Are Clear Braces Right for You?

You’ve visited the dentist (or a mirror) and found out that your smile isn’t as beautiful as it could be or once was.  You’ve got crooked teeth and you’d like to do something about them, which is good, because there’s a number of ways to straighten your smile and let it shine.

Typically, crooked teeth meant braces – nasty, sharp and jagged metal braces.  Metal braces, also known as regular or traditional braces, are never fun - causing many annoyances and pain for the wearer.  Eating or taking care of your oral health is complicated and there is also no relief because they cannot be removed until your treatment plan has been completed.  Regular braces can also stain or damage your tooth enamel, leaving you with discolored teeth once the braces are removed.  Even after your teeth have been straightened, you could still find yourself with a less than perfect smile years down the road when your teeth fall out of alignment again.

Long story short, braces suck!  Until now that is, as clear braces have been developed and are taking over the fight against crooked teeth.  Also known as clear aligners, invisible braces, clear aligner trays and more – these custom made, plastic trays have simplified and taken most of the hassle out of wearing braces to straighten your teeth.  Clear braces let the wearer say goodbye to the pain of metal braces cutting into their gums and lips as well as freeing them from the confidence draining nightmare of an ugly metal smile.  Clear braces are virtually invisible, way more comfortable and can be removed when you eat or clean your teeth.  Best of all, they can give you a straighter smile in record time.

Types of Braces

You want straighter teeth – here are your options:

Metal Braces (Traditional Braces)

These types of braces feature metal brackets that are attached (bonded or glued) to your teeth and connected with a metal wire.  The wire acts to pull your teeth into their correct alignment over time and allows for incremental adjustments (tightening).  Metal braces are very uncomfortable, ugly and require many visits to the dentist for adjustments.  They are also non-removeable and create issues keeping your mouth clean and healthy.

Ceramic Braces

These braces look and function just like metal braces but use ceramic brackets that are colored to match your teeth.  They are less noticeable but most of the discomforts and the hassles or traditional braces still remain.  Ceramic braces are applicable for virtually all teeth straightening requirements but cost more than traditional metal braces.

Lingual Braces

Just like traditional braces, lingual braces feature metal brackets and wires attached to your teeth.  They differ from regular metal braces because they are attached on the inside of the teeth as opposed to on the front.  Lingual braces cannot be seen when you smile but they are very hard to clean, uncomfortable to wear, difficult to adjust and often affect a person’s speech, causing slurring and a lisp.

Clear Braces (Invisible Braces)

The most sought-after teeth straightening method is undoubtedly clear braces and for good reasons.  Clear braces feature a series of custom-made mouth guard like clear aligner trays that patients wear all day and night to progressively straighten their teeth.  Clear braces are almost invisible, do not require any attachments (brackets and wires), are comfortable to wear and can be removed while eating and for your oral care routine.  Clear braces don’t work well for seriously crooked teeth and are not available for children.  Clear braces are often used as follow up or maintenance treatments to ensure your smile stays straight for life.

What You Need to Know About Clear Braces

Since the inception of teeth straightening braces, dentists have been trying to find a method that produces results without filling a patient’s mouth with uncomfortable brackets and wires.  Clear braces have been in the works since the 1970’s but the first concept didn’t appear until 1997 when 3D technology allowed fabrication of clear plastic aligners trays that looked like mouthguards.  Clear braces have since been available as a treatment option since around the year 2000 but it’s been in the last few years that their prominence as a viable tooth straightening tool has really come to bear.

Clear braces are available for teenagers and adults with mild to moderate teeth alignment issues.  For patients with severe issues, traditional or ceramic braces may be required instead.

Benefits of Clear Braces Compared to Regular Braces

Clear braces are becoming very popular and it’s easy to see why.  The benefits of clear braces minimize the three largest drawbacks of traditional braces –pain, maintenance and looks.  No more metal mouth, no raw and cut up gums or lips and performing your oral care routine is a breeze.  Even though patients are required to wear the clear braces 24 hours a day (just like regular braces) they can be removed for meals and for cleaning, which is a massive bonus as anyone who’s every had to wear braces can attest.  Clear braces are also just that, clear, meaning that they are almost invisible and won’t give you an unsightly smile that can end up hurting your confidence. Another big advantage is that clear braces don’t require repeated and annoying appointments with your dentist.  Instead, your clear aligner trays are mailed directly to you and all you have to do is pop in the new set and away you go.

•    Clear and virtually invisible
•    Not directly attached to your teeth (no staining, discolouration or damage to your tooth enamel)
•    Virtually pain-free to wear
•    Can be removed for meals and oral care
•    No repeated visits to the dentist
•    Allow rapid straightening of mild to moderate tooth Talignment problems
•    Can be used as a remedial or maintenance treatment to help keep teeth straight for a lifetime

However, clear braces may not be right for everyone.  Patients with moderate to severe teeth alignment issues may still need corrective help from regular braces.  Some dentists are using two-part treatments, where the toughest realignment is achieved with regular braces before transitioning to clear braces for the final touches.

Clear braces can be a game-changer for patients looking for a straighter smile.  It is recommended to speak with your dental care professional for more information on whether invisible braces are a suitable treatment option.  There are a handful of invisible braces brands out there, such as Invisalign and ClearCorrect, and consumers can research which options they prefer.  Our dental offices at Martindale Dental specialize in Invisalign style invisible clear braces and can help you or your family achieve the beautiful, straight smiles you deserve.

This is a guest blog posting.