We have the options to match your style and personality.
Metal
Classic, retro, vintage. You love your braces and you aren't ashamed to show them off.
Clear
Subtle, elegant, clean, fresh. Classy and humble, you want to change your smile without anyone noticing.
Colors
Bold, vibrant, energetic. You've got a colorful personality and you love to show it off.
What Our Patients Say
"If you're looking for something fun and relaxed, come to Dr. Hughes."
Andrew
"I love it here because it's really cool! He's very gentle and it didn't hurt at all."
Kenan
"They exemplify what 'team esteem' means. Teamwork with feelings."
Daryl
Braces FAQ
The Aligners system is the virtually invisible way to straighten your teeth and achieve the smile you've always wanted. Aligners uses advanced 3D computer imaging technology to depict your complete treatment plan, from the initial position of your teeth to the final desired position. Then, a series of clear aligners are custom-made for your teeth — and your teeth only — to move them little by little. Each aligner is worn for about two weeks before being replaced by the next in the series until the final position of your teeth is achieved. Your Aligners treatment time will be determined by your doctor based on your specific needs.
- Time for a snack? No problem. Take out your aligners to eat or drink whenever you want.
- You can remove your Aligners aligners, so you can brush and floss regularly, and keep your teeth and gums healthy.
- You can occasionally remove your Aligners aligners and enjoy a special night out.
- There's no need to change a thing. Continue your day-to-day activities while still straightening your teeth.
- Be yourself with Aligners aligners. Since they are clear, you don't have to hide your smile while going through treatment.
- With Aligners treatment, it's easy to make your smile picture perfect for that special occasion.
- Aligners appointments work with your schedule. Most visits are in and out, with a quick progress check once every six weeks.
Aligners aligners are clear, making Aligners a seamless fit with your lifestyle and day-to-day interactions with others. Aligners aligners are also removable. Unlike braces, you have the flexibility to eat and drink what you want during treatment simply by removing the aligners when you eat. You can also remove the aligners to brush and floss as you normally would for fresh breath and good oral hygiene. Unlike traditional metal braces, Aligners treatment does not use metal brackets or wires that could cause irritation to your mouth. In addition, you'll spend less time in the doctor's chair and scheduling appointments, and more time out doing the things you love. Lastly, Aligners’s technology allows you to view your virtual results and treatment plan before you start your treatment so that you can preview how your straight teeth will look once your treatment is complete.
More than 4 million patients worldwide have been treated with Aligners. The number of Aligners smiles grows daily. At your next appointment, we can help answer any questions you might have, and get you started on the smile you've always wanted.
Less than with braces! We typically only need to see you every 8 weeks, which means that Aligners treatment shouldn’t interfere with your busy lifestyle. At each visit, we make sure your teeth are moving the way they were prescribed, and make any necessary adjustments along the way.
Certainly! Many of our adult Aligners patients have had previous treatment and are looking for an esthetic tune up to their smile.
Eating with Braces
Don't worry, you'll be eating popcorn and snacking on potato chips again in no time! However, before you can start enjoying some of the treats you love, you will need to take special care to avoid any foods that could damage your new appliances.
Foods You CAN Eat With Braces
- Sugar-free gum — YES, GUM. We encourage patients to chew sugar-free gum because it helps to move teeth, keep braces clean, and even reduces discomfort. So get your chew on!
- Dairy — soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drinks
- Breads — soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins, donuts
- Grains — pasta, soft cooked rice, pizza
- Meats/poultry — soft cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats
- Seafood — tuna, salmon, crab cakes
- Vegetables — mashed potatoes, steamed spinach, beans
- Fruits — applesauce, bananas, fruit juice
- Treats — ice cream, milkshakes, cake, pie, soft cookies
Foods to Avoid With Braces
- Crunchy foods — popcorn, ice
- Sticky foods — caramel candies, Laffy Taffy
- Hard foods — nuts, hard candies, lollipops
- Foods that require biting into — apples, raw carrots
Common Braces Problems
Soreness Caused from Braces and Appliances
It is common for you to experience some discomfort for the first few days after starting orthodontic treatment. Your teeth aren't used to moving, and they'll feel sore just like a muscle would that you're not used to using. We recommend eating softer foods for the first few days. Also a recent study has shown that chewing (sugar-free) gum for 20 minutes can reduce the discomfort from braces just as much as taking over the counter pain relievers.
If the pain is more severe and does not go away after rinsing, you can also try taking a pain reliever. It is also not uncommon for your lips, cheeks, and tongue to become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become used to the braces. We would be happy to give you some wax that you can put over the braces to lessen the tenderness. If you need some wax, please let us know.
Loose Teeth
If your teeth begin feeling a little loose, don't worry; this is normal! Your braces must first loosen your teeth to move them into the right position. Once your teeth have been repositioned, they will no longer be loose.
Loose Wires and Bands
The wires and bands on your braces may come loose. If this happens, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can check and repair your appliance. If any piece of your appliance comes off, be sure to save it and bring it to the office with you.
You can temporarily fix the loose wire by using the back of a spoon or the eraser end of a pencil to carefully and gently push the wire back into place. If the loose wire is causing irritation to your lips or cheeks, put wax or a wet cotton ball over the broken wire to relieve the pain.
Take Care of Your Appliances
Damaged appliances can increase the length of your treatment process, so be sure to take care of all your appliances. Your teeth and jaw can only move into their correct positions if you consistently wear the rubber bands, headgear, retainer, or other appliances prescribed by your doctor.
Orthodontic Emergencies
True orthodontic emergencies are rare, but when they occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call our office when you experience severe pain or have a painful appliance problem you can't take care of yourself. We'll be able to schedule an appointment to resolve the problem.
General Soreness
When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth, and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days.
Stick to a soft diet until your teeth do not hurt to chewing. Irritated gums and other sore spots can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt-water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in eight ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. An alternative (better tasting) mouthwash is the Healthy Gums Rinse by The Natural Dentist. Placing Orabase on the affected area may also help relieve discomfort; Orabase can be found in a pharmacy. If the tenderness is severe, take Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or whatever you normally take for a headache or similar pain. Aspirin, Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and Naproxen Sodium (Naprosyn, Anaprox) actually slow the tooth movement, so it is not advisable to use them frequently while wearing braces.
The lips, cheeks, and tongue may become irritated for one to two weeks as they learn a new posture and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can put wax on the braces to lessen this. We'll show you how!
Loose Appliance
If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part.
Loose Wire
Using a pair of tweezers or needle nose pliers, try to put your wire back into place. It is ok to use a piece of floss to tie the wire into place: tie the floss around the bracket in place of the missing colored o-ring. If you cannot put the wire into a comfortable position, and covering the end with wax doesn't help, as a last resort use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If the end of the wire is still sharp place wax on it.
Poking Wire
Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it so that it is no longer poking.