Dillehay Orthodontics is your Pratt braces expert
If you’re looking for someone you can trust, the team at Dillehay Orthodontics is here to provide a brilliant straight smile in the Pratt area. We proudly create beautiful new smiles for patients of all ages in Pratt, Wichita, Arkansas City, Derby and the surrounding communities. Traditional braces are one of the most effective tools used to achieve optimal tooth and jaw alignment, and we’re proud to offer patients a variety of orthodontic options, including traditional metal braces and ceramic braces.
Braces treatment with your Pratt braces expert
Our team will collect digital x-rays, photos, and a model of your mouth before we put your braces on. Our orthodontists, Dr. Ken Dillehay and Dr. JK Dillehay, will then use this data to create a customized treatment plan that will determine how your brackets are placed based on your particular orthodontic needs, which will include information about the movements each tooth needs to make in order to achieve optimal positioning.
Wire is inserted through the brackets once they are attached to provide customized pressure on all the teeth that need to be moved. Through a process called remodeling, bends in the wire will encourage specific and precise movements of the teeth. This process involves minor changes in the bone that surrounds the roots of teeth. When your braces put pressure on a tooth, cells called osteoblasts and osteoclasts form around the root. Together with the wire, this creates negative pressure on one side of the tooth and removes parts of the bone. On the other side of the tooth, the bone is reformed. This pressure and bone remodeling slowly moves teeth into the correct position.
Remodeling can only occur if constant pressure is put on a tooth. This means that teeth will often begin drifting back towards their old positions over time once your braces are removed. Fortunately, this natural drifting can be prevented through the regular use of a retainer. This will keep your teeth in their new and improved positions!
What your Pratt braces expert offers
Today’s braces are better than ever! All of our treatment options are excellent and can correct a variety of oral issues, from simple to complex. Traditional metal braces often work faster at closing gaps and aligning teeth than other treatments might. This can potentially shorten your overall treatment time, making it a cost-effective option for patients on a budget. The strength, durability, and affordability of traditional braces are a big part of why they’ve withstood the test of time and are still the top orthodontic treatment year after year.
Metal Braces
The most common type of braces is the tried-and-true traditional metal braces system. They are normally constructed with high-grade stainless steel and work to straighten your teeth using metal brackets and archwires. Today’s metal braces are more comfortable and also more fun than ever - you have the option of choosing colored elastics to add a punch of personality to your treatment! However, if you prefer a more subtle approach, we also offer clear or tooth-colored elastics.
Ceramic Braces
Another option for straightening your smile, ceramic braces work the same way metal braces do, but the brackets are made with a clear ceramic material instead. They’re very popular with our older teen and adult patients because they are such a discrete treatment option. We normally won’t recommend them for our younger patients, since the brackets tend to be a bit larger and more brittle than their metal counterparts. Ceramic braces tend to be used on the upper front teeth more often than the lower teeth.
You can often see visible signs of improvement relatively quickly when using traditional braces, which can help increase your confidence in both your smile and the orthodontic process!
Your trusted Pratt braces expert
We believe at Dillehay Orthodontics that advanced, personalized care leads to the best results and most positive orthodontic experience. Dr. Ken Dillehay, Dr. JK Dillehay, and the rest of our skilled team focus on patients as individuals, no matter the age, personal concerns, or clinical needs. When you choose braces treatment with our practice, Drs. Dillehay will create a treatment plan that works with all parts of your life. Using our leading-edge techniques and state-of-the-art technology, we will provide efficient, comfortable care that will help you change your smile...and your life!
To get started, schedule a free consultation with us today!