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Braces FAQ

Home » Braces » Braces FAQ

How Do Braces Work?

Braces are a fantastic corrective treatment that has remained popular for generations because of their efficiency and beautiful results. For clear and metal braces, we place brackets on each tooth and thread a wire through each bracket to connect them. This wire will allow us to adjust your braces so your teeth shift into the desired position. To bind the bracket to the wire, we use rubber bands you can customize by color to show your personality during treatment.

In addition to clear and metal braces, we offer Damon® System braces. The Damon bracket uses sliding-door technology, or self-ligation, that allows the wire to slide back and forth within the bracket. This technology creates less friction and results in greater comfort for the patient. In addition, Damon braces often reduce both treatment time and the number of adjustments that are usually performed.

How Long Will I Wear Braces?

The time you spend in braces depends on the extent of your orthodontic needs and goals. We want your dream results to last forever, so we will never rush you through treatment. However, our appliances are top-of-the-line and designed to help you achieve the smile you’ve always wanted in an efficient timeline. Most of our patients complete treatment and earn healthier smiles within 6 to 30 months. After you finish your active treatment, we’ll give you a retainer to wear for a period so you can maintain your results after your appliance is removed.

Do Braces Hurt?

Long gone are the bulky braces of the past that were uncomfortable and unstylish. We now have appliances that have been refined for ultimate patient comfort with a sleeker appearance. While there may be a short adjustment while you get used to the feeling of an appliance in your mouth and the sensation of shifting teeth, most patients quickly adapt to their braces. If you feel uncomfortable at first, we suggest taking over-the-counter pain medicine or putting braces wax on any areas of the appliance that bother your soft tissue. If you feel pain or discomfort for a prolonged period, we encourage you to reach out to our office so we can give you advice or make adjustments to your appliance.

What Foods Will I Have to Avoid When Getting Braces?

Braces are a life-changing treatment that will permanently alter your smile for the better. There are a few foods you should cut from your diet to achieve extraordinary results with braces. Hard, sticky, and chewy foods are known for pulling at brackets and wires and causing them to poke your mouth or break. We don’t want anything to lengthen your treatment or make you uncomfortable, so we encourage you to avoid these foods while in braces.

How Do I Care for My Teeth While Wearing Braces?

To have a smooth and comfortable treatment, our patients must maintain excellent oral health. Adults are much more likely to suffer from periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, leading to bone loss and tooth loss. To prevent this disease and maintain your oral health, you should take special care to work your toothbrush and floss around your brackets and wires to rid your appliance of food debris and harmful bacteria. We encourage you to continue getting your regularly scheduled teeth cleaning from your general dentist. By protecting your teeth, you can preserve the success of your treatment in braces.

How Do I Protect My Mouth When Playing Sports with Braces?

Braces treatment can fit into your lifestyle without making you give up the things you love. Our practice is a huge supporter of local sports teams, and we love seeing our patients out on the field or court having a blast. To protect your smile and appliance during games and practices, you should wear a braces mouthguard that fits snugly over your teeth. This way, if anything hits your face, your mouth won’t rub against your appliance, and your braces won’t break from the impact. Breaking your appliance could lead to a longer treatment and temporary discomfort, so it’s essential to protect your braces at all times.

How Much Do Braces Cost?

The cost of braces varies depending on the extent of a patient’s needs. However, we are constantly working to make our services accessible to the community. In pursuit of this goal, we offer flexible financing plans to help your family budget for this life-changing treatment. We also work with many insurance providers to keep out-of-pocket costs down.

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Our 5-Star Experience

We’re thankful for the opportunity to serve our community by making them smile every day. Hear what our patients are saying about their experience with us!

Rachel H.
Amazing staff! Everyone is always friendly and professional and I love that they set you up with the whole plan and payments from the beginning so no surprises. They explain everything before they do it and that helped a lot with my kiddos anxiety too. Love them all! Highly recommend!
Mags A.
Love Sparkman Orthodontics! From the start, they made the process of getting Invisalign for my 11 year old son worry-free. I was concerned about having to work in multiple appointments over the course of the treatment, but fortunately, we are able to do our scans from home! Communication was quick and we've just moved to our last aligner for this phase of treatment and his teeth look great! Highly recommend.
Jacqueline M.
The whole staff is super nice, and they all made my son feel as comfortable as possible. By far this has been the place with most patience for him. They always make sure he knows exactly what to expect.
Suzy Q
Being a busy mom of four children and working full time appointments are hard to make. Sparkman orthodontics offers a scan at home which has been amazing! Super easy process to getting a straight and beautiful smile!!
6NZ_Alexis
amazing service great customer service, in and out quickly 30 mins tops
Marissa B.
Absolutely caring and professional!! Made the braces journey easy and enjoyable! Friendly staff and doctors! Answer all questions and are very knowledgeable!
Breanna M.
Sparkman has seriously been amazing with all four of my kiddos! Everyone is so thorough and friendly! I will always recommend Sparkman!
Michael V.
Very responsive and helpful through the whole process.
Camila
They did a great job on my son, highly recommend!👍
Debi L.
Love the doctors and staff..Jonathan was amazing today 😍
Sarah N.
5 stars! My daughter just got her braces off after 18ish months and her teeth are absolutely perfect. The doctors and all of the staff are very prompt & kind. Every appointment was quick & painless. I highly recommend Sparkman to anyone looking for help with their smile.
Rachel W.
Sparkman Orthodontics has a very friendly staff and care about their patients. Their doctors are fantastic! I highly recommend them as an orthodontist.
Daniel S.
Dr. Sparkman recommended my 9 year old son to get Invisalign and I was skeptical at first. But it has been great! My son is way more responsible with them than I thought he’d be and we haven’t had to come into the office for broken brackets or other problems you’d have with normal braces. I definitely recommend Dr. Sparkman and his staff for all your braces needs!
Whitney G.
We couldn’t be happier with our experience at Sparkman Orthodontics! From the very beginning, everyone has been incredibly kind, patient, and welcoming. They always take the time to explain everything in a way that both I and my 8-year-old can understand, which has made the whole process so much easier and less intimidating.

We decided on Invisalign for her phase one treatment, and it’s been such a great decision for our family. Not only has it saved us from unexpected office visits for emergencies, but it also fit so well into our busy routine. The team was so thoughtful in helping us decide if Invisalign was the right choice, and we’ve felt supported every step of the way.

Now that she’s finishing up phase one, her smile looks absolutely beautiful - and seeing her confidence grow has been the best part of all. We are so grateful for the care and attention Sparkman Orthodontics has given our family!
Mary L.
Sparkman Orthodontics is absolutely amazing. I brought my daughter here, and we were met with a phenomenal team of workers. Everyone from the receptionist to the doctors were friendly and professional. Thank you! We highly recommend Sparkman Orthodontics!
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🎉 Help us welcome Karla Marrufo to the Sparkman Orthodontics team! 🎉 Karla has officially completed her 90-day training and is now a full member of our Patient Care Center team. She works hard behind the scenes scheduling appointments and keeping our days running smoothly.  We’re so excited to have her on board — make sure to say hi when you see her! 👋  #SparkmanOrthodontics #SparkASmile #TeamSparkman #WelcomeToTheTeam
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✨ We’re BACK! ✨ We hope everyone had an amazing Labor Day weekend! Our team is recharged, smiling, and ready to welcome you back into the office. Let’s make this week full of confident smiles! 😄🦷  📞 Call us at (806) 355-9732 or book online to schedule your next visit. #SparkmanOrthodontics #SparkASmile #BackInOffice #Braces #ClearAligners
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🎉✨ Help us wish Dr. Corbin Clifton a very Happy Birthday! ✨🎉  We’re so lucky to have his expertise, kindness, and passion for creating beautiful smiles here at Sparkman Orthodontics. Thank you, Dr. Clifton, for everything you do for our patients and team — we hope your day is as amazing as you are!  #SparkmanOrthodontics #HappyBirthday #TeamSparkman #SparkASmile #DrClifton
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🎉✨ Happy Birthday, Kacie! ✨🎉 Join us in celebrating Kacie Flores, one of our amazing Treatment Coordinators here at Sparkman Orthodontics! 🦷 We’re so lucky to have her on our team helping create beautiful smiles every day.  Drop her a birthday message below to show her some love! 🎂🎈  #HappyBirthday #SparkmanOrthodontics #SparkASmile
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📢 Holiday Hours Alert! We’ll be closed for Labor Day Weekend. 📅 Friday, August 29 – Monday, September 1 We’ll reopen Tuesday, September 2 for regular business hours!  Enjoy the long weekend with your loved ones, and we’ll see you back with smiles next week! 😁✨  #LaborDayWeekend #SparkmanOrthodontics #SparkASmile
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🎉 Welcome to the Team, Thanya! 🎉  We’re so excited to officially welcome Thanya Banda to Sparkman Orthodontics! She’s joined us as one of our Treatment & Finance Coordinators and has been doing an amazing job during her first 90 days with us. We’re so glad to have her on our team! 💛  #SparkmanOrthodontics #WelcomeToTheTeam #SparkASmile #AmarilloTeam
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🎓✨ Congratulations to Kameron Wolff, the recipient of this year’s Sparkman Orthodontics Scholarship for Amarillo High!  Cameron is not only an outstanding student but also a wonderful family friend of Dr. Sparkman, which makes this moment extra special. We’re so proud to support our local students as they take the next step in their journey!  #SparkmanOrthodontics #SparkASmile #Scholarship #AmarilloHigh #AmarilloTexas
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What to Expect During Your Braces Treatment

When you first get your braces, it's normal to feel some discomfort or soreness as your mouth adjusts to the new appliances. You may also experience some difficulty speaking or eating at first, but this will improve as you get used to your braces. It's important to follow the guidelines provided by your orthodontist on how to care for your braces and what foods to avoid to prevent any damage to your appliance.

Throughout your treatment, you will have periodic appointments with your orthodontist for adjustments. These appointments are essential for ensuring that your teeth are moving properly and that your treatment is progressing as planned. It's important to follow the instructions given by your orthodontist and to communicate any concerns or issues you may have during your treatment.