatment we’d sit down and talk you through at Droitwich Dental Studio.

Think traditional braces, the version most people picture. We bond brackets to your teeth, thread a wire between them and let that wire do its thing over the following months. They don’t come out. You can’t leave them on the kitchen side or lose them in a napkin at a restaurant, which is honestly half the reason some people pick them.

Looks are only part of it. Teeth that sit badly are fiddly to clean, so they’re more prone to gum disease and decay. A bite that doesn’t line up can wear certain teeth down faster and make eating a bit of a faff. Fixed braces can help with both.

What Are Fixed Braces?

Two main bits. Brackets, which are small and get bonded onto the front of each tooth. And an archwire that runs through all of them.

The brackets are really just anchors. The wire’s the part doing the work, pressing gently and constantly so your teeth shift a little at a time. You can have metal brackets here, the classic metal braces look, or tooth-coloured ones if you’d rather they blended in. Roughly every eight weeks the wire gets changed.

People come to us for fixed dental braces with all sorts going on:

• teeth that are crowded or overlap
• crooked or twisted teeth
• gaps
• front teeth that stick out
• an overbite, underbite or crossbite
• general bite and alignment problems

Your teeth, your bite and how healthy your gums are will decide what you need. So we always start with a proper assessment. No shortcuts on that one.

How Do Fixed Braces Work?

Slowly. That’s on purpose. Teeth need time to move safely, so be wary of anyone promising you a brand new smile in a few weeks.

We start with a good look at your teeth and bite, plus photos, scans or X-rays if we need them. That lets us plan where each tooth is heading. Fitting comes next.

Then it’s regular visits. We see how things are moving, change the wire when it’s due and tweak whatever needs tweaking. Month after month, small changes add up.

How long do fixed braces take?

Honestly? It depends. Mostly on how far your teeth have to travel and how complicated your bite is. NHS orthodontic departments tend to quote around 18 months to two years for brace treatment. Some people are done quicker. Some take longer. We’ll give you a proper estimate for your own teeth once we’ve assessed you.

Problems Fixed Braces Can Treat

Fixed braces are good at the fiddly stuff. With a bracket on every tooth, we can control how each one moves pretty precisely.

Crowded teeth

The jaw’s short on room and teeth end up overlapping or pushed out of line. Braces ease them into a better arrangement over time.

Gaps between teeth

Often closable. Depends what caused the gap in the first place.

Crooked teeth

Twisted, tilted, leaning at an odd angle. Each one can be brought back into line.

Bite problems

Overbites, underbites and crossbites can all be improved with orthodontic treatment. And this one isn’t only about appearance. Your bite affects how you chew, and how evenly your teeth wear as the years go by.

Are braces right for you? We’ll give you a straight answer once we’ve seen your teeth.

Braces for Adults and Teenagers

Adults get braces all the time. Orthodontic treatment isn’t a teenage thing, and plenty of people straighten their teeth well into adulthood.

Braces for teenagers work in pretty much the same way. What matters most, at any age, is how healthy your teeth and gums are going in. Brackets and wires give plaque loads of extra places to hide, so we’d want any gum problems dealt with before we start.

Wondering about braces for adults specifically? Pop in. We’ll look at your teeth and talk through the teeth straightening options that actually suit you, not a generic list.

Are Fixed Braces Painful?

Painful isn’t really the word. Sore, tight, a bit achy, yes, especially for the first few days after fitting and again after each adjustment. That’s your teeth being moved. Annoying, but it means things are working.

Your lips and cheeks need time to get used to the brackets too. Feels strange at first. Most people stop noticing fairly quickly.

If it’s properly painful or just won’t settle down, ring us.

What Can You Eat With Fixed Braces?

Most of your normal food is fine. The catch is that some things can pop a bracket off or bend the wire, and that means an extra trip in to see us.

Go easy on:

• hard stuff like nuts and ice
• sticky sweets and toffee
• really chewy foods
• sugary snacks and drinks between meals

Cut harder food into small pieces and you’ll be fine most of the time. Sugar’s the other thing. Plaque collects around braces more easily, and plaque plus sugar is exactly how tooth decay starts.

Keeping Fixed Braces Clean

Caring for fixed braces mostly comes down to cleaning. People underestimate this bit. Don’t.

Brush around every single bracket, then along the wire, then between your teeth. Interdental brushes are great for it, they get into gaps a normal toothbrush just skims over. We’ll show you how when your braces go on. Keep coming for your usual dental check-ups the whole way through, too.

Skip it and plaque piles up fast around the brackets. That can mean decay, gum problems, even marks left on the teeth after the braces come off. Nobody wants straight teeth with stains on them.

Fixed Braces vs Invisalign

Two ways of getting to the same place.

We do Invisalign in Droitwich too, so you’re not picking blind. Can’t decide? We’ll look at your teeth and go through both with you.

Looks are one factor. Only one, though. Your bite, your oral health and how you actually live day to day all matter. Some patients like the idea of braces they never have to think about. Others want to take them out for a meal or a photo.

After Your Braces Come Off

Braces off, retainer on. That’s the deal.

Teeth like to drift back towards where they started, so a retainer holds them in their new spot. We do removable and fixed retainers, including clear ones you only wear at night, and we’ll suggest whichever fits your case. Had braces as an adult? Think of the retainer as long term.

Retainers need a bit of looking after as well. Toothpaste can be too abrasive for them, so we’ll show you the right way to clean yours and keep it in decent shape.

How Much Do Fixed Braces Cost?

Depends what your teeth need and how long it’ll take. We won’t stick a guessed number on this page. Come in, let us have a look, and you’ll get a real figure with everything explained before you commit to anything. Braces are a commitment of time as much as money, so it’s worth knowing exactly what you’re signing up for.

Why Choose Droitwich Dental Studio for Fixed Braces?

Because we’ll actually listen. Your consultation is where we check your alignment and bite, hear what’s bugging you about your smile and explain what orthodontic treatment in Droitwich would involve for you. You don’t have to decide anything on the day.

We’re on the High Street in Droitwich Spa. Easy enough from Worcester or Bromsgrove, and from the villages around them. Want braces in Droitwich from people who explain things plainly? That’s us.

Book a Fixed Braces Consultation in Droitwich

Had enough of crooked or crowded teeth? Give us a ring on 01905 797733 or drop us a message and we’ll get you booked in to chat about fixed braces and teeth straightening in Droitwich.

Book your consultation