Posted on March 16, 2026
Two years apart, two photographs. That is the proof every Tempe patient asks for before committing to braces. At Smilebliss Orthodontics, our team uses traditional metal braces in Tempe to guide teens and adults through that same transformation every week. Here is what the journey actually looks like, what changes by when, which cases produce the biggest visible improvement, and how to see your own potential before you spend a dollar.
A real before-and-after transformation from traditional braces is a documented clinical change in alignment, bite, and smile symmetry, measured against the day-one photographs, X-rays, and dental impressions every orthodontist takes on the first visit. It is not a Hollywood retouch. The transformation shows up in three places at once.
First, alignment changes. Crowded teeth fan out into a clean arch, gaps close, and single rotated teeth straighten until they match their neighbors. Second, the bite changes. Upper and lower teeth meet properly, so chewing distributes evenly, speech sharpens, and the jaw stops working harder than it should. Third, symmetry improves. The midline of the smile lines up with the midline of the face, the smile arc evens out, and the overall proportion looks balanced.
Treatment runs 18 to 24 months for most cases, with adjustments scheduled every 4 to 8 weeks. The table below maps what is actually happening in your mouth at each phase.
Skipping retainer wear after debond is the single fastest way to lose months of progress, which is why we walk every patient through retainer expectations at each post-treatment follow-up visit.
The five bite issues that produce the most dramatic before-and-after change with traditional metal braces are severe crowding, wide front gaps, deep overbite, underbite, and open bite. Some cases produce subtle improvements, but the five below tend to produce transformations that change a person’s whole profile.
Most cases see major visible change starting around month 4 and final results between months 18 and 24, with five factors setting the exact pace. Starting case severity does most of the work; mild crowding can finish closer to 12 months, while complex bite correction extends past 24. Patient age comes second, since peak jaw growth in teens speeds bone remodeling, though adults respond to the same mechanics just as reliably. Adjustment cadence is third: every visit moves the wires, so skipping appointments delays the result. The last two factors are daily oral hygiene (brushing, flossing, protecting the brackets) and compliance with elastics or other auxiliaries when prescribed.
The fastest way to see your own personalized timeline is a free consultation with an orthodontist in Tempe who reviews your X-rays and estimates your treatment length on the spot.
Your own before-and-after starts with a free consultation, a digital X-ray, and a custom plan that tells you exactly how long your treatment will take.
At Smilebliss in Tempe, we offer traditional metal braces at $2,998 flat or $123 per month with zero-interest in-house financing, and every adjustment, emergency repair, and final retainer is included. Dr. Hojae “Jae” Choi is a Board Certified Orthodontist with the American Board of Orthodontics.
Our 5.0 Google rating across hundreds of patient reviews reflects the care our team puts into every smile. Call us at (480) 907-0764 to book your free consultation at our 512 E. Southern Avenue, Suite 101 office today.
