We’ve come a long way in the realm of braces. Technology is a beautiful thing when it comes to dentistry. Kids and adults have more options than ever before. People don’t have to worry about being shunned by friends, colleagues or general antagonists in their lives because braces can be installed more discreetly than ever.
Here’s a quick rundown of some different options available to children and adults when deciding how to go about teeth realignment and dental correction.
Metal Braces (Traditional Braces)
This is the old faithful of the industry. If metal braces were a car, they’d be a classic Lincoln. Maybe a Town Car, if you will. They’re resilient, tough, and they’ll get the job done day in and day out. This is certainly a sure fire way to that perfect smile you’ve always been looking for.
However, although brackets are smaller and less noticeable than the “metal mouth” braces of yesteryear, this type remains the most visible out of your options. But they’re the least expensive, most economical option. Also, new advancements have yielded heat-activated archwires that utilize your body heat to help reposition your teeth more quickly and efficiently. Yay technology!
Ceramic Braces
These types of braces are the same size and structure of metal braces, except they have more discreet coloring. You can choose transparent brackets, or brackets that can be color-matched to the tone of your teeth. You can even use tooth-colored wires if you want to go super incognito. These are certainly less noticeable, but more expensive. Brackets can also get stained much easier than metal brackets if they’re not properly cared for.
Lingual Braces
These are the same as classic metal braces, except brackets and wires are placed on the backs of your teeth. These go completely unseen from the outside, but they’re difficult to clean and more expensive. Lingual braces are also ineffective for larger undertakings and extreme cases. Routine adjustments are also more time consuming.
Invisalign
This method uses from 18-30 custom-tailored transparent plastic aligners that look a lot like mouth guards. These aligners are removable and replaced about twice monthly. This is a more expensive treatment, but the least noticeable. Be careful with the aligners, because they’re easy to lose and costly to replace. Invisalign is only available for adults and teens. They also can’t be used for extreme cases.
So just know that you have plenty of options out there at your disposal. Make an informed decision and choose what is right for you. Schedule a consultation with Brodsky Orthodontics today!