How do braces work?
Braces are glued to your teeth with a temporary adhesive
Wires are inserted into the brackets. The shape and size of the wires are changed over time to promote different tooth movements
You may need elastics to align the upper and lower jaws into the ideal position
Advanced robotic wire printing during treatment allows precise and efficient tooth movement
Fulltime, then nightly retainers to hold your result after treatment
Robotic braces technology for more precise results with SureSmile
With SureSmile, Dr Lim can design your smile more precisely than ever before.
Instead of manually bending wires to move the teeth one-by-one into position, SureSmile uses 3-D technology to help the braces move all your teeth more efficiently and directly into position. With SureSmile, your teeth don’t move more quickly, instead more teeth are moved at each visit and it’s these more efficient visits that save you time in treatment.
Dr Lim is one of only a handful of Orthodontists in New Zealand who offers this advanced braces technology.
How does robotic wire bending make treatment more precise?
Instead of your Orthodontist bending an archwire by hand, as in conventional treatment, SureSmile technology uses robotic hands to precisely bend archwires to the unique prescription that Dr Lim plans. It gives our Orthodontist maximum control of your tooth movement.
Using SureSmile Treatment Planning Software, our orthodontist can evaluate treatment options, visualise the desired end result and map the path of tooth movement. The plan moves teeth in the most direct path to the target without the need for multiple adjustments. The software also allows us to digitally evaluate progress during treatment.
Are SureSmile braces treatments really less painful than traditional braces?
The pain patients experience during orthodontic treatment is a result of changes in pressure caused by adjusting wires, particularly the traditional stainless steel wires. Patients who use SureSmile treatment often experience less discomfort because SureSmile wires are a gentler wire than stainless steel, and fewer adjustments and changes are needed.
What colour braces can I choose?
You have the option of a tooth coloured ceramic braces system (known as clear braces), metal braces or a combination of both! We can also add an almost endless choice of colour into your braces journey by using coloured bands.
Braces FAQs
Braces use a combination of brackets, wires and elastics to move your teeth and jaws into a more optimal alignment. You can have clear braces, ceramic braces, lingual braces, self-ligating braces, invisible braces and traditional metal braces.
Metal braces are made of high-quality stainless steel or titanium.
The three main parts of your braces are:
BRACKETS – Brackets are attached to the teeth using special glue that bonds them to the tooth surface and holds them in place.
ARCHWIRE — The archwire is the thin metal wire that connects each bracket and puts pressure on the teeth to help guide them into place. We use metal coloured archwires rather than white as the white quickly becomes chipped and can look unsightly.
MODULES & ELASTICS – Modules are the coloured ties that hold the archwires into the bracket slots. Modules may come in a variety of colours and are changed at each adjustment visit. Elastics are rubber bands that often run from the back top teeth to the back bottom teeth. Elastics help the orthodontist move your upper and lower jaw and teeth into a better resting and chewing position.
Braces and wires exert orthodontic forces on your teeth, and the force of the pressure helps move the teeth into proper position. Dr Lim adjusts your wires at your adjustment appointments to help your treatment progress. She also uses special high tech wires called Suresmile technology which are uniquely customised for you to help more your teeth more precisely with fewer visits and wire changes.
It is very normal for your teeth to be tender when orthodontic forces have been applied to them, after adjustment visits. It is a good sign your teeth are moving! You may feel a small amount of discomfort for a couple days as your teeth, gums, cheeks, and mouth get used to your new braces and this can be easily managed by having pain relief such as Panadol or Neurofen.
The time in treatment will vary amongst individuals. This will depend upon their individual needs and goals, age and can vary anything from 6 months – 30 months. It will also depend upon each individual response as people’s teeth move differently and not everyone’s teeth move the same way. The average orthodontic treatment time is around 24 months.
With braces, you should brush your teeth at least three times a day to keep your teeth, gums, and mouth healthy and clean. Brushing regularly will help remove any food that may be caught between the braces. Excellent brushing is one key to success to a positive treatment outcome. You should also floss daily to get between your braces where your brush isn’t able to reach. Dr Lim and her team can show you how to brush and floss properly once your braces are placed.
During braces treatment you do need to modify your diet so it is braces friendly and does not break your braces. Some food you should avoid when you’re wearing braces includes:
● Whole Apples and Carrots
● Caramels
● Nuts
● Tough meat with bone
● Corn on the cob
● Hard candy
● Popcorn
● Hard crusty breads
● Anything sticky and chewy
● If you wish to eat foods like pizza, which can be hard on your braces, your orthodontist may recommend cutting your pizza up into small bites before chewing.
Playing an instrument or a contact sport may require some adjustment when you first get your braces, but wearing braces will not stop you from participating in any of your sporting or musical activities. If you play a contact sport, it is recommended that you wear a mouthguard to protect your braces or appliance.
Firstly don’t panic! There are lots of things you can do to make your time with braces easier and if something breaks. Use dental wax to prevent mouth ulcers and to get comfort from pokey wires or if a bracket breaks off. If you get ulcers you can rinse your mouth with salt water to minimise the effects of the sores . Always let our team know if something breaks so we can arrange a time to put you back together.
No, there is no age limit to having braces. Obviously when you have a younger patient, teeth move more quickly with actively growing individuals. You can still move teeth in adults, however they don’t move as quickly compared to young people. We use advanced braces technology to move your teeth in the most efficient way called SureSmile technology.
Braces visits vary anything from 8 weeks to 16 weeks and beyond. Dr Lim uses advanced technology with Dental Monitoring and also SureSmile which result in fewer visits to the practice, making your treatment as efficient and convenient as possible.
