You have several choices when it comes to your
braces, but there are some factors that can
determine which treatment can be applied to your
particular case:
-
The severity of your bite or tooth crookedness
problems
-
If extractions are needed
-
If jaw surgery is needed
-
If head gear or other special appliances are
necessary
-
The amount of time you will need to wear braces
-
How much you are willing to pay
-
How long you will have braces to correct your
problems
-
The preferences of your orthodontist
For your convenience
we have complied a list of pros and cons for clear
and metal braces to help educate you:
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|
Metal brackets
tend to be the least expensive of all the
types of braces. |
They are more
visible than ceramic clear braces |
They tend to
take the least amount of time among all the
types of braces. |
They tend to be
a bit less comfortable at first, (but that
feeling wears off after a couple of weeks). |
They are strong
and rarely break. |
When you have a
canker sore, they tend to irritate your gums
more than ceramic brackets. |
Shorter
treatment time with less pain. |
|
Self-ligating
brackets do not contain rubber ligatures
(bands), so staining will never be a
problem. |
|
You can choose a
darker ligature, which will not show smoking
or black coffee stains. |
|
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They blend
nicely in with most teeth, especially if
they are not perfectly white. They are not
very noticeable at a distance or in
photographs. |
The clear or
white ligatures or "bands" can stain, cause
your braces to look shades or yellow or
pink. The good new is that the bands
are replaced which each visit so you don't
live with the problem long. |
Some people feel
that they are more comfortable than metal
braces and irritate your gums less. |
Ceramic brackets
are usually more expensive than traditional
metal brackets. |
Ceramic brackets
do not usually break or come off your teeth.
They are strong and stay on like metal
braces. |
Treatment can
take a several months longer. |
|
They are a bit
larger than metal braces. |
|
Under severe
cases, your orthodontist cannot use ceramic
brackets because they may not be strong
enough to withstand the forces of some types
of treatments. |
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