Traditional fixed braces, explained
Metal Braces in Turkey
Metal braces are the traditional fixed braces: small steel brackets glued to your teeth and linked by a wire. They can straighten crowded teeth and correct how your teeth bite together. However, they need an adjustment visit every few weeks for 1 to 2 years, so plan your follow-up before you start.
At a glance
- What it is
- A fixed brace with steel brackets and a wire
- Adjustment visits
- Usually every 4 to 10 weeks
- Average treatment time
- About 20 months in research studies
- Visits in total
- About 18 on average in studies
- Soreness
- Usually eases within a few days
- After braces
- Retainers for the long term
These figures come from research reviews and UK guidance rather than from any one clinic. Your orthodontist confirms your plan after an in-person examination.
How metal braces work
Fixed braces are one of the most common types of orthodontic treatment. Most are made of silver-coloured stainless steel, which is why people call them metal braces. They stay on your teeth until treatment ends, so you cannot take them out.
First, your orthodontist glues a small bracket to each tooth. Then they thread a thin wire, called an archwire, through the brackets. The first wires mainly line up crowded and twisted teeth. Later wires carry on the work until your teeth bite together better.
At each visit, your orthodontist adjusts the brace or changes the wire. As a result, your teeth move a little at a time. Research found no clear proof that one first wire works faster or hurts less than another, so your orthodontist chooses what suits your teeth.
- 1
Brackets and archwires
The brackets act as handles on each tooth, and the archwire guides the teeth into line. Metal brackets are the classic silver type. Brackets also come in gold or tooth-coloured materials.
- 2
Elastic rings and colours
Tiny elastic rings usually hold the wire in each bracket. They come in many colours, so you can personalise your brace. However, some bracket types do not use them.
- 3
Self-ligating brackets
These brackets hold the wire with a built-in clip instead of elastic rings. Reviews found they can save chair time. Otherwise, treatment time and results were much the same as with standard brackets.
Who suits metal braces
Only an orthodontic examination can show which brace suits your teeth. Also, a good clinician should explain all the options that could work for you, with the risks and benefits of each.
Metal braces may suit you if
Think carefully first if
Metal braces, ceramic braces and clear aligners
All three can straighten teeth. So the right choice depends on your bite, how complex the case is and how well you can follow the plan.
Your journey with metal braces
Braces take many months, not days. For this reason, your orthodontist will confirm which steps can happen in Istanbul and which need care near home.
- 1Online
Remote review
First, you send photos and any recent X-rays. Then a dentist explains which options may suit you and what follow-up you would need.
- 2Start
Examination and fitting
Next, your orthodontist examines your teeth, records any white marks and fits the brackets and first wire. Fitting should not hurt.
- 3Week 1
Settling in
After that, your teeth may ache for a few days. Soreness tends to peak after about 24 hours, so soft food and painkillers help.
- 4Every 4 to 10 weeks
Adjusting metal braces
Your orthodontist then adjusts the brace or changes the wire. In studies, people needed about 18 visits in total.
- 51 to 2 years
Braces off
Once your teeth and bite are in place, your orthodontist removes the brackets. On average, treatment took about 20 months in research.
- 6At home
Retainers for life
Finally, you wear retainers to stop the teeth moving back. Your own dentist also keeps checking your teeth and gums.
Living with metal braces
Food
Avoid hard, crunchy or sticky foods and chewing gum, because they can break your brace. Also, cut down on sugary food and drink.
Cleaning
Brush with fluoride toothpaste in the morning, at night and after meals. Then use an interdental brush every day to clean between your teeth and under the wire.
Your own dentist
Your orthodontist looks after the brace, while your teeth face a higher risk of decay. So keep up regular check-ups with your own dentist throughout.
Soreness after visits
Your teeth may feel tender for a few days after an adjustment. Usually, soft food and simple painkillers are enough.
Risks and side effects
Metal braces work well for many people, but they carry real risks. Brackets trap plaque, so decay and gum problems are the main concerns. In addition, braces can shorten the tips of tooth roots.
Travel adds another issue. Metal braces need an adjustment visit every few weeks, and nobody can do that from abroad. In fact, treatment took about 6 months longer on average when patients changed orthodontist partway through. So agree who will adjust your brace before you start.
In one large review, about 1 in 3 orthodontic patients developed new white spots, an early sign of decay. Fixed braces raised the odds more than other appliances. Therefore, careful cleaning and fluoride matter.
Braces can shorten the tips of tooth roots. Heavy forces may raise the risk, so orthodontists favour light forces. Also, some evidence suggests a 2 to 3 month pause in treatment reduces it.
Plaque around the brackets can inflame the gums. Gums can also shrink back if teeth move outside the jawbone. That is why your gums should be healthy before you start.
Your teeth will likely ache after fitting and after adjustments. However, the ache usually settles within a few days.
Hard or sticky food can break brackets or wires. As a result, you may need an extra visit, which is harder to arrange from abroad.
Teeth tend to drift back after braces, especially in the first months. So wearing retainers as advised is essential.
What your braces plan should answer
Ask any clinic, including us, for clear written answers before you book.
- 1Which brace types could treat my teeth, and why do you suggest this one?
- 2How long will treatment take, and how many visits will I need?
- 3Who will adjust my brace every few weeks, and where?
- 4What happens if a bracket breaks while I am at home?
- 5How will you check for white spots and root shortening?
- 6Which fluoride products should I use during treatment?
- 7Which retainer will I get, and who replaces it if it breaks?
Metal braces: your questions
Often 1 to 2 years. In a review of research studies, treatment took about 20 months on average. Complex cases can take longer.
Usually every 4 to 10 weeks, and often every 6 to 8 weeks. No research proves one interval is best, so your orthodontist sets it.
Fitting should not hurt. Afterwards, your teeth may ache for a few days, with the worst soreness around the first day. Then it tends to fade within a week.
You can start treatment in Istanbul. However, fixed braces need adjusting every few weeks, so you need a clear plan for who does this. Changing orthodontist midway made treatment about 6 months longer on average.
Not really. Reviews found they may save time in the chair, but overall treatment time was much the same as with standard brackets.
Yes. UK orthodontists advise retainers for the long term, because teeth tend to move back. Research has not shown that one retainer type is clearly best.
Related guides
Medical review required before publication · General information only; it does not replace an examination, diagnosis or personalised treatment plan.
- NHS. Braces (reviewed 2026)
- British Orthodontic Society. FAQs
- NHS Health Research Authority. How frequently should we see our orthodontic patients? (research summary)
- Tsichlaki A et al. How long does treatment with fixed orthodontic appliances last? A systematic review (2016)
- Rasol OA et al. Pain and oral health-related quality of life with fixed orthodontic treatment in adults: a systematic review (2026)
- Hussain U et al. Prevalence, incidence and risk factors of white spot lesions associated with orthodontic treatment (2025)
- Sundararaj D et al. Incidence and prevalence of white spot lesions during fixed orthodontic appliance treatment: a meta-analysis (2015)
- Benson PE et al. Fluorides for preventing early tooth decay during fixed brace treatment. Cochrane review (2019)
- Weltman B et al. Root resorption associated with orthodontic tooth movement: a systematic review (2010)
- Darvizeh A et al. External apical root resorption with clear aligners versus fixed appliances: a systematic review (2025)
- Chen SS et al. Systematic review of self-ligating brackets (2010)
- Maizeray R et al. Conventional, passive and active self-ligating brackets: a network meta-analysis (2021)
- Alhafi ZM et al. Quality and stability of outcomes with clear aligners versus fixed appliances (2025)
- Alhamwi AM et al. Duration of treatment with clear aligners versus fixed appliances in crowding cases (2024)
- Raghavan S et al. White spot lesions and plaque with clear aligners compared to fixed orthodontic treatment (2023)
- Jian F et al. Initial arch wires for tooth alignment with fixed appliances. Cochrane review (2013)
- Martin C et al. Retention procedures for stabilising tooth position after orthodontic braces. Cochrane review (2023)
Are metal braces
right for you?
Send a few clear photos and any recent X-rays. A dentist will then review them, explain which brace options may suit your teeth, and talk through how adjustment visits could work from home. Your plan stays provisional until you're examined in person.