Types of Braces
Shannon Orthodontics provides braces at both of our Central Florida offices. In Davenport, explore braces in Davenport, including braces for kids, braces for teens, and braces for adults. In Kissimmee, explore braces in Kissimmee, including braces for kids, braces for teens, and braces for adults.
There’s more than one way to get a great smile, and there’s no single right answer for every patient. Below is what we offer, who it tends to fit best, and what to expect — so you can walk into your consultation already knowing your options.
Traditional Metal Braces
Metal braces are the original, and they’re still one of the most effective tools in orthodontics for a reason: they work reliably on nearly every kind of case — from simple crowding to more complex bite corrections. Today’s metal brackets are smaller and less noticeable than the ones you may remember from years ago, and they let Dr. Shannon and Dr. Larsen apply precise, controlled pressure to move teeth efficiently. If your case calls for a straightforward, dependable path with no guesswork, this is often it.
Ceramic Braces
Ceramic braces work the same way traditional metal braces do, with one key difference: the brackets are made from a tooth-colored material that blends in against your teeth instead of standing out. They’re a popular choice for teens and adults who want the reliability of braces without the more visible look of metal. They do require a bit more attention to keep clean and stain-free, but for the right patient, that trade-off is well worth the subtler appearance.
Gold Braces
Gold braces give you the same trusted mechanics as traditional metal braces, made from a gold-toned metal instead of the standard silver. For patients who’d rather stand out than blend in, gold braces are a straightforward, effective option with a distinct look. If you know you want braces that work like the classic and look like nothing else in the room, this is your lane.
Wild Smiles Braces
This is where treatment gets to be genuinely fun. Wild Smiles brackets swap the standard square shape for custom designs — including Gator heads for our University of Florida fans and Mickey Mouse shapes for our neighbors just down the road from the parks. They perform exactly like traditional braces in terms of moving teeth, but they turn a twice-a-year adjustment into something a nervous kid actually looks forward to, and something a Gator-loyal parent gets a kick out of too. If a small detail can make treatment feel less clinical and more like you, we think that detail’s worth having.
Braces For Kids
The best time to bring your child in isn’t when a problem is obvious — it’s early, so we can catch things while there’s still room to guide growth in the right direction. We recommend an evaluation by age seven, even if it doesn’t lead to treatment right away. At that age, your child still has a mix of baby and permanent teeth, which gives Dr. Shannon a clear window into how the jaw is developing and whether there’s a crowding, spacing, or bite issue worth getting ahead of. Catching something early often means a simpler, shorter path later — sometimes avoiding more involved treatment altogether.
Not every child who comes in for an early evaluation needs braces right away, and we’ll always tell you honestly if the answer is “let’s just keep watching.” When treatment is the right call, we have options built for growing mouths, including phased approaches that guide development before all the permanent teeth are even in.
We also know a first orthodontic visit can be intimidating for a kid — and honestly, for a parent, too. That’s a big part of why we built the kind of office we did: an energetic, welcoming space, a team that speaks to your family in the language you’re most comfortable with, and yes, brackets shaped like Mickey Mouse and Gator heads when the time comes for that. We move at a pace that respects a nervous kid’s first impression, explain everything in plain language before we ever touch a tooth, and make sure your child leaves the first visit feeling more curious than scared. Our goal is a first visit your child walks out of feeling good about, not one they dread coming back for — and a parent who feels the same way about bringing them back.
Braces For Teens
Teens have a lot going on — school, sports, friends, and a growing sense of what they want to look like while they’re doing it all. We treat every teen patient with that in mind, starting with how we schedule. Same-day consults and same-day starts mean less time pulled out of a school day and more time getting on with life, and we work around practice schedules, exam weeks, and everything else that fills up a teenager’s calendar.
Appearance matters at this age, and we don’t pretend it doesn’t. Options like ceramic braces, gold braces, or Wild Smiles brackets let your teen have a say in how their treatment looks, not just how it works — whether that means blending in with tooth-colored ceramic or leaning all the way into a Gator-head smile. Having some ownership over that choice tends to make a teenager more invested in the process overall, which matters, because this is also the age range where consistency makes the biggest difference in outcome: wearing rubber bands or aligners as directed, showing up for scheduled adjustments, and taking care of brackets between visits.
We keep our instructions clear and our check-ins efficient, so your teen knows exactly what’s expected of them and isn’t left guessing between appointments — and so you, as a parent, aren’t the one who has to relay every detail. We talk directly to your teen, treat them like they’re capable of managing their own treatment, and loop you in on anything that matters.
Braces For Adults
More adults are choosing orthodontic treatment than ever, and there’s no such thing as “too late” for a smile you’re proud of. Whether you skipped braces as a kid, had teeth shift after previous orthodontic work, or are dealing with a bite issue that’s started causing real jaw or muscle discomfort, we treat adult cases every week — and we treat them with the same rigor and attention as any other case, not as an afterthought.
We also treat them efficiently, because we know adult life doesn’t come with a lot of slack. Between a job, a family, and a calendar that’s already full, the last thing you need is a treatment plan that demands constant, disruptive appointments. That’s why we built same-day consults and starts into how we operate, and why we’re direct about your expected timeline from the very first visit — and serious about holding to it.
Metal, ceramic, and gold braces are all available for adult patients, and for many adults, appearance is a real factor in that decision — ceramic in particular has become a popular choice for professionals who want straighter teeth without a mouth full of visible metal. But looks aren’t the whole story for adult patients. Dr. Shannon’s background in physical therapy means bite function is always part of the conversation, not just alignment. If jaw discomfort, clenching, or bite strain is part of why you’re here, that history matters to us, and it shapes your treatment plan from day one — because straighter teeth should feel better, not just look better.
