If you are in the market for braces, you may be wondering what options you have. Today’s orthodontics offer more types of braces than ever before. In the past, dental braces were all traditional metal braces, nowadays, there are different types of braces that you can choose from. Let us take a look at the different types of braces, how they work and their appearance.
Types of Braces
- Metal braces: Metal braces are what most people think of when they hear the word braces. These types of braces are made out of high-quality, medical-grade stainless steel. Metal brackets are attached to your teeth along with a bendable metal wire that is threaded through the brackets of your metal braces. In the past, these types of braces were very noticeable, however, today modern technology has allowed metal braces to be less noticeable. You have the option of adding colourful elastics to your braces for a more colourful smile. These types of braces require the wires to be tightened every 4-6 weeks.
- Ceramic braces: Ceramic braces are very similar to metal braces. They are the same size and shape as metal braces however, ceramic braces have clear elastics and wires and brackets with a colour similar to teeth. Ceramic braces are less noticeable than metal braces and have become quite popular for people who do not want their braces to be noticeable. Similar to metal braces, Ceramic braces also need to be tightened every 4-6 weeks.
- Clear Aligners (Invisalign): Unlike metal and ceramic braces, clear aligners (Invisalign) are made of plastic aligner trays and are made to measure for each individual patient. Clear aligners reposition teeth by wearing a new set of retainer-like trays every one or two weeks. They are essentially invisible and can be more comfortable than metal braces.
- Lingual Braces: Lingual braces are essentially the same as metal braces except they are positioned on the inside of the bite instead of outside. These kinds of braces are customized to fit the tongue-side of your smile. While Lingual braces can be spotted when the wearer opens their mouth, lingual braces are far less visible than metal braces.
What type of braces should you choose?
There are different types of braces that are appropriate for your needs. The ideal way to find out which types of braces would work best for you is to see an Orthodontist.
At The Orthodontic Centre at Northland, we can help you decide what type of braces would work best for you and improve your smile.
Contact us today to book your FREE consultation.