Flashback to the 1980s: Wearing braces often meant you had at least one set of small rubber bands stretched between your top and bottom teeth. Occasionally, one of the rubber bands would fly out of your mouth across the lunchroom table toward another student (or that's the story you told the cafeteria paraprofessional!). Every four to six weeks, you'd be in the orthodontist's office choosing a new color of elastic bands to wrap around each metal brace on your teeth. The glow-in-the-dark ones were cool, and you could choose your school colors for homecoming. Cleaning your teeth around all the rubber bands in your mouth was a challenge!
Today: You have more options with braces in 2019. At Mountain View Orthodontics in Roanoke, VA, we offer patients Empower® braces from American Orthodontics as an alternative to conventional braces.
Empower® braces are called 'self-ligating' which means they don't require any moveable components to hold the brace wire in place. The Empower® brackets have a door-like mechanism that opens and then closes over the brace wire.
Here are a few of the benefits Empower® braces offer:
No rubber ligatures!Your teeth will be less colorful with Empower® braces, but brushing will be much easier. You won’t battle those rubber ligatures that collect food particles and cause tooth decay!
Less metal! Empower® brace brackets are smaller than traditional braces, making them less noticeable. You can also choose clear brackets made from ceramic which have the same strength as metal but are less visible.Some patients at Mountain View Orthodontics opt for a few clear brackets on their front teeth and metal for their remaining teeth.
Comfort! Although patients still feel the pressure of their teeth moving into alignment, the smaller size and absence of bands make Empower® braces more comfortable to wear.
Fewer appointments! The team at Mountain View Orthodontics enjoys seeing every patient, but we’re happy to report you may need fewer adjustment appointments with Empower®.
Results! Each patient’s timetable is unique, but on average, we’ve seen Empower® braces initially shift teeth into alignment more quickly than with traditional braces. Remember, though, that the speed of tooth realignment is tied more closely to age, bone growth, and genetics than to the type of braces. That's why pre-teens and teens see faster results than adults. Adults' bone structure (including teeth) is stable, and changes take longer.
Competitive pricing! Empower® metal braces cost about the same as conventional braces. Clear brackets may require a bit more but check with our team for exact pricing.
If you’re thinking about getting braces for yourself or your child, set up a consultation with Mountain View Orthodontics in Roanoke, VA. We’ll conduct a preliminary exam and talk about whether traditional or Empower® braces would work effectively for your current circumstances. Adults may be candidates for the Invisalign System, a no-metal orthodontic treatment. Our goal is to recommend an orthodontic program that will deliver your best smile!