Braces remain the most proven and versatile orthodontic treatment available — and at Thrive Dental & Orthodontics in Sachse, they’re placed and managed by Dr. Raamis Hirani, a board-certified orthodontist with advanced specialty training.
We offer metal braces, clear ceramic braces, and adult braces at our Sachse location. Free consultations are available with no commitment. We’re on the corner of Highway 78 and Woodbridge Parkway — directly across from Walmart — with a kids’ playroom, digital X-rays, and a 3D scanner that means no goopy impressions at any point in your treatment.
Book your free consultation or call (469) 649-1101.
Both are excellent options. The right choice depends on your specific teeth, your lifestyle, and your priorities. Your orthodontist will give you a direct clinical recommendation at your consultation — not a default toward whichever option costs more.
Braces tend to be the better choice when:
Invisalign tends to be the better choice when:
If you’re genuinely unsure — that’s what the free consultation is for. Your orthodontist will evaluate your teeth, explain the considerations honestly, and give you his recommendation. If braces are better for your case, he’ll say so. If Invisalign is equally effective, he’ll say that too.
Metal braces are the gold standard of orthodontic treatment — the most effective option for cases of every complexity, the most affordable type of braces, and equally well-suited for children, teens, and adults. Stainless steel brackets are bonded to the front of each tooth, connected by an archwire that Dr. Nate adjusts at each appointment to continue progressing your tooth movement.
Today’s metal brackets are smaller and more comfortable than older designs. The elastic ties that hold the wire come in dozens of colors — something patients genuinely enjoy, especially kids and teens who look forward to picking a new combination at every appointment.
Metal braces give the orthodontist the highest level of control over tooth movement — which is why they remain the recommended option for complex bite corrections, significant crowding, and cases where precision matters most.
Ceramic braces work exactly like metal braces but use tooth-colored or clear brackets that blend with your enamel, making them significantly less noticeable. For patients who want the clinical effectiveness of traditional braces with a more discreet profile, ceramic braces are the natural choice.
They’re most popular with older teens and adults who are conscious of appearance — particularly in professional or social settings. The tradeoff is modest: ceramic brackets are slightly more fragile than metal and require a little more care with harder foods. They’re also slightly higher in cost due to the material. But for the right patient, the aesthetic benefit is well worth it.
A significant portion of our Sachse orthodontic patients are adults. There is no upper age limit for orthodontic treatment — teeth move effectively at any age with proper orthodontic mechanics.
Adults pursue braces for a range of reasons: relapse after teenage treatment, bite issues causing wear or jaw discomfort, or simply deciding the time is finally right for a smile they’ve always wanted. We design adult treatment plans around real adult lives — flexible scheduling, clear communication about timeline and cost, and options that account for existing dental work like crowns or fillings.
Many adult braces patients at Thrive Sachse combine treatment with teeth whitening or cosmetic dentistry after treatment is complete — and all patients receive complimentary custom whitening trays when treatment ends.
Your orthodontist will evaluate your teeth, bite, and jaw development. He discusses his clinical findings with you in plain language and presents your treatment options — including type of braces, estimated timeline, and cost with and without insurance. Questions are encouraged.
Once you decide to move forward, we take comprehensive orthodontic records: digital X-rays, photographs, and a 3D digital scan of your teeth. No impressions. These records form the foundation of your personalized treatment plan.
This is when your braces go on. The bonding appointment typically takes 60–90 minutes. The orthodontist places each bracket precisely on every tooth, threads the initial archwire, and ties it with the elastics of your color choice. Before you leave, you receive orthodontic wax, a care kit, and detailed instructions for the first days with braces.
Most patients experience soreness and pressure for the first three to five days as teeth begin responding to the new forces. Soft foods and acetaminophen help significantly. The discomfort resolves and most patients adapt to braces faster than they expected.
Every six to ten weeks, you return for an adjustment appointment — typically 20–40 minutes. Your orthodontist evaluates your progress, changes the wire, adjusts mechanics as needed, and updates your color ties if you’re wearing metal braces. Each adjustment advances your teeth incrementally toward the final result. This is where the real work of orthodontics happens across the treatment period.
When your teeth reach their final position, the brackets are removed, your teeth are polished, and custom retainers are delivered. You’ll wear retainers full-time initially, then transition to nighttime-only wear on an ongoing basis. Wearing retainers consistently — indefinitely — is the only thing that protects your results from natural tooth movement over time.
All braces treatment at Thrive Sachse includes retainers and complimentary whitening trays after treatment.
The orthodontists at Thrive completed an additional two to three years of specialty training after dental school focused exclusively on orthodontics. Braces at Thrive Sachse are placed and managed by an orthodontist — not a general dentist offering treatment as a secondary service. That distinction directly affects the precision and predictability of your results.
At your records appointment, Dr. Nate uses our 3D digital intraoral scanner to capture a precise model of your teeth. There are no impression trays, no putty, no gagging. The digital scan produces a more accurate model than traditional impressions and feeds directly into your treatment planning. Records are also faster and more comfortable — particularly for younger patients or anyone with a sensitive gag reflex.
We use digital X-rays throughout treatment — both at your initial records and at monitoring intervals. Digital imaging requires significantly less radiation than traditional film X-rays while producing clearer, more detailed images that Dr. Nate can review immediately on screen. For parents bringing multiple kids in for orthodontic evaluations, that reduced exposure matters.
Orthodontic treatment means regular appointments over 18–36 months. If you have younger children who come along to sibling appointments, they’re welcome — our dedicated kids’ playroom has video games and cartoons to keep them genuinely entertained. Parents tell us this changes the appointment experience entirely.
Every orthodontic consultation at our Sachse office is completely free and carries no obligation. You’ll leave with a clear understanding of your options, a realistic treatment timeline, and a complete cost breakdown — including what your insurance covers. No commitment required.
Good hygiene during braces treatment protects your enamel and your investment. The most important upgrades:
Switch to an electric toothbrush — a sonic model like a Sonicare cleans around brackets far more effectively than a manual brush. Brush after every meal. Floss daily using floss threaders or orthodontic flossers to clean between teeth under the wire. Rinse with fluoride mouthwash nightly to protect against white spot lesions — the chalky marks that can form around brackets if enamel is exposed to acid.
Keep your regular dental cleanings every six months throughout treatment. Our hygiene team at our Sachse office removes buildup that home care misses and monitors your gum health throughout. Patients who keep up with cleanings during braces consistently have better outcomes than those who don’t.
Read our detailed guide on how to prevent the side effects of braces for a full breakdown of what to watch for and how to handle it.
Most dental insurance plans that include orthodontic benefits apply them equally to braces and Invisalign — a lifetime maximum that contributes toward treatment cost. Metal braces are typically the most affordable orthodontic option before insurance; ceramic braces carry a modest premium.
Our front desk team verifies your orthodontic benefits before your consultation so you know exactly what your plan contributes. For patients without orthodontic insurance, in-house payment plans spread the cost over the treatment period with no large upfront commitment. Our Healthy Smiles Discount Plan provides a 20% discount on orthodontic treatment for $89/year. Visit our insurance page for the full carrier list.
Our Sachse office is at 7900 Woodbridge Pkwy — on the corner of Highway 78 and Woodbridge Parkway, directly across from Walmart. Patients come to us from throughout the Highway 78 corridor, including Wylie, Murphy, Garland, and surrounding communities.
Beyond braces, our Sachse location offers Invisalign, dental cleanings, teeth whitening, dental crowns, emergency dental care, and comprehensive general dentistry — everything your family needs under one roof.
Most children who need braces begin treatment between ages 10 and 14, when most permanent teeth have erupted and the jaw is still actively growing. The first orthodontic evaluation should happen at age 7 per AAO guidelines — even if no treatment is needed, the evaluation establishes a baseline and gives your orthodontist the information needed to time treatment optimally.
Treatment time depends on the complexity of your case. Mild cases typically complete in 12–18 months. Most moderate cases take 18–24 months. Complex bite corrections may take up to 36 months. Compliance — wearing elastics as directed, avoiding bracket-breaking foods, attending all appointments — has a meaningful impact on staying on schedule.
The bonding appointment is painless. Soreness begins within a few hours as teeth start responding to the new forces, peaking around 24–72 hours. Subsequent adjustment appointments cause similar temporary soreness. Most patients manage well with acetaminophen and soft foods. The discomfort fades between adjustments and most patients adapt quickly.
Yes — with a mouthguard. A properly fitted mouthguard protects both your brackets and your lips and cheeks from impact during contact sports. Ask our team for a recommendation if you play an active sport.
Hard foods (ice, hard candy, popcorn, raw carrots), sticky foods (caramel, gum, chewy candy), and foods you bite directly into with your front teeth (whole apples, corn on the cob) are the main ones to avoid. They can break brackets or bend wires, which adds unplanned repair appointments and can delay treatment.
Yes. Relapse — teeth shifting after previous orthodontic treatment, usually from inconsistent retainer wear — is very common. Many adult patients come to us specifically to correct shifting after teenage braces. Dr. Nate will evaluate your current alignment and bone health at your consultation and discuss the best path forward.
A straighter smile and a healthier bite start with a free consultation. Come in to our Sachse office, meet your Orthodontist and the team, and see what treatment would actually look like for your teeth.
Book your free braces consultation — corner of Highway 78 and Woodbridge Parkway, across from Walmart. Or call (469) 649-1101.
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