Metal Braces

The most versatile option, and usually the most affordable

Stainless steel brackets and a wire, adjusted over months. Unfashionable, thoroughly proven, and still capable of things no other appliance can do.

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When It’s Needed

Metal braces are often the right tool when

There’s significant crowding, rotation or a complex bite to correct
Teeth need moving large distances, or roots need uprighting
Treatment involves closing extraction spaces
The patient is a teenager, where cost and durability matter and appearance matters less
Compliance with removable appliances is unlikely
You want the most predictable result for the lowest cost

At The Appointment

What actually happens

01/

Records & planning

Photographs, X-rays and a scan, then a plan showing which teeth move where, in what order, and whether any extractions are needed to create space.

02/

Fitting

Brackets bonded to each tooth and the first wire placed — about an hour, and you won’t feel it at the time. The ache starts a few hours later and lasts a few days.

03/

Adjustments

Every six to eight weeks, wires are changed for progressively firmer ones, and elastics may be added. Each visit is short; each brings a couple of tender days.

04/

Debond & retention

Brackets off, adhesive polished away, a final scan, and retainers fitted straight away. Teeth begin drifting within days, so there is no gap between the two.

Afterwards

Recovery & aftercare

Soft food for two or three days after fitting and each adjustment.
Avoid hard, sticky and chewy foods for the entire treatment — they break brackets and each breakage costs time.
Cut hard fruit and vegetables into pieces; don’t bite into apples or corn on the cob.
Brush after every meal, and use interdental brushes and floss threaders around the wire.
Orthodontic wax over anything rubbing, and always for the first week.
Never cut a poking wire yourself — reposition it with a pencil eraser or cover it with wax and call us.
Wear a fitted mouthguard for contact sport, remade as teeth move.
Attend every adjustment. Missed appointments are the number one reason treatment overruns.
Wear elastics exactly as instructed if they’re prescribed — they do the heavy lifting in bite correction.

Alternatives We’d Also Discuss

Other ways to go

Ceramic braces

The same mechanics with tooth-coloured brackets. More discreet, more expensive, slightly more fragile.

Clear aligners

Removable and nearly invisible, ideal for mild to moderate cases — but they depend entirely on wear time and handle less.

Waiting, in growing patients

For children, timing matters. Sometimes the right answer is to review in twelve months rather than start now, and we’ll say so.

Risks & Considerations

The honest downsides

No treatment is risk-free, and you should hear this before you decide rather than afterwards.

They are visible. For some teenagers that’s no issue at all; for some adults it’s decisive.
Decalcification — permanent white marks on the enamel around where brackets sat — happens with poor cleaning and cannot be reversed. This is the most important thing on this list.
Gum inflammation and swelling is common where cleaning slips.
Cheek and lip ulceration in the first week or two, until the soft tissue toughens up.
Discomfort for a few days after fitting and each adjustment.
Broken brackets and poking wires happen, particularly with hard or sticky food, and each one needs an unscheduled visit.
Some cases require extractions to create space, which is irreversible.
Root resorption — slight shortening of tooth roots — occurs to a minor degree in many orthodontic patients and occasionally to a significant degree.
Relapse without retention is certain, not possible. Retainers are part of the treatment, not an afterthought.

Cost & health funds

Metal braces are typically the most affordable orthodontic option and are paid in instalments across treatment. Health funds with orthodontic cover usually contribute an annual amount, so treatment spanning two calendar years may attract two years of benefit. Interest-free payment plans are available (lending criteria, fees and T&Cs apply).

Fees & payment plans →

Get a written plan

Before anything starts you’ll have a written treatment plan with costs, inclusions and any conditions spelled out, plus an estimate of your health fund rebate checked at the desk.

Book an assessment →

This information is general in nature and is not a substitute for personalised advice from a registered dental practitioner. Any dental or surgical procedure carries risks. Individual results vary. Before proceeding with treatment we encourage you to ask questions and, if you wish, seek a second opinion from a qualified health practitioner.