La Habra/Chino Hills, CA – Today, there are a host of orthodontic options to choose from when making the decision to better your smile. One option growing in popularity is self-ligating braces. But what exactly are they, and why do patients like them?

“For years, basically the only real option to straighten your smile was traditional bracket and wire braces,” says Dr. Robert Gire, a board certified orthodontist that practices La Habra and Chino Hills. “With traditional braces, the bracket attaches to your teeth and small elastic ligatures or ties, ensure the wire that runs across the teeth stays in place. Self-ligating braces still use the brackets and archwire, but forgo the ligature.”

At Gire Orthodontics, Dr. Gire uses Damon Smile self-ligating braces. These utilize a special slide, or door, instead of the ligature to hold the archwire in place. The slide eliminates friction and binding of the teeth, and patients who use Damon Smile braces often have faster treatment times with fewer adjustments needed during treatment.

“Treatment time varies from patient to patient, based on the exact issue we’re treating and how the patient’s mouth responds to treatment,” says Dr. Gire. “However, Damon Smile patients often experience faster treatment times than patients in conventional braces. The shape-memory wires gently guide the teeth to their proper locations, using biologically sensible forces.”

Self-ligating braces like Damon Smile braces utilize less friction to move the teeth, making the treatment more comfortable for the patient. Because Damon Smile braces are tie-less, there is no need for the traditional “tightening” appointments that patients associate with discomfort. The slide technology of Damon Smile braces allows the teeth to move more freely, resulting in a quicker and more comfortable repositioning.

“Patients also love Damon Smile braces because they are made to be discrete,” says Dr. Gire. “Even though traditional braces have become much sleeker now than in years past, the ligatures create a bulkier look that you won’t see with the Damon Smile braces. And, Damon even offers a clear slide (Damon Clear) that allows the braces to blend in even more.”

Damon Smile braces can also improve facial harmony and balance in a way traditional braces cannot. Using the Damon Smile system, your orthodontist can widen your smile to create aesthetically pleasing smiles, all done without the need for elastic ties, extractions, or other contraptions. Damon Smile braces can also provide patients with a fuller smile, with cheeks and lips that appear fuller and more contoured.

Adult patients also love that using the Damon Smile system for perfecting their smile can provide mid-face support that can compensate for the natural loss of facial muscle that happens over time. Damon Smile enhances the alignment of teeth, while also widening the arch, which can help to fill out the face and prevent a sagging appearance.

“The difference with Damon Smile braces is that the system takes into account not just how straight the teeth should be for an ideal smile, but how the smile creates beautiful facial harmony,” says Dr. Gire. “Our adult patients who use Damon Smile braces often find they not only have a beautifully straight smile, but better facial balance and a fuller, wider smile at the end of treatment. It can help patients feel more confident and some even report feeling more youthful!”

To learn more about Damon Smile braces and if self-ligating braces may be right for you, schedule a consultation with Gire Orthodontics today by calling 562-690-1199 (La Habra) or 909-393-9911 (Chino Hills).