Traditional Braces – Rockwall, TX

Give Yourself a Straighter Smile

Woman smiling with braces

Do you have bite issues or teeth that are far from straight? Misalignment issues can lead to many negative effects, like low self-esteem, difficulty cleaning, and a higher risk of oral health problems. Fortunately, at McNew Dental, we offer traditional braces to correct misalignment and give you the straighter smile you’ve always dreamed of. To learn more about traditional braces or to schedule a consultation at our Rockwall office, give us a call.

Why Choose McNew Dental for Traditional Braces?

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Flexible Financing Available

How Do Traditional Braces Work?

Woman smiling with braces and glasses

Traditional braces are made up of small metal brackets that are bonded to the front surfaces of the teeth. A wire is used to connect these brackets using rubber bands. The wires are adjusted in tightness and orientation to move your teeth gradually and gently into their desired positions. Traditional braces are securely fasted to the teeth, but you will still need to be careful to keep them in good shape. This means avoiding certain foods that are particularly hard or sticky in texture. Approximately every six to eight weeks, you will return to the dental office to have adjustments made according to your treatment plan.

What Orthodontic Issues Can Braces Fix?

Digital illustration of overbite

Traditional braces are very popular because they are able to correct a wide array of orthodontic issues. Here are some of the most common ones we come across:

Bite Misalignment

If your upper jaw and lower jaw don’t come together as they should, there could be issues like over-bites, underbites, crossbites, and other issues. This can take away from your appearance and make it more difficult to speak, eat, and comfortably move your jaw. Traditional braces, sometimes paired with elastics, are able to guide the jaws into alignment for a perfect bite.

Crowded & Crooked Teeth

When teeth are crooked, overlapping, uneven, or crowded, they can easily trap plaque and bacteria. This makes it easier to develop oral health issues, like tooth decay, gum disease, and oral infections. Traditional braces can be used to realign your teeth to be the perfect distance apart.

Gapped Teeth

If you have teeth that are too far apart or there are gaps in your smile, it can be easy for food debris to build up in these areas. Fortunately, traditional braces can help by moving them closer together. This way, they can be adjusted to be the ideal distance apart.

Caring for Your Braces

Teenage girl basketball player with braces

When you have braces, it is crucial that you take measures throughout the day to ensure that your treatment goes smoothly. Here are some tips that can help:

Brush twice, floss, and rinse with mouthwash every day
Use a threaded flosser or water flosser to clean beneath your wires
Avoid foods that are particularly hard or sticky
Don’t chew on hard objects or use your teeth as tools
See us every six to eight weeks so we can monitor your treatment

Understanding the Cost of Traditional Braces

Woman with braces looking at a piggy bank

One of the nice things about orthodontics is that they can be adapted to whatever problem that you may have. That versatility is one of their key merits, but it also means that it can be a little bit difficult to fully know what traditional braces will cost you without knowing more about your particular situation.

However, here are some things you can keep in mind before we give you your estimate that can help you budget for care.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Traditional Braces

Braces on a set of model teeth

While it’s impossible to say for sure what your braces are going to cost you without talking to us first, there are a few things you can keep in mind when trying to budget for orthodontics. For one, the longer your treatment takes, the more tightenings and follow up appointments you’ll need, which will increase the overall cost. There are several factors that can affect how long it takes for care to be completed, including:

How misaligned your teeth are
How old you are, as older people’s teeth take more time to move
How well you comply with our instructions for braces care

Some patients also need more complex oral appliances to address their issues, like elastics, palatial expanders, space maintainers, etc. These can contribute to the cost of care as well.

Professional Braces vs. “DIY” Braces: Which Costs More?

The letters DIY on a workbench

Thanks to the internet, DIY culture has absolutely exploded in recent years. People have increasingly come to believe that professional intervention is largely unnecessary, even for things as complex as orthodontic treatment.

Some people have taken to crafting makeshift braces out of household materials in an attempt to get a straighter smile for cheap. Of course, it’s going to be difficult to make something as strong as actual braces entirely on your own, but even if you do, that isn’t necessarily enough to get professional-level results.

Braces need to be tightened gradually and deliberately in order to produce the expected results, and doing this requires a sophisticated understanding of how the teeth move. If you just slap something like braces on your teeth without this know-how, you may wind up with your teeth actually falling further out of alignment than they were before, making your issues even more expensive to fix in the long run.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Braces?

Wooden blocks that say “dental plan”

Dental plans vary heavily in whether they’ll cover orthodontics, for who, and for what reasons. If you’re interested in traditional braces, you’ll be happy to learn that these are more likely to be covered, even moreso if you’re getting them for a demonstrable medical reasons. However, it’s worth noting that it’s less common for dental plans to cover orthodontic care for adults as opposed to children.

If your dental plan is willing to pay for braces, they’ll usually cover around 50% of the costs. We’ll help you consult with your insurance company in order to determine whether that’s possible for you.

Options for Making Braces Affordable

Person dropping coins into a jar

If your dental plan doesn’t pay for care, there are other options available to you. For one, we have an in-house membership plan where, for an annual fee, you can get 20% discounts on all the care you receive from us. You also get complimentary cleanings and emergency exams each year, which is excellent for people with braces.

We also accept financing, which can allow you to pay off the cost of care over the course of several months. We often work with CareCredit, which offers six-month-no-interest financing for patients who qualify, and longer terms for patients who need them.

With these options at your fingertips, a straighter smile has never been more budget-friendly!