Traditional Metal Braces
Traditional metal braces are the first and still the most common type. They are more comfortable today than ever. Made of high-grade stainless steel, these brackets are now self-ligating. This means that they do not require the latex colored ring that you may remember. These rubber rings from traditional braces introduced unnecessary friction and required more frequent office visits to be replaced or “tightened”. The clip helps reduce the amount of pressure placed on the tooth, and requires fewer adjustments because there are no elastics to replace.
Clear (Ceramic) Braces
Ceramic braces are made of clear ceramic and are therefore invisible on your teeth relative to metal braces. For this reason, they are used mainly on older teenagers and adult patients who have cosmetic concerns.
While they are visually less prominent, they require more attention to oral hygiene because ceramic braces are larger and more brittle than their metal counterparts. For these reasons, ceramic braces tend to be used more on upper front teeth than on lower teeth.
Clear Aligners
Clear aligners are a series of invisible, removable, and comfortable acrylic trays that straighten your teeth like braces. Not only are the aligners invisible, they are removable, so you can eat and drink what you want while in treatment; plus, brushing and flossing are less of a hassle. The aligners are comfortable and contain no metal to cause mouth abrasions during treatment.