Braces: length, stages, retainers
Braces are a fixed appliance: brackets bonded to the teeth and joined by a wire that moves them.
How do braces work, and what types are there?
With braces, the wire puts light, steady pressure on the teeth, which move little by little while the bone around them rebuilds. There are four main types of bracket: metal, ceramic, self-ligating and lingual. Which type suits depends on the case. At Beausourire, a dental practice in Bab Ezzouar, Algiers, Algeria, an examination lets you have your case assessed and find out which treatment suits it.
Metal brackets
The most common. Small, sturdy and made of steel, they show on the front of the teeth. The wire is often held in place by tiny elastic ties, sometimes coloured.
Ceramic brackets
Often called clear braces: tooth-coloured or translucent, so less noticeable from a distance. The clear ties that hold the wire can stain with coffee or tea.
Self-ligating brackets
A small clip built into the bracket holds the wire, with no elastic ties. They come in metal or ceramic.
Lingual brackets
Bonded behind the teeth, they can barely be seen from the front. They take longer to get used to, for the tongue and for speech, and they do not suit every case.
Who are braces for, and can adults have them?
Braces suit teenagers and adults alike, with no upper age limit if the gums are healthy, or treated and stable before fitting.
When a fixed appliance is often suggested
- Clearly overlapping teeth, from lack of space in the jaw
- Treatment that needs some teeth taken out to make room
- A marked mismatch between the upper and lower teeth
- Wanting a fixed appliance that does not come out for meals
What to plan for
- Decay treated and gums healthy before fitting
- Longer brushing, after every meal
- Regular appointments for the whole treatment
- A retainer to wear afterwards, long term
In adults, a gum check comes first, and braces are sometimes combined with other care, such as a crown or an implant.
From assessment to retainer: the stages of treatment with braces
A full course of treatment takes about 18 visits on average.
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Step 1: Assessment
A first examination, with photos, X-rays and impressions or a scan of the teeth: it shows whether a fixed appliance suits you, roughly for how long, and whether any teeth must come out.
In person, before any decision
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Step 2: Dental care first
Decay is treated and tartar removed before fitting: brackets are not bonded onto unhealthy teeth or inflamed gums.
Before fitting
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Step 3: Fitting
The brackets are bonded to the teeth, then the first wire goes in. It is a long session with your mouth held open, and it needs no anaesthetic.
In the chair, one long session
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Step 4: Adjustments
Usually every 6 to 8 weeks, the wire is adjusted or swapped for a stiffer one. Sometimes you also wear small elastics between the upper and lower teeth to correct the bite.
In the chair, roughly every 6 to 8 weeks
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Step 5: Removal and retention
The brackets come off and the teeth are polished. A retainer then takes over: a thin wire bonded behind the teeth, a removable appliance, or both.
In person, at the end of treatment
How long does treatment with braces take?
Braces usually stay on for 1 to 2 years, about 20 months on average. A simple case can be shorter; a case with extractions or a large jaw mismatch, longer. Missed appointments or loose brackets add time.
Free consultationEating, brushing, soreness: life with braces
Food
You can eat most things once hard food is cut into small pieces. Do not bite straight into apples or hard crusts, or crack seeds and peanuts open with your teeth, and avoid toffee and chewing gum.
Brushing
Brush around each bracket, above and below the wire, after every meal. An interdental brush reaches where a toothbrush cannot.
Soreness and rubbing
Teeth can be tender or sore for a few days after fitting and after each adjustment: soft food helps on those days. In the first weeks, the brackets can rub the inside of the cheeks.
Loose bracket or poking wire
Do not try to repair the appliance yourself: keep the loose piece and let the dentist treating you know. Meanwhile, a little orthodontic wax over the wire end protects the cheek.
What patients write about the practice
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"Je recommande vivement cecabinet.Très professionnel, à l'écoute, et extrêmement minutieux. Excellent travail, avec douceur et précision. Je me suis sentie en confiance dès le début, et le résultat est impeccable. Merci bcp.
Sara Souachi
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Je tenais a vous remercier sincerement pour l'excellent travail accompli je suis trés satisfaite du résultat équipe professionnelle et gentille
Nihad Hariti
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Très propre agréable un service parfait un accueil chaleureux franchement je conseille fortement
Anis Anis
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Vraiment excellent travail merci beaucoup docteur
Heuss
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كانت تجربتي معاهم رائعة جدًا. الاطباء محترفين ويشرحو كل خطوة بكل وضوح، واهتمو براحة المريض طوال فترة العلاج. النتيجة كانت ممتازة وخدمتني أسناني بشكل جميل بعد العلاج. أنصح به بشدة لكل من يبحث عن دقة واهتمام في علاج الأسنان
Fadoua Fif
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طبيبة ماشاء الله ترتاح لها وخدمتها ماشاء الله اتقان نظافةوحسن الاستقبال.
hayat astuces افكار تدابير روتينات
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Je tiens à vous remercier du fond du cœur pour votre professionnalisme, votre gentillesse et votre bienveillance. Vous prenez le temps d'expliquer chaque étape et de mettre vos patients en confiance, ce qui fait toute la différence. Merci pour la qualité de vos soins et votre patience. Je recommande ce cabinet avec grand plaisir .
ZIRI BIJOUX
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Cela fait plus d’un an que ma dent a été soignée chez eux, et je suis toujours très satisfaite du résultat. À tel point qu’il m’est impossible de distinguer la dent soignée de mes dents naturelles. Merci infiniment
Assia Soltani
Braces or clear aligners: how to choose?
Without extractions, braces and aligners give similar results; when teeth have to be taken out, braces do better. That is what published studies show, though their follow-up is still short. Either way, a retainer is needed afterwards.
| Criterion | Braces (fixed appliance) | Clear aligners |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Visible metal brackets, or less noticeable ceramic ones | Clear and discreet; small attachments can be seen up close |
| Removable or fixed | Fixed: bonded until treatment ends; elastics are sometimes needed | Removable: out for meals and brushing, usually worn 20 to 22 hours a day |
| Meals | Hard or sticky food best avoided | No food is off limits: the trays come out for meals |
| Results in published studies | Comparable without extractions; generally better with extractions | Comparable without extractions; generally weaker with extractions |
| Appointments | Wire adjusted in the chair, usually every 6 to 8 weeks | Regular check-ups at the practice, at a pace set by the case |
Living abroad: can you have braces fitted during the holidays?
Braces are hard to manage if you only visit Algeria for a few weeks a year: an adjustment is needed roughly every 6 to 8 weeks for the whole treatment, which usually lasts 1 to 2 years.
A wire can only be adjusted in the chair. Before you book a flight, call or message the practice on WhatsApp to find out what is possible in your case.
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Saturday | 09:00 - 17:00 |
| Sunday | 08:30 - 15:30 |
| Monday | 08:30 - 18:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:30 - 15:30 |
| Wednesday | 08:30 - 17:00 |
| Thursday | 08:30 - 15:30 |
| Friday | 10:00 - 14:00 |
What people ask about braces
What does the price of braces in Algeria depend on?
There is no single price for braces: it depends on the type of bracket, whether one or both jaws are treated, how long treatment lasts and what is included (assessment, X-rays, adjustments, retainer, repairs). Ask whether it covers the whole treatment or is paid every six months, per jaw or per visit.
Can braces go on the top or bottom teeth only?
Sometimes, when only one jaw needs work and the upper and lower teeth already meet correctly. Often both jaws need treatment so the bite stays right. The examination decides, and the price depends on it.
Do braces hurt?
Often a little, yes: teeth can be tender or sore for a few days after fitting and after each adjustment, and the brackets can rub the cheeks. Fitting itself needs no anaesthetic, as the brackets are bonded to the enamel. Tell the dentist treating you about any pain that lasts more than a few days.
At what age can a child have braces?
Usually once most adult teeth have come through, which happens at different ages from one child to another. A first examination around the age of 7 is useful: some jaw problems are easier to treat during growth, with other appliances.
Do I need a retainer after braces?
Yes. Once the braces come off, teeth tend to move again. There are several kinds of retainer (a wire bonded behind the teeth, a removable appliance), and the evidence is still too weak to choose between them. How long to wear it is decided with the dentist.
Can braces damage teeth?
The main risk is plaque around the brackets: white marks on the enamel, decay, bleeding gums. Fluoride toothpaste, careful brushing, little sugar between meals and regular check-ups reduce it. Roots can also shorten slightly, usually without consequence.
Have your case assessed: braces or aligners?
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How it works
- You choose a consultation at the practice or online, and a time.
- The practice calls you to confirm the day and time.
- The consultation takes place at the practice in Bab Ezzouar, Algiers, or online, as you chose.