Dental braces: Which type makes the right choice for you?
Say goodbye to the "tin grin," you have lots of other options.
When it comes to having your teeth straightened, you'll find that you have lots of treatment alternatives to choose from.
Here's a list of the types of braces, or options, that your dentist should be able to offer:
- Invisible (Invisalign®)
- Lingual (iBraces®)
- Ceramic (Clear)
- Metal (Including gold braces, fashion brackets, personalized color schemes)
I) Regular braces - You can dress them up or blend them in.
Having traditional braces (brackets and wires on the front side of your teeth) doesn't mean you have to put up with having an old-fashioned "tin grin."
Nowadays there are lots of cosmetically-pleasing variations you can opt for.
A) Ceramic / Clear Braces.
This alternative to regular metal braces involves the use of tooth-colored, or clear, ceramic orthodontic brackets.
The obvious advantage of this choice is that your brackets will more closely match the color of your teeth, and therefore help your braces to blend in better with your smile.
Ceramic braces still require the use of a metal archwire that runs across your teeth and fits into each bracket. It may, however, be possible for your dentist to use a "frosted" one.
B) Gold Braces
Orthodontic hardware can be treated so it looks like it has been made out of gold. Some patients feel that gold braces have a softer, warmer appearance than stainless steel. Others like its luster and think it creates a distinctive look for their smile, somewhat reminiscent of fine-quality jewelry.
C) Colored Orthodontic Bands
Regular braces can be spiffed up and customized so they are colorful and exciting.
You do this (and it doesn't cost you anything) just by picking out your own special color scheme when you select the elastic bands that are used with your braces.
D) Designer Orthodontic Brackets
You can opt for orthodontic brackets that have a unique or fun design, such as hearts, diamonds, flowers or footballs.
E) "Mini" Orthodontic Brackets
Your orthodontist may be able to use miniaturized orthodontic brackets with your case. Because they are smaller, they can help to make your braces less noticeable.
As an added benefit, a smaller bracket means that a person's braces won't stick out quite as far off the surface of their teeth. This can make having braces more comfortable since they won't rub against your lips and cheeks quite so much.
II) Alternatives to having regular braces.
The following are treatment-approach alternatives to having traditional braces.
A) Invisible braces (Invisalign®)
"Invisible" braces are a relatively new treatment alternative that involves the use of plastic aligners to realign the patient's teeth (instead of wires and brackets like with regular braces).
And just as their name implies, since the aligners are made out of a thin, clear plastic, it's hard for other people to tell that they're being worn.
As an added benefit, you remove the aligners when you eat or clean your teeth, which makes having braces less of an ordeal. The dominant brand name associated with invisible braces is Invisalign®.
B) Lingual Braces (iBraces®)
This alternative can be thought of as regular braces that have been mounted on the backside of a patient's teeth.
As opposed to invisible braces, lingual braces are sometimes referred to as being "non-visible." That's because if someone looks really closely at your mouth, they'll probably see a hint of them. But otherwise, most people won't notice them at all.
One brand name associated with this treatment option is iBraces®.
