Fixed vs. Removable Appliances

Orthodontic Braces: A Guide Into Parts, Types, and Components

Every orthodontic treatment falls into one of two categories. Understanding the difference helps you have a more informed conversation with your orthodontist.

Fixed Appliances

Bonded directly to your teeth and adjusted only by your orthodontist. Work around the clock — no willpower required.

  • Always working — no compliance needed
  • Precise control over each individual tooth
  • Ideal for complex tooth movements
  • Metal, ceramic, or fully custom options
  • Often the most cost-effective choice
  • Require diligent cleaning around brackets
  • Some dietary restrictions apply
LightForce Ceramic · KLOwen Metal · Palatal Expanders

Removable Appliances

Custom-made trays or devices you wear and can take out for eating, brushing, and special occasions.

  • Nearly invisible in most social settings
  • No dietary restrictions
  • Easier oral hygiene — brush normally
  • Comfortable, smooth plastic surface
  • Progress trackable via digital scans
  • Requires 20–22 hrs/day wear commitment
  • May not suit all complex cases
Spark Clear Aligners - Retainers

HOW TO CHOOSE

There's no single "best" option — the right appliance depends on your specific case, age, and lifestyle priorities.

  • Kids & tweens often benefit most from fixed appliances with growth guidance
  • Teens can do well with either, depending on compliance history
  • Professionals & adults often prefer the discretion of clear aligners or clear braces
  • Complex cases may require fixed appliances for optimal results
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OUR ORTHODONTIC APPLIANCES

Four Orthodontic Treatment Options

Griffin Orthodontics offers a curated selection of industry-leading appliances — each chosen for their clinical outcomes, patient comfort, and aesthetic value.

CLEAR CERAMIC · FIXED

LightForce Clear Ceramic Braces

The world’s first fully personalized 3D-printed ceramic braces. Every bracket is custom-designed from a digital scan of your unique tooth anatomy — resulting in a more precise fit, faster tooth movement, and a virtually invisible appearance.

  • 3D-printed to match your exact tooth curvature
  • Translucent ceramic material blends with enamel
  • Custom brackets mean less wire bending, fewer visits
  • Stain-resistant and polished for comfort
  • Backed by digital treatment planning technology
Teens Adults Image-conscious patients
CLEAR ALIGNER · REMOVABLE

Spark Clear Aligners

A premium clear aligner system featuring TruGEN™ material — clinically proven to be clearer, cleaner, and more comfortable than competitor aligner materials. Spark aligners are custom-fabricated from high-precision 3D scans and changed every 1–2 weeks.

  • TruGEN™ material: exceptionally clear and stain-resistant
  • Remove to eat, drink, brush, and floss
  • Smooth edges for superior comfort
  • Digital simulation shows projected outcome before starting
  • Suitable for mild to complex tooth movements
Teens Adults Professionals
METAL · FIXED · CUSTOM

KLOwen Braces

Traditional metal braces — reimagined. KLOwen uses custom prescription bracket positioning to eliminate the manual guesswork of traditional placement, delivering highly consistent, efficient, and predictable results with a classic metal look.

  • Custom-programmed bracket prescriptions per patient
  • High-strength stainless steel — durable and reliable
  • Excellent for complex crowding and spacing cases
  • Most cost-effective fixed option
  • Wide range of colorful ligature tie options (fun for kids!)
Children Teens Adults
EXPANSION · FIXED OR REMOVABLE

Palatal Expander

A specialized orthodontic appliance that gently widens the upper jaw (palate) to create space for crowded teeth, correct crossbites, or improve nasal airway function. Most effective when used during childhood and adolescence while the jaw is still developing.

  • Corrects crossbites and skeletal jaw discrepancies
  • Creates space — often reducing or eliminating need for extractions
  • Can improve breathing and nasal airflow
  • Available as fixed (bonded) or removable designs
  • Treatment typically 3–6 months of active expansion
Children Teens Phase I Treatment
UNDER THE HOOD

The Anatomy of Traditional Braces

Traditional braces are a system of carefully engineered components that work together to guide your teeth into alignment. Here's what each part does.

Brackets

Small squares bonded directly to the surface of each tooth using a special dental adhesive. Brackets serve as anchoring points that hold the archwire in place. They come in metal (stainless steel), ceramic (tooth-colored), or custom-3D-printed varieties like LightForce.

Archwire

A thin metal wire that threads through each bracket and acts as the "track" that guides teeth movement. Archwires are progressively replaced with stiffer wires as treatment advances — starting soft and flexible, graduating to harder, more forceful wires.

Ligature Ties (O-Rings)

Tiny rubber or metal ties that secure the archwire to each bracket. Rubber ligatures come in dozens of colors — making them the element kids and teens customize at each appointment. Metal ligature wires offer more precise control for specific tooth movements.

Buccal Tubes

Small metal attachments bonded to the back molars (instead of brackets) that anchor the ends of the archwire and provide stability at the rear of the arch. They may also hold other auxiliary appliances like headgear or lip bumpers.

Bands

Thin metal rings cemented around back molars for additional anchoring in complex cases. While less common today due to improved bonding adhesives, bands are still used when extra force or anchorage is needed.

Springs & Coils

Small coiled metal springs placed on the archwire between teeth to push them apart (open coil) or compress space between them (closed coil). Springs allow fine-tuned control over individual tooth spacing and positioning.

Visual Reference

Brace System Overview

Simplified anatomy of a standard fixed brace bracket unit

Orthodontic Parts and Components of Braces Guide - Griffin Orthodontics
KEY TAKEAWAY

Each component of your braces plays a specific role. When a bracket comes loose or a wire breaks, contact us promptly — even small disruptions can affect your treatment timeline.

ADDITIONAL APPLIANCES

Orthodontic Accessories & Auxiliaries

Depending on your treatment plan, your orthodontist may prescribe one or more of these supplemental tools to help achieve the best possible outcome.

Spacers / Separators

Small rubber or metal rings placed between molars 1–2 weeks before banding. They create just enough space to fit molar bands comfortably. Mild soreness for a few days is normal.

Elastic Rubber Bands

Small interarch elastics (worn between upper and lower brackets) apply targeted force to correct bite problems — overbites, underbites, crossbites, and midline shifts.

Power Chains

A continuous chain of linked O-rings placed along the archwire to close gaps between teeth after extractions or between spaced teeth. Provides consistent, gentle closing force.

Bite Turbos / Ramps

Small acrylic or metal bumps bonded to the back of upper or lower front teeth. They temporarily prevent the teeth from fully biting together, protecting brackets on lower teeth and assisting deep bite correction.

Buttons & Hooks

Small metal attachments bonded to specific teeth to serve as anchor points for elastics, springs, or other auxiliary forces — especially useful for impacted teeth or complex bite corrections.

Forsus Springs

A continuous-wear spring device attached within the braces to correct significant overbites or Class II jaw relationships — often an alternative to traditional elastic compliance in teens.

Retainers

Worn after braces are removed to hold teeth in their new positions while bone stabilizes. Available as fixed lingual wires, traditional Hawley retainers, or clear Essix-style retainers.

Orthodontic Wax

Soft, pliable wax applied over irritating brackets or wire ends to reduce friction and protect the inner cheeks and lips — especially during the first few weeks of treatment.

Attachments (Aligners)

Tooth-colored composite "handles" bonded to teeth for clear aligner patients. They give the aligner trays something to grip for more complex movements like rotations and extrusions.

FOR YOUNG PATIENTS

Kids Can Pick Their Brace Colors 🎨

One of the most exciting parts of getting traditional metal braces as a kid or teen? Choosing your ligature colors. At every appointment (typically every 4–6 weeks), patients can pick new color combinations for their O-rings — turning each visit into a fun, personalized experience.

POPULAR COLOR PICKS

Hover to explore. 20+ shades to choose from!

  • New Colors at Every Visit Change your color scheme every 4–6 weeks when wires are adjusted. Match your school colors, celebrate a holiday, or mix and match for a unique look.
  • Turns Appointments Into Events Kids actually look forward to ortho visits when there's a color reveal involved. It's a small but meaningful way to feel involved in their own treatment journey.
  • Smart Color Tips White and yellow can stain between visits. Gold and silver show less discoloration. Darker colors like navy, teal, and dark pink tend to stay vibrant the longest.
  • A Social Conversation Starter Many kids find that braces become a point of pride at school — especially when they have a fun color scheme that reflects their personality.
  • Special Occasion Themes Halloween orange & black, Christmas red & green, school spirit colors for homecoming — the possibilities are endless and endlessly fun.
Traditional Metal Braces from KLOwen Braces
WHAT TO EXPECT

Your Treatment Journey at Griffin

From your very first visit to the day your braces come off, here's what the orthodontic process looks like at Griffin Orthodontics.

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  1. Free Consultation

    Your journey begins with a no-obligation consultation. We conduct a clinical examination, review your concerns, and discuss which treatment options may be appropriate for your case — all at no cost.

  2. Digital Records & Diagnosis

    We use 3D digital scanning (no messy impressions!), digital X-rays, and clinical photographs to get a comprehensive picture of your teeth, jaw, and bone structure. These records inform your custom treatment plan.

  3. Treatment Planning Appointment

    Your orthodontist presents a personalized plan — including appliance recommendation, projected timeline, and cost. You'll have all the time you need to ask questions before committing to anything.

  4. Appliance Placement

    Brackets are bonded to teeth (or aligners delivered), spacers placed if needed, and initial wires seated. This visit typically takes 60–90 minutes. Mild soreness for 2–5 days after is normal and expected.

  5. Regular Adjustment Visits

    Every 6–8 weeks, you'll visit us for wire changes, elastic adjustments, progress checks, and — for brace patients — a fresh color selection. These visits are quick (20–40 minutes) and essential to staying on track.

  6. Debond & Retention

    When your teeth have reached their ideal positions, braces are removed and a retainer is delivered. Retention is a lifelong commitment — your new smile needs consistent retainer wear to stay in place permanently.

Common Questions About Braces

Frequently Asked Questions

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a first orthodontic screening by age 7. At this stage, the first molars and incisors have usually come in, making it possible to identify developing issues early — even if treatment isn’t needed yet. Early monitoring allows us to time treatment optimally.

Treatment time varies widely depending on the complexity of your case, the appliance chosen, and your compliance. Simple cases may take 12–18 months; moderate cases typically 18–24 months; complex cases can extend to 30+ months. Your orthodontist will give you a specific estimate during the treatment planning appointment.

Avoid hard, crunchy, or sticky foods: popcorn, hard candy, chewing gum, bagels, raw carrots, nuts, ice, and foods you bite directly into (corn on the cob, apples, etc.). These can break brackets or bend wires, leading to delays. Cut foods into small pieces and chew carefully with back teeth.

Absolutely. There’s no upper age limit for orthodontic treatment. Adults represent a growing segment of orthodontic patients. Options like LightForce ceramic braces, Spark clear aligners, and KLOwen metal braces are all excellent choices for adult patients — each offering varying levels of aesthetics and clinical capability.

Many dental insurance plans include an orthodontic benefit — typically a lifetime maximum ranging from $1,000 to $2,500. Coverage varies widely by plan. Our administrative team will verify your benefits and help maximize your coverage. We also offer flexible in-house financing options for any remaining balance.

For many cases — mild to moderate crowding, spacing, overbite, and underbite — clear aligners like Spark can achieve results comparable to fixed braces. The key variable is patient compliance: aligners must be worn 20–22 hours per day to be effective. For very complex tooth movements, traditional braces often provide superior control.

Yes — always. Teeth have a natural tendency to shift back toward their original positions (relapse), especially in the first 1–2 years after treatment. We recommend full-time retainer wear for at least the first 6–12 months, followed by nightly wear indefinitely. Skipping retainers is the #1 reason for orthodontic relapse.

TAKE THE FIRST STEP

Ready for Your

Schedule your complimentary consultation at Griffin Orthodontics in Milwaukee. Our team will help you understand exactly which appliance is right for your unique smile — no pressure, no obligation.

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