Different Types of Braces

Since braces are always the other option besides Invisalign, it's always good to know what kinds there are out there:

Braces have come a long ways from their early ancestors. At first braces were stainless steel, no exceptions, but with modern orthodontics there are a variety of options when it comes to adjusting your teeth, depending on your needs and specific situation.

Traditional Braces: As noted above, these were stainless steel; however the “traditional” braces today are mostly nickel titanium. These braces can be both conventional (elastics holding the arch wire in place) or the newer self-ligating braces. The recent type can reduce the overall friction that occurs in the mouth between all the pieces of the braces and can be a huge help for some people.

Some braces use colors and transparent elements to reduce visibility; these are sometimes referred to as clear braces. There are however certain types of mouthpieces used to straighten teeh that are not technically braces, though they may be referred to as such.

Gold-Plated: These types of braces are usually chosen for people who have stainless steel braces but are allergic to nickel (a key component of stainless steel). These can also be a cosmetic approach as some people would rather have a gold appearance to their braces than shiny silver.

Lingual: These types of braces are placed behind the actual teeth and are completely invisible to the regular person. They are generally more expensive as they can be a lot harder to adjust. They can also be a problem to the movement of the tongue, and this is another consideration in their usage.

The way your teeth are placed in your mouth is a combination of genetics, pressure from other teeth and your own personal unique tongue movement and bite patterns. Braces use the idea of applied force on the teeth to move them in the right directions. The average braces treatment moves a tooth one millimeter per month and it is chiefly due to the pressure applied by the arch wires that gets the job done. The amount of change that needs to take place, and the responsiveness of an individual's teeth can vary treatment time from a few months to years. There is however more than one way to take care of tooth malocclusions and orthodontists use their full arsenal of tools to try and fix these problems in the most efficient way possible. Find a good orthodontist to find the best solution to your teeth.