Metal & ceramic braces
Explore braces with a specialist orthodontist, starting with an assessment of your child’s teeth and bite.
Metal braces are small brackets bonded to the teeth and a thin, springy archwire that guides them into line. They are fixed on, so they work every hour of every day without anyone having to remember anything, and they handle almost any case. Ceramic braces do the same job with tooth-coloured brackets.
When braces are the right tool
Braces suit a wide range of problems, which is why they are still the most used option for children and teenagers. They are often the right choice where there is:
- Significant crowding, with teeth overlapping or rotated
- Noticeable gaps or spacing between teeth
- An overbite, underbite, crossbite or open bite that needs correcting
- A tooth that has come through in the wrong position
- Several problems at once, needing precise control in three dimensions
- A younger child who would find it hard to wear a removable appliance reliably
What happens, step by step
- 01Assessment and recordsPhotographs, x-rays and digital scans or impressions, then a plan and a cost in writing before anything is fitted.
- 02Fitting dayEach tooth is cleaned and dried, the brackets are positioned and set with a curing light, and the wire is threaded through. No needles, no drilling — it is a completely different experience from a filling.
- 03The first few daysTeeth feel tender as they start to move, and the lips and cheeks take about a week to toughen up. Soft food, child-appropriate pain relief and the orthodontic wax we give you settle it.
- 04Adjustment visitsThe wire is changed or tightened, the ties are replaced and progress is checked. Each visit sets the next stage of movement going.
How they work
Each brace has three parts: small brackets glued to the front of the teeth, a thin archwire running across them, and tiny elastic or metal ties holding the wire into each bracket. The wire is springy and wants to return to a smooth, ideal curve. Because it is tied into brackets on teeth that are currently out of line, it applies a continuous, very gentle pressure.
Bone responds to that steady pressure. It dissolves slowly on one side of the root and rebuilds on the other, so a tooth can move through bone without damage. That is why the movement has to be gradual — this is living bone being remodelled, not teeth being forced. The brackets used today are a fraction of the size of the ones parents remember, and far more comfortable against the cheeks and lips.
Ceramic braces are the same mechanics with tooth-coloured brackets. They are slightly more prone to chipping, and the clear ties can pick up colour from strongly coloured food and drink between visits — temporary, because the ties are replaced at every adjustment. Metal is the more robust of the two and cannot stain, which usually makes it the practical choice for a younger child. Some patients have ceramic on the visible upper teeth and metal below.
How long it takes
Teeth move at the speed bone remodels, and that cannot safely be rushed. Any timeline is an estimate, given after the examination and the records rather than off a price list.
What decides it is the case: how much crowding there is, whether the bite itself needs correcting, whether space has to be made, and whether the jaws are still growing in a way we can use. Treatment runs in stages — levelling and aligning the teeth first, then correcting how the upper and lower teeth meet, then detailing and finishing. The middle stage is the longest and the least visually dramatic, which is where patience matters most.
The rest is the daily care below. A broken bracket or inflamed gums cost weeks for no good reason.
Living with braces
Cleaning is the single most important habit during treatment. Brackets and wires create extra places for plaque to collect, and the white marks people associate with braces come from cleaning that slipped, not from the braces themselves. With the right routine they are entirely preventable.
- Brush for two minutes at least twice a day, angling around every bracket
- Use interdental brushes or a floss threader to clean under the wire
- Keep six-monthly dental check-ups and hygiene visits going throughout treatment
- Avoid hard nuts, ice, boiled sweets, popcorn kernels, toffee and chewing gum
- Cut firm fruit and crusty bread into pieces rather than biting into them
- Water rather than juice or fizzy drinks — frequent sugary drinks are the main cause of marks around brackets
- Wax over any spot that rubs, and call us about a loose bracket or a poking wire rather than waiting
Who you would see
Every doctor consults in English and Arabic.
Does it hurt when the braces go on?
Fitting itself is painless — there are no needles and no drilling. Teeth feel tender for the first few days afterwards as they begin to move, which soft food and simple child-appropriate pain relief settle quickly. After that first week most children forget they are wearing them.
What age can my child start?
Full braces usually start once most of the adult teeth have come through, and that is a different age for every child. Some children benefit from a shorter, earlier phase of treatment to guide jaw growth or correct a crossbite while it is still easy. An assessment settles the timing.
Metal or ceramic — which should we choose?
Both work the same way, need the same care and reach the same result, so the decision is about appearance and durability rather than effectiveness. Metal is more robust and cannot stain; ceramic is much less noticeable and costs more. For a younger child metal is usually the practical choice; for a self-conscious teenager the discretion can be worth it.
Will braces affect my child’s speech?
Any effect is minor and very temporary. Some children notice a slight difference for a day or two after fitting, then adapt completely as the lips and tongue get used to the brackets.
What happens if a bracket comes loose or a wire pokes?
Put orthodontic wax over the sharp spot for comfort and call us. It is a short appointment to fix, so do not wait for the next scheduled visit — a bracket left loose for weeks costs progress.
Will my child need a retainer afterwards?
Yes. Retainers hold the teeth in their new positions while the bone settles around them, and some level of night-time wear continues indefinitely. Not wearing them is the most common reason a finished result is lost.
What will it cost, and does insurance help?
We set out the full cost in writing after the assessment, before anything is fitted. Wherever you are comparing, ask what a quote includes — the records, the braces, every adjustment visit, and the retainers at the end. Some insurance policies contribute toward orthodontics, particularly where treatment is medically necessary rather than cosmetic. Payment plans are available; reception can confirm the current terms.
Your next step
Start with a conversation.
Tell us what is on your mind and reception will confirm the right specialist and a time.
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