Tooth-colored ceramic braces are the same shape and size as metal braces but less visible.
Braces don't necessarily turn you into a metal mouth anymore. Orthodontists offer more options than ever to straighten your teeth, correct your jaw alignment and pretty up your happy smile!
1. METAL BRACES
Metal wires and bands are the least expensive treatment but also the most noticeable. You can brighten up your stainless-steel smile with colored bands, a popular option with kids, but they are still an obvious addition to your mouth each time you open it. However, you don't have to wear them as long as patients used to. New heat-activated arch wires help your teeth align more quickly and less painfully than traditional metal braces.
2. CERAMIC BRACES
Faster and less noticeable but more expensive, ceramic braces are the same shape and size as metal braces but tooth-colored with clear brackets. Add tooth-colored wires, and you lose the metallic gleam when you smile. One drawback, besides the cost, is brackets stain easily and must be carefully cleaned. Another is ceramic braces are prone to breakage.
3. LINGUAL BRACES
Put the metal braces behind your teeth, and you have lingual (backside) braces. One big pro: They are invisible from the outside! However, the con list is something to consider. They are hard to keep clean and certainly more expensive and uncomfortable. They might not even work for more severe cases. Adjustments take longer, too, because they are more difficult to fit.
4. CLEAR ALIGNERS
Clear aligners allow you to eat and drink whatever you like. However, only teens or adults can use them. The treatment consists of a series of 18 to 30 custom-made, clear-plastic mouth guards. They have to be replaced every two weeks and are a much more expensive option.
5. DAMON BRACES
Although similar to metal braces, Damon braces do not require rubber bands or regular tightening by an orthodontist. The thin wires use a shape-memory technology to help teeth fall into place faster than traditional braces.
