Ligature braces: a proven classic for correcting bite
Time-tested ligature braces remain the most common and affordable method of bite correction.
Despite the growing popularity of aligners and self-ligating braces, orthodontists still consider braces with ligatures to be an effective solution for a wide variety of bite problems. Moreover, there are situations where bite correction is only possible with their help.
The orthodontists at Club 32, a family dental clinic in the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv, are constantly improving their qualifications and have many successful cases of bite correction with ligature braces for patients of all ages in their portfolio.
We offer an individual approach to each patient, creating a treatment plan that fully corresponds to your clinical situation and wishes. This allows us to achieve maximum comfort during treatment and long-lasting results.
Advantages of ligature braces
The long-standing success of ligature braces in orthodontic practice is based on three pillars:
- simplicity
- reliability
- price
Another important advantage is the orthodontist's constant monitoring of the progress of bite correction. This type of orthodontic treatment requires frequent visits to the clinic every 4-8 weeks. On the one hand, this is inconvenient, as it requires time and payment for the appointment. On the other hand, the patient is guaranteed complete and timely monitoring of the bite correction process by the orthodontist.
All this ensures the high effectiveness of this type of orthodontic treatment, especially for complex clinical cases.
Manufacturers of ligature braces systems certainly take into account the desire of patients to maintain the aesthetics of their smile during treatment. That is why our doctors have both ceramic and even sapphire braces in their arsenal.
If you are looking for affordable and effective treatment, metal braces with rubber bands are the ideal option.
When drawing up a treatment plan, the orthodontists at Club 32 will select a brace system for you based on your clinical picture, as well as your wishes and capabilities.
How braces with ligatures work
At the preliminary stage, the orthodontist conducts an examination and draws up a treatment plan. At this stage, a list of procedures that must be performed before installing braces (caries treatment, cleaning) and the cost of the ligature braces system are determined.
After that, the orthodontist installs the braces on one or both jaws.
First, brackets are glued to the teeth—rectangular plates with special grooves (locks). Each bracket has a unique set of characteristics (prescriptions). They determine the direction in which the tooth will move during treatment and the correspondence of its new position to parameters such as the angle of inclination from right to left (angulation), the angle of inclination from front to back (inclination or torque), the angle of rotation along the longitudinal axis (rotation), and the position relative to the dental arch (in/out).
After the braces are fixed in place, an orthodontic archwire—a flexible metal (or composite) wire—is threaded through their slots.
It has the shape of a regular jaw and has shape memory, meaning that after any deformation, it tends to return to its original shape. This property is the basis of how braces work. When threaded through the brackets, the archwire deforms according to the actual position of the teeth. This deformation is the start of treatment, during which the archwire gradually returns to its original shape, smoothly moving the teeth to which it is attached—and the brackets, or more precisely, their prescriptions, set the parameters for this movement.
The archwire is attached to the slots of the braces using ligatures — small rubber bands or metal elements. This is where the name "ligature braces" comes from. These attachments hold the archwire inside the lock, ensuring that the braces exert pressure on the teeth and gradually align them.
After the braces are installed, the patient visits the clinic about once every 1-2 months. During these visits, the doctor changes the ligatures and adjusts the position of the archwire. This allows them to control the force and direction of pressure of the braces on the teeth.
In order to make treatment as comfortable as possible, especially in complex cases, our orthodontists recommend dividing it into several stages:
The braces are connected by a round archwire. This shape provides minimum rigidity with maximum elasticity. As a result, the teeth begin to change their position at a "minimum speed," which minimizes pain and discomfort.
The brackets are connected by a rectangular archwire. More intense pressure is exerted on the teeth, but thanks to proper preparation in the first stage, the teeth tolerate this relatively easily.
The brackets are connected by a square-shaped archwire. It creates maximum pressure. Thanks to their shape, rectangular and square archwires are more securely fixed in the bracket and therefore affect both the tooth itself and its root.
Types of ligature braces
Metal braces. Made of stainless steel or nickel-containing alloys. The main advantages are reliability and low price. The disadvantage is that they are noticeable in the mouth.
If you are allergic to steel or nickel, titanium braces can be used. This type of metal ligature braces system is more expensive, but guarantees no allergic reactions. There is another hypoallergenic option: gold-plated braces. When choosing this option, the patient effectively has a very noticeable piece of jewelry installed in their mouth. However, in this case, you will have to forget about affordability.
Plastic braces. Modern technologies allow the manufacture of plastic that can withstand quite serious loads. Therefore, in uncomplicated cases, patients who choose budget treatment options have the opportunity to get this type of braces.
Ceramic braces. These are made from dental ceramics. Their main advantage is that they are less noticeable. This effect is achieved by individually selecting the color of the ceramic ligature braces depending on the shade of the patient's tooth enamel.
Disadvantage: you will need to exclude coloring drinks (coffee, red and black teas) from your diet and give up smoking. In addition, you will only be able to brush your teeth with a soft toothbrush.
Ceramic braces with metal slots. These are a special type of ceramic braces. Their use combines the aesthetics of ceramics with the effectiveness of metal braces.
Sapphire braces. They are completely transparent, so when combined with transparent elastics, they are completely invisible in the mouth. Some manufacturers claim that they are milled from specially grown artificial single-crystal sapphires, while others admit that they are actually made of extremely durable ceramic baked under special conditions. In any case, patients who choose this type of braces, , get the most aesthetically pleasing of all currently available orthodontic designs.
Invisible arches
For patients who choose ceramic or sapphire ligature braces, special white Teflon-coated arches have been developed. These products allow patients to make their braces almost completely invisible.
There are situations when a patient wants to preserve the aesthetics of their smile but cannot afford a full ceramic or sapphire ligature brace system for financial reasons. In such cases, we can offer a combined solution: aesthetic braces are placed on the teeth in the smile zone, and metal braces on the rest.
How to care for ligature braces
Proper care of the system is the key to successful treatment. Ligature braces require extra attention to hygiene, especially if colored or transparent elastics are used.
Here are the basic rules:
- brush your teeth after every meal;
- Use orthodontic brushes and single-tufted brushes.
- Use brushes and irrigators.
- Visit a dental hygienist at least once every three months.
- follow a diet: avoid sticky and hard foods so as not to damage the braces and ligatures.
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