Invisible braces allow patients to improve the alignment of their teeth without compromising the way their smile looks. The term can be used to describe clear aligners and other orthodontic appliances that can be used to straighten a person's teeth like ceramic and lingual braces.
Below are the most common options that adult patients can consider when looking into invisible braces.
These invisible braces are transparent plastic trays that fit tightly on the teeth. They are made from rigid plastic materials and the appliance exerts a force on the patient's teeth, slowly moving them towards better alignment. Treatment with clear aligners involves getting multiple trays to start the treatment. Each aligner tray is worn for two weeks before being replaced with another that moves the wearer's teeth closer to the target alignment.
Important facts to know about clear aligners include:
Ceramic braces are a lot like metal braces, but they are another invisible braces option. Just like metal braces, the patient's teeth are moved to a better position by cementing brackets and wires to them. However, instead of metal brackets and wires being used, tooth-colored brackets and transparent/tooth-colored wires are used.
As a result, the patient gets a set of invisible braces that people are less likely to notice unless they pay close attention to the person's teeth. It is a great option for children who might not be disciplined enough for clear aligners, but still want a discreet way to straighten their teeth.
Important facts to know about ceramic braces include:
This type of invisible braces is just like metal braces with one key difference: The brackets and wires used with lingual braces are cemented to the back of the patient's teeth. This hides the contraption when the person smiles. Lingual braces are the least common type of invisible braces due to reasons like:
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