The 5 Most Common Types of Dental Braces

When people think of braces, they generally think of only one type. The thought of a mouth full of unsightly metal brackets and wires is what typically comes to mind. Braces create beautiful smiles, but aren’t an experience that most people would say they look forward to.

While metal braces are still quite popular, there are other options available depending on your budget and what your orthodontic needs are.

Below we’ve listed the 5 most common types of braces currently available.

1. Traditional Metal Braces

Traditional metal braces are the type of braces most people are familiar with. They are attached to the teeth using brackets and wires that allow the orthodontist to make adjustments every four to six weeks that align the teeth over time.
While braces are never cheap, traditional braces offer the most affordable option for patients who need them. They can fix virtually every alignment issue in a fairly quick amount of time.

These type braces are the most obvious when a person smiles, and may cause self esteem issues for some. An upside to this is that metal braces also require plastic bands that come in interchangeable colors that patients, especially children, enjoy choosing.
Patients have reported some discomfort with traditional braces, as the wires and brackets can break, or wires can become too long poking the gums and cheeks.

2. Ceramic Braces

Very similar to traditional metal braces in shape and size, ceramic braces are constructed from a ceramic material that matches the natural colour of the teeth, making them less noticeable. Wires can also be coloured to match the teeth.
They are a more expensive option than traditional metal braces, and because of their colour can become stained over time if not properly taken care of. Patients have also reported experiencing the same discomfort as with metal braces.

3. Lingual Braces

Similar to traditional braces only in that they are made out of metal, lingual braces attach to the back of the teeth instead of the front. This gives them the advantage of being practically invisible to others when smiling as they cannot be seen from the outside.
They are, however, less effective than traditional braces and take a longer time to achieve the desired alignment. As these braces come in direct contact with the tongue, they may also be more uncomfortable. They also tend to be more difficult to clean.

Lingual braces cannot fix every alignment issue, so ask your orthodontist if these invisible teeth braces are right for you.

4. Self Ligating Braces

Instead of elastics, self ligating braces use a slide apparatus to connect the wires so that the braces adjust with the natural movement of your teeth as opposed to being tightened by the orthodontist. They are similar to traditional metal braces, but work a little faster because teeth are adjusted by natural movement instead of manual adjustments. These type braces will not work for every alignment need and tend to be on the higher end of cost.

5. Invisalign

The latest, and most popular addition to the world of braces doesn’t have the appearance of braces at all. These transparent braces have captured the orthodontic market because they align the teeth without the need for wires, bands or brackets. Invisalign uses a succession of 18 to 50 custom made, clear plastic trays to guide teeth into their proper position. These clear aligners are worn over the teeth and are easy to remove and replace every two weeks throughout the alignment treatment.

They are preferred by many patients because they are almost completely invisible, and allow a much greater freedom for the patient to eat and drink what they like, and are made to fit your lifestyle, not change it.

Invisaligns are quite a bit more expensive than traditional braces, and can only be used to correct minor to moderate alignment issues.

Choosing a dental clinic for invisible braces Montreal can be daunting if you’re not comfortable with dental care or if you are worried about the cost. It’s normal to feel anxious and our goal is to not only offer superb dental care, but to also make it as painless and stress free as possible. Established in 2009, Alpha Dental Clinic’s main priority is to offer affordable dental clinic services to everyone. Our clinics are conveniently located on the South Shore in Brossard and Montreal, offering procedures ranging from dental implants to orthodontics to regular care and check-ups.

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