Fixed braces come in three common types: stainless-steel metal braces, tooth-coloured ceramic braces and Fastbraces. At Magical Smiles, braces start from $4,500 per arch, and our Point Cook team can tell you which types are currently available. Today's brackets are smaller and neater than many people remember. This page compares all three honestly and explains what early intervention involves if the patient is your child.
Most crowding and bite problems develop slowly. A tooth turns a little, a gap closes, another tooth overlaps its neighbour, until one day the smile in your photos isn't quite the one you picture.
Adults can straighten their teeth at any age, provided their gums and supporting bone are healthy. For children, there's sometimes a gentler step to try before braces come up at all.
Fixed braces have two main parts. Brackets are small attachments bonded to the front of each tooth, and an archwire runs through them. Once it's in place, the wire acts a little like a spring, applying gentle, constant pressure that guides your teeth along a planned route.
That's why follow-up visits are called adjustments: the wire is swapped, tightened or reshaped so your teeth keep moving. There's no single big shift, just small, repeated pressure over months. healthdirect's guide to orthodontists, last reviewed in November 2024, notes that straightening teeth can take 18 months or more, because they need to move gradually into alignment. The materials vary between systems, and Fastbraces also change the shape of the bracket itself. The comparison below covers what that means in practice.
All three use brackets and an archwire, so the basic mechanics are the same. What differs is the material, how noticeable the brace is and, with Fastbraces, the bracket design and how the force is applied. Treat this as a list of questions to bring to your consultation.
Braces are one of several orthodontic options we can talk through at our Point Cook clinic, alongside removable clear aligners such as Invisalign and early intervention for children.
Small stainless-steel brackets bonded to the teeth and linked by a wire that's adjusted at each visit. Metal braces have been used for decades, can manage a wide range of cases and are usually the lowest-cost of the three.
The brackets are much smaller than the ones in old school photos, and plenty of adults wear them. More about metal braces →
Ceramic brackets are made from a clear or tooth-coloured material, so they blend in with your teeth rather than standing out. They move teeth in exactly the same way as metal; the difference is how they look.
They're a little larger than metal brackets, need slightly more care when cleaning and cost more than steel, which is worth weighing against how much visibility matters to you. More about ceramic braces →
Fastbraces use a differently shaped bracket and a specially designed wire, intended to move each tooth's crown and root together from early in treatment, rather than moving the crown first.
In suitable cases that may shorten overall treatment time. It isn't promised and doesn't suit every bite; a timeframe only means something once we've examined you. More about Fastbraces →
No single system is right for everyone, whatever you read online. Your teeth, bite, budget and how much visibility bothers you will decide. Prefer something removable? Compare clear aligners →
The steps are much the same whichever system you choose. The number of visits and months depends on your case.
Examination & records
We check crowding, spacing and your bite and discuss which type of braces suits the job. Planning uses records such as photos and a digital scan or impressions; ask at your consultation how yours will be taken. If your gums need care first, we'll look after that before anything else.
Fitting day
Each bracket is bonded to a tooth and the first wire is placed. It takes longer than a check-up, and your teeth will probably feel tender for a few days.
Adjustments
At regular visits we replace or tighten the wire so your teeth keep moving along the plan.
Progress checks
Every visit doubles as a review. If a tooth falls behind, we deal with it early rather than leaving it to the end.
Brackets off, retainer on
Once your teeth are in position, we remove the brackets, polish the teeth and fit a retainer. Retainers aren't an extra; they're what stops teeth drifting back.
Many parents come in expecting to talk about braces. While a child is still growing, there can be a less invasive option worth trying first.
A myofunctional appliance is a removable device worn mostly overnight, plus a short time during the day. Rather than moving adult teeth, it focuses on habits and jaw development, such as mouth breathing, tongue thrust, thumb sucking or a narrow upper jaw, while a child is still growing.
It won't replace braces for every child, and it isn't suitable at every age. When it does suit, starting early may reduce how much treatment is needed later on, although no outcome can be promised.
Worth mentioning to us if you notice:
We won't recommend early treatment your child doesn't need, and often the honest advice is to keep an eye on things. Only an examination can show whether acting now is worthwhile, and every child is different.
A relaxed first visit, at your child's pace
Fixed braces come into their own when teeth need to move a fair way or the bite needs firm control. They're less appealing if you want something removable or barely visible. If you're weighing them against aligners, our sister clinic's braces versus Invisalign guide lays out the trade-offs.
Like the idea of removable trays? Compare aligner systems → · Asking for your child? Read about Myobrace →
Braces at Magical Smiles start from $4,500 per arch. Your fee depends on the type of braces, how much movement is needed, the number of visits and the retainer at the end. We don't quote orthodontics over the phone; you'll receive a written quote after your examination, before any treatment starts.
Braces for a teenager? The Child Dental Benefits Schedule won't pay for them: Services Australia's guidance, last updated on 1 January 2026, lists orthodontic dental work among the services it doesn't cover. An eligible child can still claim up to $1,158 over two calendar years (or $1,132 if their two-year period began in 2025) for basic care such as check-ups, cleaning and fillings, which helps get teeth and gums ready before brackets go on.
Your quote in writing first. Brackets second.
Curious about repayments? Try the calculator →
The calculator is a guide only, not a quote or credit approval.
We accept
About the calculator: it applies typical full-treatment pricing and the Humm/National Dental Plan fee formula for the term you select to estimate repayments. It's not a quote, and your written cost follows your examination. Finance depends on each provider's eligibility criteria and approval.
We explain how metal, ceramic and Fastbraces compare with clear aligners and tell you which are currently available at our Point Cook clinic, so the recommendation suits your teeth rather than one default.
We suggest early intervention for a child only when the examination supports it, and we're just as happy to recommend waiting.
Every course of braces ends with a plan for your retainer, because the last stage matters as much as the first.
A consultation is usually enough to tell whether metal, ceramic or Fastbraces makes sense for you, or whether an early appliance is worth considering for your child. Have a question first? Call reception.
Book a consultation (03) 8338 1515This page is general information. Comfort, fit and timeframes differ between people, so we examine your teeth, or your child's, and explain what's realistic before you decide.
Most health funds
One consultation at our Point Cook clinic shows whether metal, ceramic or Fastbraces would suit your teeth and which are available here, or whether early intervention is worth discussing for your child. You'll have the fee in writing before you commit.