Metal or ceramic: which braces do we offer?
Braces work by applying gentle, steady pressure through a wire that runs through small brackets bonded to each tooth. Over months, the bone around the roots remodels and the teeth move into line. The mechanics are the same whichever bracket you choose.
Metal braces are stainless steel brackets, the kind most people picture. They are small, strong and the least expensive option. Modern metal brackets are considerably smaller than those from a generation ago, and the coloured elastic ties can be swapped at each visit, which many teenagers enjoy.
Ceramic braces use tooth-coloured or translucent brackets that blend in with your teeth, usually with a thin metal wire. From a normal speaking distance they are much less noticeable. They are slightly bulkier and more brittle than metal, the clear ties can pick up stains from tea, coffee and turmeric between visits, and they cost more.
Both are fixed to your teeth for the whole treatment, which is also their main advantage over aligners. They work 24 hours a day whether or not you remember them, which is why braces remain the most predictable option for complex cases, large movements and bite corrections.
What treatment actually feels like
Fitting braces does not hurt. The teeth are cleaned, a mild conditioning gel is applied, the brackets are bonded one by one and the wire is threaded through. It takes about an hour and nothing is drilled or injected.
The soreness starts a few hours later, as the wire begins to work, and peaks on the second or third day. Teeth feel tender when you bite, so soft food helps for the first week. The inside of the lips and cheeks may rub against the brackets until the skin toughens. Orthodontic wax over the offending bracket sorts this out. Each monthly adjustment brings a milder version of the same few days.
Speech is barely affected. Eating takes practice, and you will learn to cut apples and slice corn off the cob rather than biting into them.
Why patients choose i-Smile for braces
- One dentist throughout. Dr. Upasana Gosalia plans your case, fits the braces and does every adjustment herself, so nothing gets lost between appointments.
- Records, adjustments and retainers included. The quoted price at i-Smile covers X-rays and records, every monthly visit and the retainers at the end, so you can compare it fairly with other quotes.
- Honest advice on braces versus aligners. Dr. Upasana treats with both, so the recommendation is based on your teeth, not on what the clinic happens to offer.
- Evening and Saturday hours. Adjustment visits take 20 to 30 minutes and the clinic is open until 9 pm Monday to Saturday, which matters when there are 18 or more of them.
- Serving Ghatkopar since 2012, with a 5.0 rating on Practo from over 700 reviews and 4.9 on Google.
- EMI available for the full treatment.
Aftercare: keeping teeth and gums healthy with braces
Braces themselves do not damage teeth. Plaque left around the brackets does, leaving white marks and cavities that show once the braces come off. Cleaning takes a little longer, but the routine is simple:
- Brush after every meal with a small-headed brush, angling the bristles above and below each bracket.
- Use an interdental brush once a day to clean between the wire and the teeth.
- Floss with a floss threader or a water flosser at night.
- Use a fluoride mouthwash before bed.
- Avoid hard foods, sticky foods and biting directly into anything, since broken brackets add weeks to treatment.
- Keep your six-monthly cleaning appointments during treatment.
If a bracket comes loose or a wire pokes, call us. Most fixes take ten minutes and there is no need to wait for your scheduled visit.
Once the braces come off you will wear retainers full-time for a few months and then at night, indefinitely. Skipping retainers is the most common reason people end up needing braces twice.
What changes the price
- Metal or ceramic. Ceramic brackets cost more to buy and are more delicate to work with.
- Complexity. A case that needs extractions, bite correction or elastics takes longer and needs more visits than simple crowding.
- One arch or both. Occasionally only the lower or upper teeth need treatment, which costs less.
- Preparatory work. Cleaning, fillings or extractions before braces are quoted separately.
- Broken brackets. Repeated breakages from hard foods may be charged for and will extend treatment time.
