Our Services
Dental braces
Metal, ceramic, and lingual options delivering precise, predictable results — from mild alignment through to severe bite correction.
Fixed braces remain among the most capable orthodontic tools available. Where aligners rely on a plastic shell gripping the tooth, brackets and wires apply force directly and in three dimensions — which is why complex cases still go this route.
Dr. Julien Kim brings fifteen years of specialist orthodontic expertise and training from the University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry.
Types of braces
Metal Braces
A durable option and typically the most efficient for complex movements. Modern brackets are considerably smaller and more comfortable than those most adults remember.
Ceramic Braces
Tooth-coloured brackets that are far less noticeable than metal while working the same way. A common choice for adults who need fixed appliances.
Lingual Braces
Fitted behind the teeth so they are hidden from view entirely. Technically demanding to place and adjust, but genuinely invisible.
Clear Aligners
Invisalign as an alternative where the case suits removable treatment — discussed honestly against fixed options rather than defaulted to.
What braces treat
- ✓ Severe crowding where there is not enough room for the teeth present
- ✓ Bite correction — overbite, underbite, and crossbite
- ✓ Open bite, where front teeth do not meet when the back teeth do
- ✓ Tooth rotation that aligners struggle to fully correct
- ✓ Asymmetrical alignment across the arch
- ✓ Cases requiring extraction to create space
Who provides the treatment
Orthodontic treatment here is planned and carried out by Dr. Julien Kim, a registered specialist in orthodontics with fifteen years of specialist practice. That is a factual distinction worth understanding: a general dentist may provide some orthodontic treatment, while a registered specialist has completed a recognised postgraduate programme in it.
It also means a case that needs teeth moved before they are restored is planned by people working in the same building, rather than by two offices corresponding — see orthodontics.
Braces or clear aligners?
This is the question almost everyone arrives with, and the honest answer is that it depends on the movement required rather than on preference.
- Clear aligners suit many cases and not all of them. They work well for crowding, spacing and mild to moderate correction. They are removable, which is their advantage and their weakness: they only work while they are in — Invisalign and what clear aligners can fix.
- Fixed braces do things aligners cannot. Significant rotation, substantial vertical movement and some bite corrections are more predictable with a bracket bonded to the tooth. They are also not removable, which for some patients is the point.
- Cost is usually comparable for equivalent cases, so it is rarely the deciding factor. Fees vary with the complexity of the case; we provide a written estimate before treatment begins.
At the consultation Dr. Kim will tell you which your case suits and why. If both would work, the choice is genuinely yours.
How long it takes, and what decides that
Treatment time is the other question people want answered before they start. It varies, and the variation is not arbitrary.
- How far the teeth have to move. Closing a small space is quicker than correcting a bite.
- Whether the bite is being changed as well as the alignment. Straightening the front teeth is a smaller job than altering how the jaws meet — bite correction.
- Age. Teeth move throughout life, but bone remodels more readily in a growing patient. Adult treatment is entirely normal and often a little slower.
- Whether you wear what you are asked to wear. With aligners this is the single largest variable. With fixed braces it applies to elastics.
You get an estimate of treatment time at the planning appointment, once the records and imaging are in front of us rather than before.
Living with braces
- The first week is the uncomfortable one. Teeth feel tender and the lips and cheeks need to toughen up. It settles. Soft food and over-the-counter pain relief cover it.
- Cleaning takes longer and matters more. Brackets trap plaque, and decalcified white marks around them are permanent in a way that a cavity is not. An interdental brush and, ideally, a water flosser make more difference than brushing harder does. We will show you the technique when the braces go on, and again at any adjustment if it is not going well.
- Some food has to go for the duration. Hard, sticky and chewy things break brackets, and a broken bracket is a wasted appointment as well as a delay.
- Adjustments are every few weeks and are usually short.
Retention is part of the treatment, not an afterthought
Teeth move for as long as you are alive. That is not a failure of the treatment; it is how the periodontal ligament behaves. Left alone after braces come off, teeth drift back towards where they started, and the front teeth are the first to show it.
So retention is not optional and it is not temporary. The regime is usually full-time wear at first and then night-time indefinitely. People who stop wearing retainers are the people who need treatment a second time, and we would rather tell you that at the beginning than at the end.
Common questions
Who does the orthodontic treatment?+
Dr. Julien Kim, a registered specialist in orthodontics with fifteen years of specialist practice.
Should I have braces or clear aligners?+
It depends on the movement your case needs rather than on preference. Aligners suit crowding, spacing and mild to moderate correction. Fixed braces are more predictable for significant rotation and some bite corrections. If both would work, the choice is yours.
How long will treatment take?+
It depends on how far the teeth must move, whether the bite is being changed as well as the alignment, and how consistently you wear what you are asked to. You get an estimate once the records and imaging are in front of us.
Am I too old for braces?+
No. Teeth move throughout life. Adult orthodontic treatment is routine, and often a little slower than in a growing patient because bone remodels more readily while someone is still growing.
Do I really have to wear a retainer forever?+
Night-time wear, indefinitely, is the usual regime. Teeth drift for as long as you are alive, so retention is part of the treatment rather than a follow-up to it.
Ready to get started?
Book a consultation and find out which appliance your case actually needs. Call (905) 479-7777.