Metal Braces

It’s very simple; braces guide your teeth into a different position by simultaneously pulling and pushing each piece over a period of time. The archwire, a stainless steel piece that connects all your brackets, guides the movement and forces your teeth and jaws into the right position. To move your teeth, we will require making adjustments to the archwire during your appointments every 4-8 weeks.

The team at Embrace Orthodontics will carefully analyze your situation and determine a safe-to-follow treatment plan that goes in line with your objectives and budget. We won’t force your teeth into sudden and dangerous movements because we want to ensure your teeth remain healthy and become even healthier throughout your treatment.

Ann Arbor traditional braces are not as expensive as you might fear. Prices for your comprehensive orthodontic treatment with metal braces may be anywhere from $5,000 to $7,000. Still, the final cost of treatment will vary depending on many factors. Make sure you find an orthodontist with a team that’s willing to discuss everything you require instead of just someone who promises too much and underperforms.

We’ll go over your medical history, take additional advanced imagery, and create models that allow us to determine what you’ll need, and then we’ll work with you to achieve your goals.

Don’t worry; we want to make sure all our patients get a chance at their dreamed smile. You know our motto: here to make you smile.

You won’t have to pay all that money upfront. Instead, we can work on the basis of affordable monthly payment plans that help families achieve their desired smiles. We also work with all PPO insurances, including:

• Aetna,
• Blue Cross Blue Shield,
• Cigna,
• Delta Dental,
• GEHA,
• Guardian,
• Lincoln Financial,
• Metlife,
• Principal,
• Prudential,
• Sunlife,
• Tricare,
• United Concordia,
• United Healthcare.

Take advantage of our FREE Initial Consultation to ask all your questions and review what options suit you best. Besides, you can give us all of your insurance company info then, and we’ll verify your orthodontic benefits before you commit to a treatment plan.

Here at Embrace Orthodontics, our aim is not to make your treatment cheaper and ineffective; rather, we want your treatment to be affordable and efficient.

We’re so glad you asked about that. Yes, braces are extremely useful for adults hoping to get healthy and straight teeth. The truth is there’s no age limit for the wonderful Ann Arbor traditional braces. Sure, orthodontics may be easier for teenagers, but adults who wear braces save money on their dental care in the long run when compared to others who never start their treatment.

If there’s one thing we should warn our adult patients is that they must ensure their teeth are healthy before they start their treatment. Many adults here in the US have to deal with one form of gum disease. The problem with gum disease is that all the tissues that support your teeth are weak and may not resist the movement proposed by an orthodontist. That’s why we emphasize oral care so much.

Adult patients in Ann Arbor can trust Dr. Li to check their oral health status to develop the best treatment plan they can get.

Brackets

The brackets Dr. Li uses are durable and made from a mix of stainless steel, nickel, and other metals.

Brackets have little wings or hooks where Dr. Li will thread a wire. The bracket can then be secured by placing an elastic ring, the “colors”, over the wire.

Glue

This is what Dr. Li will use to attach the brackets to your teeth. It’s common to attach the bracket directly to the tooth with glue.

Wire

This thin piece of metal runs from one bracket to another. Dr. Li uses different wires of different shapes (round or square or rectangular in cross-section), sizes (from thin to thick) and material composition (memory NiTi, beta Titanium or Stainless Steel) to gradually move your teeth in the right direction.

The wire will attach all of your bottom or upper teeth together in many cases. We might occasionally cut the wire if connecting just a few teeth is better for your treatment plan.

Elastics

If Dr. Li determines that you need bite correction, elastics are essential. They’re generally strung between an upper bracket hook and a lower bracket hook.

This will pull the upper jaw backward to correct an overbite, or the lower jaw back to correct an underbite.

We may use rubber bands for many different situations, especially when we want to put extra pressure on the teeth or jaws.

Orthodontic Bands

These are stainless steel rings that are cemented to your teeth using dental bonding agents. These bands can provide an anchor for your braces and orthodontic appliances, but they’re not used for everyone. Dr. Li will determine if your treatment will benefit from orthodontic bands at your initial consultation.

Spacers

These small elastic “donuts” or rings can be used by Dr. Li to create space in between your teeth when needed, typically before bands are placed. They’re also referred to as separators.

Elastic Ties/O-Rings/Ligatures/Colors

These tiny rubber rings or bands are used to attach the archwire to the brackets. They’re less rigid than spacers, and at Embrace Orthodontics, they come in dozens of colors.

Want to learn more?

Check out the Parts of Braces section.

Not sure about what treatment is right for you? We always offer free consultations, so get started for free and find out if treatment is right for you. Be sure to follow our social pages for office updates and giveaways.

So, the time to decide is here.

Our team is thrilled to have you come to our office and begin your treatment. Helping patients improve their lives one smile at a time is rewarding, and we love what we do. You can trust that traditional braces in Ann Arbor can get the job done when it comes to well-aligned and healthy smiles.

You’ll also count on a team that’s here for you when you need us most. We’ll work closely with you to avoid any situations that delay your treatment and correct any problems that appear during your orthodontic care.

Check out more of our website to learn everything you can achieve with proper professional and certified orthodontic care.