Featured Service
Braces in Meridian, Idaho
Why Choose Traditional Braces?
Dr. Peterson loves both Invisalign and traditional braces, because different cases call for different solutions. Braces offer a level of precision and forced compliance that makes them the ideal choice for many patients, especially teenagers and those with more complex alignment issues.
We offer traditional metal braces and clear ceramic braces. Clear ceramic braces use tooth-colored brackets that blend in with your smile, giving you the reliability of braces with a more discreet appearance.
- Traditional metal braces available
- Clear ceramic braces for a more discreet look
- Ideal for complex tooth movement
- Built-in compliance, always working
- Treats kids, teens, and adults
- Complimentary braces consultation
Metal Braces
The gold standard for straightening teeth. Durable, effective, and the most affordable option.
Ceramic Braces
Tooth-colored brackets that blend with your smile. Same reliability, more discreet.
Teen Braces
Designed for active teenagers. We build in compliance so results are never compromised.
Adult Braces
It’s never too late for a straight smile. We treat adults of all ages.
What Braces Can Correct
Braces work by applying steady, gentle pressure through brackets and a wire. That pressure prompts the bone around each tooth root to remodel, so teeth can move into planned positions and the bone rebuilds around them.
Because brackets are bonded to the teeth and working around the clock, braces can handle a wider range of movements than removable aligners, including many of the more complex cases.
Crowding
Teeth that overlap or twist because the arch does not have enough room.
Spacing and gaps
Unwanted spaces between teeth, including gaps between the front teeth.
Overbite
Upper front teeth that extend too far vertically over the lower front teeth.
Underbite
Lower teeth that sit ahead of the upper teeth when the jaws close.
Crossbite
Upper teeth that close inside the lower teeth rather than outside them.
Rotated or tipped teeth
Teeth turned or angled out of line, which brackets can control precisely.
Who Braces Suit Best
Braces are the most versatile way to straighten teeth. Because they cannot be taken out, they do not depend on remembering to wear them, which is why they are often the first choice for younger patients and complex bites.
Often a good fit
- Moderate to complex crowding, spacing, or bite problems
- Teens and kids whose permanent teeth have come in
- Adults who want dependable results without daily wear tracking
- Patients who have struggled to keep removable trays in
- Teeth that need significant rotation or vertical movement
- Anyone looking for the most budget-friendly straightening option
Needs evaluation first
- Active tooth decay or untreated gum disease
- Significant jaw growth or skeletal discrepancies
- Patients who play contact sports without a mouthguard
- Very limited ability to brush and floss around brackets
Most items in the second column are either sequencing issues handled before treatment or factors that change the plan. An in-person exam with X-rays is the only way to know which approach fits your case.
Two Things Patients Are Rarely Told Upfront
Most people know braces involve brackets and a wire. Two other parts of treatment are standard but often come as a surprise, so they are worth knowing before you start.
Elastics (rubber bands)
Brackets and wires straighten teeth within each arch, but correcting how the upper and lower teeth meet often takes small elastics hooked between the two arches. They supply the pull that lines up the bite.
Elastics only work when they are worn as directed, usually most of the day and night, and changed regularly. Skipping them is one of the most common reasons treatment runs longer than planned.
Interproximal reduction
When teeth are crowded, the room to straighten them has to come from somewhere. Interproximal reduction, or IPR, contours a very small amount of enamel from between specific teeth to create that space. The amounts are fractions of a millimeter and are planned ahead.
IPR is a routine part of both braces and aligner treatment. It is worth asking whether your plan includes it so nothing feels like a surprise later.
Living With Braces
Braces take a few weeks to get used to. The habits below protect your teeth and brackets and keep treatment on schedule.
Brush after every meal
Food collects around brackets quickly. Brushing after eating keeps plaque from building up and staining the enamel around each bracket.
Floss every day with a threader
A floss threader or water flosser gets under the wire to clean between teeth where a brush cannot reach.
Skip hard and sticky foods
Ice, hard candy, popcorn, caramel, and gum can bend wires or pop brackets loose, which adds repair visits.
Cut crunchy foods into small pieces
Apples, raw carrots, and crusty bread are fine when cut into bite-size pieces and chewed with the back teeth.
Wear a mouthguard for sports
A mouthguard made for braces protects your lips, cheeks, and brackets from a hit.
Wear elastics as directed
If your plan includes rubber bands, consistent wear is what moves the bite. Missed days add up.
Use dental wax for sore spots
A small piece of wax over a bracket that rubs gives your cheek time to toughen up in the first weeks.
Call if something breaks
A loose bracket or poking wire is rarely an emergency, but let the office know so it can be fixed before it slows treatment.
Retention: The Part That Makes It Last
When braces come off, the work is not quite done. Teeth have a natural tendency to drift back toward where they started, a process called relapse, and the fibers that held them in their old positions take a long time to reorganize.
Retainers prevent that drift. Wear is usually full-time at first and then reduced to nights on the schedule your provider sets. Retention is best thought of as a long-term commitment, and stopping is the most common reason people consider treatment again years later.
Retainer options
Removable clear retainers
Thin, clear trays taken out for eating and cleaning, worn on a prescribed schedule.
Fixed bonded retainers
A thin wire bonded behind the front teeth that holds them continuously without depending on you remembering.
From Consultation to Retainer, Step by Step
Braces treatment follows a predictable sequence. Here is what to expect from the first visit to the day your braces come off.
Examination and records
An exam of your teeth, gums, and bite, along with X-rays and photos, shows what needs to move and whether any decay or gum problems should be treated first.
Treatment plan
Dr. Peterson walks you through the plan, the type of braces that fit your goals, and an estimated timeline.
Placing your braces
The teeth are cleaned, brackets are bonded with a tooth-safe adhesive, and the wire is attached. The visit is not painful, and you learn how to care for your braces before you leave.
Adjusting to braces
Some soreness for the first few days is normal and eases with soft foods and over-the-counter pain relief.
Regular adjustments
Visits every several weeks let the wire be changed or adjusted so your teeth keep moving on schedule.
Finishing details
Near the end, small refinements and any elastics fine-tune how the teeth fit together.
Removal and retention
Brackets are removed, the teeth are polished, and you begin wearing a retainer to hold your new smile in place.
Braces Questions, Answered
It depends on how much your teeth need to move. Many patients wear braces for about 18 to 24 months. Dr. Peterson will give you a personal estimate at your complimentary consultation.
Getting braces on does not hurt. Most people feel soreness and pressure for a few days afterward and after adjustments. Soft foods and over-the-counter pain relief help.
Many patients start between about 10 and 14, once most permanent teeth have come in, but there is no upper age limit. Adults get great results with braces too.
Yes. Wear a mouthguard for contact sports. Wind instrument players usually adjust within a few weeks.
Cost depends on your case and the type of braces. Many dental insurance plans include some coverage, and we offer financing. You will get a clear quote at your consultation.
Avoid hard, sticky, and chewy foods such as ice, popcorn, hard candy, caramel, and gum. They can bend wires or loosen brackets.
Find Out If Braces Are Right for You
Book a complimentary consultation with Dr. Peterson. We’ll evaluate your smile and recommend the best treatment option for your goals and lifestyle.