Getting Your Braces On

Expert Orthodontic Treatment in Omaha, NE

At Pedodontics, PC, we’re passionate about helping every one of our patients achieve a healthy, beautiful smile as conveniently as possible. Our doctors and highly trained team of orthodontic specialists work hard to treat every patient individually, designing personalized treatment plans that perfectly suit each patient’s unique orthodontic needs and lifestyle. Achieving a new smile is an exciting process, and it all starts when we first place your braces on your teeth!

Starting Towards a Beautiful Smile

After we’ve completed your initial examination, diagnosis, and treatment plan, we’re ready to begin the active phase of treatment and place braces on the teeth. Don’t worry, though: this is an easy, comfortable procedure. It’ll take about 2 hours to complete, and the process will work like this:

1. We’ll first ensure the teeth are clean and healthy enough to undergo orthodontic treatment. If we spot any serious dental hygiene issues, we may need to delay starting treatment.
2. If we determine everything looks good, we’ll start the process. The first step is to prepare the tooth surfaces so the brackets will adhere correctly to them. We’ll use cheek retractors to keep the lips, cheeks, and tongue safely away from the action, and we’ll provide a bite block with built-in suction to keep the mouth dry.
3. Now the real work begins! We’ll first apply an etching agent to each tooth, giving them a “frosty” appearance and allowing the dental cement we’ll use to adhere the brackets to stick correctly.
4. After rinsing the etching agent off the teeth, we’ll use a sealant chemical called “opalescence” to protect the enamel from decay and help the adhesive bond correctly with the tooth.
5. With the tooth prepared, Dr. Strunk will carefully position the brackets on their respective teeth, aligning them to apply a finely calibrated force that will eventually move the teeth to new positions.
6. With the brackets in place, we’ll use a “curing” light to “set” the bracket glue.
7. With all the brackets placed and secured, we’ll run the archwire through each of the slots in the brackets. We’ll then use tiny rubber rings called elastics to hold the archwire in place.
8. Once the archwire is in place, we’ll clean the mouth and remove the bite blocks and cheek retractors. With that done, your braces are on and you’ve officially begun your treatment!

Contact Your Omaha, NE Children’s Orthodontist

The placing of your braces marks the real starting point of your treatment, setting you on the path to a beautiful, healthy new smile. Throughout your treatment, we’ll be here to talk with you, answer questions, and address your concerns – and if you’d like to pursue treatment for yourself, we’re here to help as well! Feel free to call us at 402-330-5913 with any questions, or if you’d like to schedule a consultation, you can do so by reaching out to us at our contact page. We can’t wait to hear from you, and we’re excited to help you achieve a beautiful, healthy new smile!