The Strong Standard

Traditional metal braces have been around for a long time, and they’re probably what most people around Charlotte imagine when they think “orthodontics”.

Dr. Robert Selden has transformed smiles for a huge number of patients using this treatment option in the Charlotte and Huntersville area.

Charlotte & Huntersville Braces

Dr. Selden uses orthodontic braces to correct crooked and crowded teeth, misaligned bites, and jaw problems. Braces can also eliminate problems you may have with eating, speaking correctly, or keeping your teeth clean.

Yes, traditional metal braces are the most common type of braces. However, over the years, technology streamlined braces, becoming smaller, sleeker, and more comfortable to wear.

What Are Braces Made Of?

Traditional braces consist of standard metal brackets that Dr. Selden adheres to your teeth and then connects by a wire.

They require periodic tightening so pressure can gradually align your teeth.

Brackets

Dr. Selden uses durable brackets, made from a mix of stainless steel, nickel, and other metals, and feature little hooks or doors where we thread a wire.

Your Charlotte and Huntersville braces experts secure the brackets by closing the door or placing an elastic over the top of the wire.

Glue

This is how Dr. Selden attaches the brackets to your teeth. It’s normal to glue the bracket directly to your tooth.

Elastics

If Dr. Selden needs to correct your bite, elastics are essential. We normally string elastics between an upper bracket hook and a lower bracket hook.

This pressure pulls your upper jaw backward to correct an overbite or the lower jaw back to correct an underbite. At Selden Orthodontics, we use rubber bands for many different situations, especially when we want to put extra pressure on the teeth or jaws.

Wire

This thin piece of metal runs from one bracket to another. Dr. Selden shapes and curves the wire so your teeth move in the right direction.

Normally, the wire attaches to all of your bottom or upper teeth, but Dr. Selden may cut the wire if he thinks it’s better for your treatment plan.

Orthodontic Bands

Our team cements these stainless steel rings to your teeth using dental bonding agents. These bands anchor your braces and orthodontic appliances, but Dr. Selden doesn’t always use bands for all patients.

Spacers

Dr. Selden uses these tiny elastic “donuts” or rings to create space between your teeth when needed, typically before we place your bands. People also refer to them as "separators".

Elastic Ties/O-Rings/Ligatures/Colors

These tiny bands or rubber rings attach the archwire to the brackets. Dr. Selden likes them because elastics are less rigid than spacers and he’ll let you choose from dozens of colors.

Common Braces Questions in Charlotte & Huntersville

How do braces work?

Before applying the brackets, Dr. Selden and our team will collect photos and X-rays of your mouth. Sometimes we will use our iTero Element scanner to scan each of your teeth and the layout of your gums and mouth. If you need it, this only takes 10-15 minutes and gives Dr. Selden a detailed picture of your mouth.

After Dr. Selden’s team gives you your X-Ray and optional scan, he uses this data to create a unique orthodontic treatment plan. He determines how he needs to move each tooth to look and work perfectly.

Dr. Selden will decide how to place the brackets based on this information. For example, if you have some teeth that he needs to tilt, he’ll place some brackets differently than the brackets on teeth that need to turn.

Once we attach your brackets, Dr. Selden inserts the wire. Bends in the wire will provide different types of pressure on different teeth. Most orthodontists like Dr. Selden create precise movements using this bend in the wire.

For example, a bend can help turn a twisted tooth or align one tooth that is too far forward with one that is too far back. This process of tooth movement is called remodeling, which involves minor changes in the bone surrounding the roots of your teeth.

What can I expect from today’s metal braces?

Sleeker brackets and lighter wires improve the look and comfort of our metal braces at Selden Orthodontics. This means you’ll feel more comfortable during treatment because you won’t encounter as much mouth irritation.

At our Charlotte and Huntersville offices, you can also choose champagne-colored brackets. These popular metal braces look gold and they’re as durable as traditional metal braces and as discreet as ceramic braces.

You can also customize your metal braces at Selden Orthodontics with fun pops of color. The elastics that fit around your brackets come in a ton of colors that let you show off your vibrant personality however you want.

Pick your favorite color combination, holiday color schemes, the colors of your favorite sports team, or even your school colors! We also offer silver, gray, white, black, and tooth-colored elastics for patients seeking a more subtle look.

Braces are great at fixing complex tooth issues. They can work faster at closing gaps and aligning teeth than other treatments might. This can potentially shorten your treatment time at Selden Orthodontics.

Metal braces fit a lot of families’ budgets because they don’t need some of the complicated equipment or technology that the newer treatments do. Braces are strong, durable, and cost-effective, so they stay at the top of the list of orthodontic patients in Charlotte and Huntersville.

How long will I be in braces?

The length of time you need to wear your braces depends on your individual case. Typically, our Charlotte and Huntersville braces patients wear their braces for one to two years.

However, with metal braces, you can see signs of improvement in just a short time, and that gives you confidence during the treatment process.

Once you complete your treatment at Selden Orthodontics and we remove your braces, you’ll need to wear a retainer to make sure your teeth don’t shift out of their new positions over time.

Metal Braces