Braces

Types of Braces

Metal

Metal braces are traditional braces where the brackets and wires are made out of strong light weight metals.

Pros: Because they are stronger then other methods they deliver better esthetic results and shorter treatment times.

Cons: Visually they are more noticeable. However, using light white gold brackets and slightly gold colored wires makes them surprisingly less noticeable. Some patients report that some people never even notice they have braces.

Ceramic

Ceramic braces are the same shape & size as metal braces except the brackets are tooth colored or clear.

Pros: Ceramic braces are less noticeable than metal braces. They move teeth much faster than clear plastic aligners (Invisalign).

Cons: Ceramic brackets are not as strong as metal brackets, which means that they break more easily, so the progression through the arch wires is slower, resulting in longer treatment times. The clear elastic ties stain somewhat over time, especially if patients drink coffee, tea, or red wine. Finally, they aren’t able to move teeth as precisely as metal brackets. Thus, there is an additional fee for ceramic brackets.

Invisalign / Aligner treatment

Invisalign / aligner treatment is based on composite glue attachments to the teeth and clear plastic retainer-like aligners that are removable and replaced every few weeks.

Pros: These are much less noticeable than other types of braces.

Cons: Treatment times are much longer and this approach is unable to generate the same esthetic results as metal braces. As a result, Invisalign / aligner treatment is not suitable for many situations. The cost of aligner treatment is more than standard braces.