Traditional Braces Specialist
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Touni Orthodontics
Walied Touni, DDS, MSD
Orthodontist located in Sunnyvale, CA
If you've ever wished your teeth were straighter, you're not alone. Around four million Americans wear braces — 75% of whom are aged 8-18. Traditional braces are an efficient and effective way of moving your teeth into a healthier, more aesthetically pleasing placement. Walied Touni, DDS, MSD, creates beautiful smiles every day at Touni Orthodontics in Sunnyvale, California. Discover how he can improve your smile. Call today or book an appointment through the online portal.
Traditional Braces Q&A
How do traditional braces work?
Braces are an effective way of moving teeth into their proper position. They consist of brackets attached to each tooth and an archwire that runs between them. The archwire is shaped to match the outline that Dr. Touni intends your teeth to reach after treatment.
Once the wire is placed over your teeth, your teeth move the archwire out of alignment. The wire tries to return to its original shape, which places gentle pressure on your teeth, gradually moving them into place.
Depending on the style of braces, Dr. Touni uses either rubber bands or self-ligating brackets to hold the wire in place and put the right amount of pressure on each tooth.
What are self-ligating braces?
Self-ligating technology has fast become a popular alternative to the traditional rubber-band method of securing the brace wire to the bracket. Instead of rubber bands, the self-ligating bracket has a spring-loaded clasp that holds the wire securely. Benefits of self-ligating braces include:
- More comfortable
- Faster results in many cases
- Shorter appointment times
- Choice of brackets — metal or clear
- Less risk of food catching on the brackets
The team at Touni Orthodontics is happy to answer any questions about self-ligating technology.
How can you take care of your traditional braces at home?
An important aspect of having braces is the extra precautions to prevent cavities. While wearing braces, adopt an effective cleaning and flossing process.
Prepare
Remove any removable parts of your braces — Dr. Touni advises which aspects you can take out, if any.
Clean braces
Clean around the brackets and wires by holding your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle. This angle allows you to work your way from the top to the bottom of the wire, removing plaque caught behind.
Brush teeth
Brush each tooth individually across all surfaces.
Floss
Floss once a day. You can buy floss products designed especially for braces.
Rinse
Rinse with water or mouthwash.
The team at Touni Orthodontics puts your health and safety first with state-of-the-art sanitization technology, such as the Safe-Flo™ saliva ejector, the Sterisil® Straw V2, and the Mocom Sterilizer — B Futura. Call today to make an appointment or book through the online scheduling tool.
