Braces are what most people picture when they think of orthodontics: small brackets bonded to the front of each tooth, joined by a wire. At each visit the wire is adjusted, and the steady pressure moves the teeth a little further. They are still the most-used appliance in orthodontics for children, teenagers and adults alike, because they handle almost every kind of case — including the ones aligners cannot.
We fit three kinds. The mechanics are the same; the difference is what they are made of and how they look.
Three kinds of bracket
Metal. Stainless steel. The most economical of the three and the one that gives us the most control — for rotating a tooth, closing the space left by an extraction or correcting a significant bite, fixed metal brackets do things aligners cannot reliably do. Younger patients pick a new elastic colour at every visit, which turns out to matter more than you would think.
Clear. Ceramic brackets in a tooth colour, far less noticeable at conversational distance. Mechanically identical to metal, with two things worth knowing before you choose them: ceramic is a little more brittle, and it asks for real attention to brushing and flossing — the bracket will not stain, but the tooth around it can.
Gold Iconix. Stainless steel with a champagne-gold finish. All the strength and control of metal, in a warmer colour that reads as jewellery rather than hardware; paired with a metal wire and clear ligatures it is the quietest of the three on an adult. Same performance, no trade-off.
If you want to know what each part is called, the braces diagram labels every piece.
What to expect
Questions about how they feel, what you can eat and how they look are the normal ones, and we would rather you asked than wondered — at your appointment, on the phone, or by message. Life with braces covers the first week, food and sport; emergency care covers the poking wire at nine in the evening.
Your plan is your orthodontist’s, not a template, and it will be adjusted as your teeth respond. The same doctor sees you at every visit.
Braces or Invisalign?
Braces tend to win when the bite needs real correction, when you would rather not depend on remembering to wear something, or when you want the most precise fixed option.
Aligners tend to win when the case is mild to moderate, when being discreet matters most, and when you want to eat and brush with nothing in the way.
We do not push one over the other. Our job is to say which of the two your bite allows and which your life suits — see clear aligners vs braces for the full comparison, and Invisalign for the system we use.
How much do braces cost?
The figure depends on how much your teeth have to move, how long that takes and which bracket you choose. At your consultation you get a total, not a monthly figure, and we go through your insurance with you — see financial information, and what drives the number for the longer explanation.
Still weighing metal, clear or aligners? Braces, clear braces, or clear aligners: how to choose compares the three side by side.
Who we treat
Patients from Sunset Park and across Brooklyn, and from the Lower East Side, Chinatown, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island — school-aged children, teenagers and adults, with appointments that work around school and work, including weekends.
Request a call back or call (212) 966-9628, and we will tell you which option we would choose for your teeth, and why.