How Long Do I Wear Braces? 5 Ways to Improve Your Time

It’s probably the most common question we get: How long do you wear braces? Orthodontic treatment takes time for everyone, but some people will need it longer than others. How long do you need to wear braces?

How long do braces stay on? That depends on your dental issues. Are they mild or severe? Is there more than one?

Smiles by the Bay provides self-ligating and custom-designed braces aimed at reducing your treatment times from those of the traditional metal option. The severity of dental issues determines how long you keep braces on teeth.

How Do Braces Work?

How long do braces last? What are braces that are self-ligating compared to traditional braces? It’s easier to understand that if you know how they work. It involves a lot more than just adding wires and brackets to your teeth.

We map out the journey of each tooth. Moving a tooth too fast or too soon can damage it or those around it and can weaken your jawbone. That’s why we encourage anyone who needs orthodontic treatment to visit a trained and certified orthodontist like Dr. Trahar-Thomas here at Smiles by the Bay.

How do braces work? The brackets, bands, and wires apply gentle, precise pressure to your teeth, which causes the bone around their roots to break down. The teeth shift, and the jawbone rebuilds itself behind them. This allows the teeth to move while keeping a tight grip on them, so they don’t fall out.

If the teeth were moved too fast, the bone wouldn’t have time to rebuild, and your teeth might fall out! That’s why we tell our patients to have patience when it comes to treatment. (Here are more details on how braces work!)

How Long Do Braces Take?

How long are braces worn? That depends on several factors. The average treatment time for traditional metal braces is 12-24 months. Someone with a mild overbite and only a couple of crooked teeth may only need 12 months. Someone with a severe overbite, a crossbite, several crooked teeth, and impacted teeth may need every day of that 24 months.

Smiles by the Bay uses orthodontic systems made to shorten treatment times. Our clear braces are self-ligating braces. That means instead of an archwire attached to each bracket by elastics that have to be changed out every six weeks, ours have brackets with tiny “doors” that hold the archwire in place and allow it to slide easier.

Patients report that self-ligating braces are more comfortable, and the uninhibited movement of the archwire means they can work faster to move your teeth into place.

We also offer LightForce Braces, which use 3D, custom-printed brackets to fit your teeth with incredible precision. This means your brackets apply pressure at the best place on your tooth for optimum movement. It reduces the time you have to stay in your treatment. LightForce braces can work in as little as six months!

5 Tips for Getting Your Braces Off on Time

Certain things can delay your orthodontic treatment, from not wearing your rubber bands properly to breaking brackets or wires. What’s the best way to keep your treatment on track? Here are some suggestions.

• Brush and floss regularly. Cavities and tooth decay can slow your treatment, because we may have to remove brackets and wires to allow a dentist to treat the cavity. Brush and floss every day at least twice a day.
• Brush and floss well. It’s not just about brushing and flossing. It’s about brushing and flossing correctly. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes work better because their motion gets out food particles and plaque around your brackets that manual toothbrushes may not reach. Use a floss threader to get over and under archwires and floss your teeth properly.
• Wear your rubber bands. Rubber bands move your teeth just as braces do. They often are used to fix a crossbite or line up your teeth properly. Not wearing them for the length of time recommended daily could delay your treatment.
• Avoid foods on the “no-no” list. Avoid hard, crunchy, sticky, or chewy foods that can damage your wires and brackets. It may take time to get your braces repaired, which could slow down your treatment time. Here’s a list of some foods to avoid.
• Report any loose brackets or broken wires immediately. If you do break a wire, or if you notice a loose or broken bracket, contact Smiles by the Bay immediately. We’ll set an appointment to fix your braces. The sooner we can get that fixed, the better we can avoid delays.

Braces in Annapolis, Kent Island, and Denton, MD

How long will braces last for you? We offer consultations that include thorough examinations and treatment planning. We can tell you how long your treatment should last. You can schedule an online or in-office consultation to learn more about orthodontic care in Annapolis, MD, Kent Island, MD, or Denton, MD.