Types of Braces

Metal Braces

TRADITIONAL METAL BRACES

Traditional metal braces are the most common type of braces and are more comfortable today than ever before. Made of high-grade stainless steel, metal braces straighten your teeth using metal brackets and archwires. With metal braces, you have the option of adding colored elastics (rubber bands) for a more unique and colorful smile.

GOLD BRACES

Gold braces are similar to traditional metal braces in many ways. They are made of stainless steel but are uniquely coated in gold. The gold coating may be considered a more cosmetic option than traditional metal braces, and the cost of gold braces is surprisingly comparable to most clear braces.

CERAMIC BRACES

Ceramic braces are made of clear materials and are therefore less visible on your teeth than metal braces. For this reason, ceramic braces are used mainly on older teenagers and adult patients who have cosmetic concerns. While they are visually less prominent, they do require more attention to oral hygiene as ceramic braces are larger and are more brittle than their metal counterparts. For these reasons, ceramic braces tend to be used more on upper front teeth than on lower teeth.

INVISIBLE (CLEAR) ORTHODONTIC APPLIANCES

INVISALIGN®

Invisalign uses a series of invisible, removable, and comfortable aligners to straighten your teeth. And, no one can tell you are wearing Invisalign because it’s invisible! 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 have no metal to cause mouth abrasions during treatment. Please visit our Invisalign page to learn more about.

LINGUAL BRACES

Lingual braces are hidden behind the teeth and are therefore “invisible” when you smile. Lingual braces are 100% customized to match the shape of your teeth and therefore the metal appliances are created uniquely for you. Lingual braces are a very reasonable option for athletes, models, actors/actresses, musicians who play wind instruments, and adult professionals.

SURESMILE

Technological advancements are made every day to improve all areas of our lives and that includes orthodontics as well. SureSmile orthodontic technology is a new system for teeth straightening that is more accurate than molds and X-rays. SureSmile provides a 3 Dimensional computer model of your teeth, so your orthodontists can obtain a clearer picture of the way your teeth are growing. Armed with this knowledge, the orthodontist can more accurately devise a strategy to deliver you straighter teeth and a better smile. This new SureSmile system has been shown to reduce the amount of time you’ll need to wear braces by as much as 29%.

MTM NO TRACE SYSTEM

The MTM No•Trace System is a great alternative to the unsightly metal wires and brackets of traditional braces. The brackets used in this teeth straightening system are placed on the backside of the teeth so they are barely detectable. Not only that, but wearing these low-profile brackets will not impede your speech or cause discomfort. In fact, most patients forget that they are even there and the time you’ll need to wear them can be as little as 12 to 24 week. Now that’s something to smile about.

INVISALIGN

If you are in need of a corrective orthodontic appliance to straighten teeth that are not growing in properly, what could be better than invisible braces? Invisalign incorporates a series of different, removable teeth aligners that are made with a clear plastic material that is barely detectable. They can be removed while eating or brushing your teeth and since they don’t use metal wires and brackets they are much more comfortable to wear. Each set of aligners are worn for a short period of time, about two weeks, after which they are replaced by the next set which has been adjusted to match the progress of the teeth straightening procedure. The total time that Invisilign aligners need to be worn averages between 9 and 15 months.