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Braces

What are the benefits?

So you need braces. Which works best? Ceramic or Metal? Invisalign? And what on earth are lingual braces? Can I get adult braces without having to wear a nightguard for the rest of my life? What is the best age to get kids braces? Can I work with my dentist to prevent badly adjusted teeth by working with the baby teeth now?

Braces are a confusing area with a wide variety of options. However, once we know the answers to the following questions, we can really big to narrow down the choices?

The main factors as far as braces are concerned are:

How severe is the bite or tooth travel needed to make them straight?
Are extractions necessary, and will you need to wear headgear or other appliances?
Is the work needed severe enough to need jaw surgery?
How long will you be wearing braces for?
Do they need to be invisible?
And the inevitable question what is your budget?

How long will I need to wear braces for?
Treatment time is dependent on the bite adjustment and the tooth crookedness. An average treatment is difficult to say, but is typically around 18 months. Minimal travel for minor problems will take around 12 months. A severe case needing major adjustments may last as long as 36 months.

Making the right choice of brace.
If you have minor adjustments and small amounts of tooth travel, and ideal way to go for many adults is Invisalign. As the name suggest, Invisalign is nearly invisible. It consists of computer generated plastic tabs that are regularly changed out to push the teeth into position. Many consumers want Invisalign and are willing to pay a premium to get an invisible simple to use system that does not require a fixed metal brace. However, most people do not make good candidates for Invisalign. The success rate of Invisalign is around 50%. Consumers push for a branded product because of the obvious advantages, but ignore the reality that Invisalign is best for minimal travel of the teeth only.

Lingual Braces.
If the invisibility factor is very strong but you are not a good candidate for Invisalign, then lingual braces are a good way to go. Lingual braces are metal braces with all the hardware on the inside behind your teeth. They are virtually invisible for most normal situations. Lingual braces are not so common and your dentist will have to be specially trained in their use. Lingual braces tend to be more expensive as a result.

Ceramic brackets
Ceramic braces are made of composite materials. They are very strong and generally do not stain. These braces are a good choice for adults who like the fact that the ceramic braces blend in far better than the standard metal issue. Because of the aesthetic benefits of the material, ceramic brackets are are usually more expensive than traditional metal brackets.. If you have severely crooked teeth, metal braces may be a better choice, because they can apply greater pressure more efficiently and reduce the wearing time. The metal braces can withstand greater forces.

Metal brackets
Metal braces are the cheapest and often the best and simplest choice. The brackets are very strong and can withstand significant pressure. Most traditional metal braces require an elastic o-shaped rubber band, called a ligature to hold the arch wire onto the bracket. Sometimes orthodontists use metal tie wires. The metal brackets can be silver or golden. The golden brackets are more ornate and look as if they are more like jewellery. You can even get brackets in 'designer' styles and shapes.