Different Types of Braces
There are many different types of braces. Here at myFACE we offer Invisalign, tooth-coloured fixed braces and braces that sit behind the teeth.
Invisalign consists of aligners which grip on to your teeth and can push/pull them in most directions. Small buttons are attached to parts of your teeth for the aligner to grip on to. The buttons are made up of same material we use for white fillings, and are removed at the end of your treatment, leaving no trace or damage. Invisalign is considered our ‘invisible’ brace as it is removeable and you can take it out to eat and drink. You also won’t have the traditional brackets that are fixed to your teeth and visible. Invisalign is by far our most popular option when clients are considering orthodontic treatment. In order for Invisalign to work you need to wear the aligners for 22 hours a day. They are a fantastic option but you do have to be very disciplined in wearing the aligners, and putting them back in after you have finished eating or drinking (other than water), and cleaned your teeth.
Tooth coloured fixed braces consist of the fixed brackets glued to your teeth which are then attached to a wire, which moves them. Rather than the traditional metal brackets we are able to offer tooth-coloured brackets and wires, making the brace less obvious. This option is perfect for clients who do not feel they would be disciplined enough to wear the aligners. This brace you can’t take this out. You may need to have your bite propped open slightly with this option, to stop your teeth meeting the brackets when you close your teeth together. While this can feel strange and take some adjusting, most of our clients adjust to this quickly and find little to no disruption to their normal eating habits.
Braces that sit behind the teeth (lingual braces) are the traditional metal bracket and wire but rather than putting them on the front of the teeth, they are positioned behind. They work in a similar way to the tooth-coloured brackets, but are not visible on the fronts of teeth. Reports from our clients show that this is the more uncomfortable brace option. It can be quite hard to adapt to eating and can cause some irritation on the tongue. However, similar to the tooth-coloured fixed braces, you can’t take them off.
With all three options, a good oral hygiene routine is required. You may need to adjust your routine and introduce new tools to aid your cleaning routine. We would go through this with you depending on which option you go for.
While you may associate braces with being in your teenage years, we have many adults that choose to straighten their teeth. Some were never offered them as a teenager, or for others the treatment they had as a teenager has lapsed. If this is something you were considering, we offer free of charge consultations and can go through the options with you.
Some clients who have come to see us interested in crowns and veneers hadn’t considered having braces. While braces are not suitable for everyone, they are a more conservative option that are less destructive on your teeth. We also include tooth whitening with many of our brace packages, providing this is considered a suitable treatment option by the dentist.