Types of Braces
1. Metal with ligature
- Most common, popular
- Appropriate for most type of treatment
- Uses rubber-band (ligature) to hold the arch wire
- Pros: least expensive
- Cons:
- more visible than ceramic
- less comfortable
- less hygienic, ligature traps food particles
- longer treatment time
2. Ceramic
- Type of braces Tom Cruise had
- Clear made of ceramic (porcelein) or polycarbonate (plastic)
- Teflon coated or fibre glass archwire (less flexible, do not move teeth readily)
- Ceramic - will not stain
- Polycarbonate - will stain and wear off
- It's the ligature that stains, not the brackets!
- Pros: blend in with most teeth, not very visible
- Cons:
- Rubber band can stain which defects aesthetics
- More expensive
3. Self- Ligating (Self-Locking)
- Do not need rubber bands to hold the archwire onto the brackets
- Sliding door technique : the brackets allow the wire to slide back and forth - fewer adjustment and less appointments
- Pros:
- Less food gets trapped
- no staining problem
- fewer visits
- shorter treatment time than non self-ligating
- Cons: more costly
4. Lingual braces
- Placed behind teeth
- Metal brackets
- Pros: not noticeable
- Cons:
- hurt tongue, difficult to speak initially
- more expensive because treatment is specialized
- longer treatment than traditional brackets
5. Invisalign
- good for people with bite not severely off or teeth not severely crooked
- Aligners are numbered and worn for two weeks each
- computer simulation during each treatment showing how your teeth will move and the projected final outcome
- strong plastic trays specially fabricated to suit each patient
- Pros:
- virtually invisible
- easier to clean and maintain
- no irritation to gums
- no need for dental wax
- do not stain
- Cons:
- More costly
- may need traditional braces for a few months before or after invisalign treatment
- need excellent compliance
- 6 weeks for aligners to arrive from factory. May need more aligners (enhancements) after the original set