Thirty years ago in Mt. Airy, Center City and the surrounding Philadelphia area, metal bands that encircled the whole tooth were common throughout the whole mouth. This made it very unsightly, as a lot of metal was exposed during a smile. Today, with the invention of new materials and procedures, brackets are securely glued onto the surface of the teeth, thus eliminating a lot of unsightliness. Bands are still commonly used on the back molars, as bands provide increased stability on larger teeth that experience a lot of use.
The procedure to glue brackets on to the teeth involves several steps. They are:
– Prep the teeth by polishing them with an unflavored paste
– The cheek is pulled back by a “cheek retractor” so that the teeth are visible and can stay dry
– The teeth are dried and a conditioner is placed on the tooth
– A primer is placed on the teeth
– A bonding cement is placed on the bracket and the bracket is placed on the tooth
– A blue light is used to “cure” the cement
– The cheek retractor is removed and the wires are placed in the brackets
The entire bonding procedure can take anywhere from 10-20 minutes to complete. Placing the brackets is relatively pain free. Most of the discomfort comes from the cheek retractor – when it’s removed your cheeks and lips may be dry and tired from being stretched, but the discomfort will quickly pass.
At Farrow Orthodontics, we are here to answer any questions you may have about the bonding procedure. Please call Dr. Farrow at 215-247-9060, at the Mt. Airy location, or at (215) 569-9060, at the Center City location, with any questions or for a free consultation!