Metal brackets can be silver or golden. The golden brackets look a bit more “jewelry-like” and are often a popular choice with young women.
Metal brackets are very strong and can withstand most types of treatment. At first they may irritate your gums, but after a few weeks, when your cheeks get “toughened up” they are not a problem anymore. 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 (little wires which are twisted around the bracket) in place of elastic ligatures.
In the “old days”, metal braces were not just brackets, but bands that wrapped around the entire tooth. Nowadays, people wear small metal brackets that are glued to the front of each tooth ( a big improvement! ) Those old-fashioned bands are usually reserved for molars or teeth with fillings that spill to the outside surface of a tooth. Metal brackets tend to be less expensive than other types of brackets. In addition, you can make them colorful with ligatures that come on a rainbow of colors.
In recent years, many orthodontists have seen a dramatic increase in the number of adults interested in orthodontic treatment. Much of this surge is related to an increased awareness and importance placed on cosmetics and dental health. Clear or “invisible” braces have also contributed to this increase in demand.
Ceramic Braces
Ceramic braces have improved within the last 10-15 years, providing a more esthetic alternative to the traditional metal braces. Plastic braces and older ceramic braces were prone to staining and changing colors. Ceramic braces provide an excellent choice for greater esthetics and are less visible on the teeth.
The increased demand for a better smile and the recent advances in esthetic braces has attracted more adults and patients to consider orthodontic treatment than ever before. Most seem to be concerned about showing too much metal, which makes the ceramic braces a perfect solution
Lingual Braces
Lingual braces are attached to the back side of the teeth, which makes them completely non-visible. This advanced method makes lingual orthodontics particularly well-suited for adults, who often want to improve the look and function of their teeth without letting anyone else know about their treatment.
With standard braces, the brackets are cemented to the front of the teeth, which are quite uniform in their shape. However, lingual brackets are attached to the back side of the teeth. The back side of each tooth has its own unique shape – unlike the front of each tooth, which is fairly uniform among all people. Standard brackets are mass-produced, but each lingual bracket must be custom-formed to the unique shape of each individual tooth.
Your back teeth will not meet at first because your front teeth will be hitting the brackets on the back of the upper front teeth. This may seem hard to deal with but it will speed up your treatment noticeably, and it will prevent you from clenching, which can remove brackets and make it more difficult to move your teeth to new positions.
Gold Braces
Gold braces can provide a cosmetically pleasing alternative to the look of stainless steel dental braces. Many people feel that the look of gold-colored brackets and wires is more cosmetically pleasing than traditional stainless steel dental braces. Some feel that its appearance is warmer and therefore allows their braces to be less obtrusive andblend in better with their smile and face. Other people like the idea of gold braces because they are attracted to the appearance of the metal itself. They feel that the luster of gold makes their braces standout in the sense that they look unique or distinctive, possibly somewhat reminiscent of fine quality jewelry. Gold braces can offer a treatment solution for people with metal allergies. There can be a practical application for the use of gold braces. Some people are allergic to the metal nickel and nickel is one of the components of the alloy stainless steel, the metal traditionally used to make orthodontic hardware. In those cases where a patient does have an allergy, gold braces can provide an alternative that makes orthodontic treatment possible for them.
You may have heard of “speed braces.” These are sometimes also referred to as “self-ligating brackets” or “Damon Brackets.” Self-ligating means that the brackets do not need the little o-shaped rubber bands (ligatures) or metal tie wires to hold the arch wire onto the bracket. Several companies have come up with various techniques for holding the arch wire in place without ligatures. By using self-ligation technology, the brackets allow the wire to slide back and forth. This advancement allows for fewer adjustments and less appointments. These types of brackets do not need ligatures (little rubber bands) to hold the arch wire in place. They use a “Inbuilt Latch ” to secure the arch wire to the bracket. They are smaller than traditional metal and less food gets trapped around them when you eat.Self-ligating brackets are only used in certain circumstances; ask us at smile n braces if you need one.