When we hear about braces, our mind unavoidably goes to the metal-wires look. And we’re not going to lie, and those are still needed sometimes. But today, different types of braces make the whole orthodontic experience a little more pleasant.
Or at least, less visually painful!
Believe it or not, our smile -and how others and ourselves see it- impact heavily on our self-esteem.
In that sense, let’s take a look at the five types of braces you need to know.
5 Different types of braces that you must know
If you plan on getting braces for you or your kids, you may want to consider as many options as possible.
Old-school metal braces
You already know these ones. Even so, let’s quickly review its features, pros, and cons to get a base on what we will compare.
The first thing to state is that technology has advanced extensively since the first braces – hundreds of years ago!-. In that sense, you can rest assured you won’t have that much wire coming out of your mouth as you would have even ten years ago.
Today, braces are smaller and work faster, making the process more endurable. And their general advantages range from affordability, no waiting period, and less discipline needed for them to work to old-fashioned efficiency.
The disadvantages, on the other hand, are widely known. They are visible, may change your speech, and hurt your mouth. Plus, they require maximum oral hygiene, or they can cause severe consequences on your teeth.
In the end, they may not be the weapon of choice for aesthetic-driven people, but they get the job done.
Let’s now take a look at its successors and their features.
Ceramic braces
The most immediate successor of metal braces, ceramic braces, work as their wire parents. The difference resides in the material of these pieces.
Ceramics, as you surely know, is clear-coloured. This means it’s barely noticeable when placed on top of your teeth. Therefore, they do the job just like metal and are also affordable. But are more discrete.
Something to consider is these braces are a bit bigger than the metal pieces, and as with any ceramic, they can get stained. So, you’ll have to be very careful about your eating and drinking habits.
Self-ligating braces
If you’re of those ones that hate the rubber bands to hold the wires and sitting for hours on the dentist’s bed, self-ligating braces are for you.
They mainly work the same as ceramic and metal braces and are even available in the same materials. But, they have a few small canals to get the wire through and fix it.
The result is a faster procedure and shorter appointments. This makes it ideal for people that can’t endure their mouth being touched for too long. Or suffer from any level of claustrophobic feelings.
Lingual braces
The rarest of all the different types of braces, the lingual braces go behind the teeth.
These are the ideal solution for people who don’t want metal visible braces but still need to fix major issues. Young models and actors may choose this option so braces won’t intervene with their possible jobs.
They pretty much work as the traditional braces. Even so,
These braces may heavily change your speech and cause tongue irritation. Plus, they’re expensive as not every dentist can deliver this service (they require special training).
Clear aligners and Invisalign
The favourite of today’s teenagers and aesthetically-driven adults, the invisible braces!
Pioneered by the brand Invisalign, these consist of plastic-made aligners that get on top of your teeth and are virtually invisible from a distance.
The issue with these is that they’re meant for mild orthodontic, are a bit expensive, and need a lot of self-discipline. Even so, if you’re a candidate and can afford them, clear aligners are advantageous to other types of braces.
You just get them out to eat, drink and brush so that you won’t have as many health and hygiene difficulties. They are more aesthetic, and the dentist appointments are fewer and shorter… Those sure are advantages to consider!
As you can see, there are many different types of braces to choose from. What is the right one for you? If you have any questions about types of braces, feel free to reach out to our dentists in Hornsby.
