Your step-by-step guide to getting braces in Singapore

Getting dental braces in Singapore is easy when you understand what is involved in the process. Not sure about what to expect in the course of your braces treatment? In this article, we cover a step-by-step process on what happens in a typical braces treatment – right from when you head into your very first consultation until the day you head out of the clinic, with a smiling set of healthy teeth and happily braces-free! 

First consultation

Your first visit is basically a 60-80 minutes consultation with the orthodontist. The orthodontist will examine your teeth and let you know the diagnosis  – overbite, crooked teeth, gaps in your teeth – and suggest a treatment plan for you. Here’s how it goes:

• Examination and diagnosis

First things first, you’ll have x-rays taken of your whole mouth and your teeth. The orthodontist might also take pictures of your front and side profiles. All these digital records will help the orthodontist to diagnose your smile. 

• Taking a mould of your teeth 

The next step is for the orthodontist to take an accurate impression of your teeth, in order to make a mould to craft your braces. This can be done using either a soft, playdough-like material, which the orthodontist will spread onto a small tray and press up against your upper and lower teeth, or through a digital scan of your mouth. For patients who find it uncomfortable to have a clay-like material pressed and held in their mouth, digital scans indeed make life a whole lot easier. 

Good news: Our orthodontic clinic uses only digital scans to make all braces impressions, so you don’t have to feel nervous about gloppy impressions with us. A digital scan is so effortless that it will be over before you know it!

• Choosing a treatment plan

The orthodontist will either recommend you the best treatment plan or introduce you to a few possible treatment plans, like conventional metal braces, Damon clear braces or Invisalign aligners etc. Not to worry, you’ll be walked through the pros and cons of each, so making the decision about your treatment plan will be easy.  

Finding out the full cost of each treatment is also a good idea – so that you can pick one that not only caters to your concerns but also best suits your lifestyle.

Read more: 5 Common Mistakes New Users Make When Getting Braces 

• Setting up follow-up appointments

After you have decided, the orthodontist will give you an overview of your entire treatment timeline, finalise your financial options, then set up a next appointment for you to begin your anticipated braces journey. 

Extraction Appointment

Depending on whether you need it, the orthodontist may require you to extract two or four of your molar teeth. This is to make room for your teeth to gradually shift into their ideal position. Probably the most nerve-wracking step in your entire dental braces journey, you’ll breathe a huge sigh of relief when it’s over! 

After extraction, you’ll need some time to rest and recover before you get to move on to the exciting next step. 

Getting Your Braces 

Before your first braces appointment, schedule a cleaning appointment to make sure that your teeth are well-cleaned before braces brackets are fixed permanently onto your teeth. This is especially important for traditional metal braces, Damon braces, ceramic braces, incognito braces, but less important for Invisalign since the aligners can be removed for brushing and cleaning afterwards. Otherwise, check if your orthodontist can perform a cleaning for you in the same appointment. 

Your first braces appointment will generally take about two hours and it is a relatively painless procedure. The orthodontist will fix braces brackets onto your teeth, thread an archwire through the brackets, and finish up by securing the wire with rubber bands, in the colour of your choice. Should you be doing ceramic braces, you won’t need rubber bands, and ligating braces won’t require an archwire. There you have it, your very first day with a braces-filled smile! 

Follow-up appointments

Once your braces are fixed onto your teeth, you can look forward to follow-up appointments every month or so. These appointments will be for the orthodontist to check that you’re doing fine, fix or make any adjustments to your braces if necessary, and tighten your braces so that your teeth continue to make good progress. You’ll likely experience some soreness or discomfort every time your braces are tightened, but the pain will begin to fade after a few days. Stick to your appointment timeline to get your healthy smile as soon as possible! 

Read: 10 ways to ease the pain during your braces treatment

Your final appointment

Taking your braces off is quick and easy. Your orthodontist will remove the wires, brackets and ‘glue’ that holds the brackets onto your teeth, also known as a bonding material, revealing your straightened teeth. Your teeth will also be cleaned and polished to remove any stains that might have formed around the braces so that your teeth are not only straight but clean and white! It’s important that you take good care of your teeth during your entire braces journey so that your teeth won’t be left with permanent stains that can’t be cleaned off. 

Finally… congratulations! You’ve completed your patience-filled dental braces journey and finally get to enjoy the healthy, beautiful, braces-free smile that you deserve. 

Looking for the best braces journey to embark on in Singapore? Take an easy first step by booking a consultation with our experienced dental braces specialists! We also offer interest-free installments for your treatment plan so that you can enjoy the process with peace of mind. Book a consultation, here.