If you had braces before the 21st century, you’ll notice that today’s braces have changed drastically! Braces are now faster, more discreet, more comfortable, more efficient, and more affordable than ever before.
Let’s dive into the evolution of braces to see where orthodontics started, compared to where it is now.
Braces: Ancient Beginnings
Did you know that braces date back as far as 1000 BCE? That’s right — mummies in Ancient Egypt were discovered with metal bands around their teeth, which means that the concept of straightening teeth has been around for thousands of years!
Archaeologists have discovered crude forms of braces made from materials, like gold wires and animal intestines — and more specifically, catgut! Yikes!
These ancient braces featured a cord that was wrapped and winded around each individual tooth to apply pressure to teeth.
Nowadays, orthodontists attach a bracket to each tooth with a wire spanning through the brackets and elastics (in traditional braces) to hold brackets to wires, moving teeth comfortably and efficiently. This is a much safer, less invasive alternative to wrapping wires around tooth roots!
Needless to say, braces have come a long way since 1000 BCE — but how did they evolve through the years?
Braces: Then and Now
Teeth braces were then formally introduced in 1819 by French orthodontist Christophe-Francois Delabarre! With these braces, thick bands (known as cribs) were placed around multiple teeth in a row to hold them in place. “Cribs” were made of various metals, like silver, steel, copper and gold, as well as some woods and rubber.
From here, braces continued to evolve over time, bringing us to the advanced self-ligating braces we offer today at Just for Grins Orthodontics! These high-tech braces use a passive slide mechanism to align your teeth independently of each tooth, reducing discomfort and your time in braces!
But how did we get here? Let’s see how braces evolved over centuries:
Braces Evolution in the 20th and 21st Centuries
What did braces look like in the 50s, 70s and 90s?
Braces in the 1950s
In the 1950s, stainless steel was being introduced into orthodontics, but this material wasn’t entirely accepted for use in the field yet. Toward the end of the 1950s, x-rays also started to be used regularly for orthodontic treatment.
While braces were more common in the 50s, they weren’t exactly the type of braces we see today. Braces in the 50s were still wrapped around each individual tooth and bonding adhesive hadn’t been developed for commercial use yet.
Braces in the 1970s
Braces were still wrapped around individual teeth well into the early 1970s. Then, braces in the 70s took a major leap with modern-day technology! Direct bonding (gluing) of brackets to teeth replaced the previous wrapping technique.
70s braces also featured the revolutionary self-ligating technique that didn’t require the use of elastic bands to adhere brackets to wires. Around the 1970s, lingual braces were also invented. With lingual braces, brackets are attached to the back, tongue-side surfaces of the teeth and are completely hidden when a patient speaks or smiles.
However, these techniques weren’t widely-accepted yet, because they required special training from orthodontists who weren’t quite ready to reinvent their approach yet.
Braces in the 1980s & 1990s
Next came the invention of clear braces in the early 1980s, but traditional metal braces took off first. By the 1990s, traditional braces with colored rubber bands were the most popular form of treatment.
This was actually the same decade that Invisalign® clear aligners were born! From the 1990s on, there were a variety of esthetic treatment options available to everyone. Braces have only become more aesthetically-appealing, more efficient with shorter treatment times, less noticeable, and overall, more desirable than ever before.
Braces evolution: Your Options Today
Through modern-day orthodontic techniques and technologies, we’re able to offer you advanced forms of braces that (fortunately) don’t require catgut wrapped around each individual tooth!
We’re able to take digital x-rays and a digital scan of your teeth to create a 3D model of your smile. This allows us to create a highly-accurate, custom treatment plan, make adjustments to your digital 3D teeth model and see how those adjustments will change the end result in real time!
Today, our orthodontists can assess the position of every tooth, assess the jaw bones, and assess the relation of the teeth to the jaw bones, to create a precise treatment plan that results in a smile that’s not only stunning but functional.
This exam and one-on-one consultation with one of our highly experienced orthodontists, Dr. Dunn or Dr. Schreiber, is complimentary at our orthodontic practice!
Providing a personalized treatment experience with premium-quality care is important to us. You’ll be able to choose from modern orthodontic treatments:
Learn about all types of braces and Invisalign clear aligners!
No matter what your treatment preference is, we have the perfect option to suit your lifestyle. We’re proud to be highly experienced Invisalign orthodontists near you. As certified Platinum Plus Invisalign providers, we’re proud to be recognized for our Invisalign expertise. With us, you’re in the best hands in Montgomery and Elmore Counties.
Transform Your Smile with Modern Day Braces!
We’re just a month away from 2025, and orthodontics have been revolutionized not only in the past few centuries, but in the past decade! As orthodontic care continues to evolve and advance, we stay on the cutting edge, adopting the newest techniques, treatments and technologies to bring you the best possible experience.
We invite you to Just for Grins Orthodontics for a complimentary consultation at one of our modern orthodontist offices in Montgomery, Millbrook, or Wetumpka! Book one for you or your child today.
