A Patient’s Guide to Clear Bracket Braces
At Shoe Orthodontics, your experience is everything. And we believe that the first step in delivering an incredible patient experience is to answer your questions before we ever meet you. That’s where our orthodontic blog comes in!
This guide is for you if you have questions about clear braces for adults, clear braces vs metal ones vs Lightforce, or the cost of clear braces. If you’re wondering what people with clear braces on look like, we’ve got you covered there too!
Clear Braces for Adults
Clear bracket braces are made with tooth-colored ceramic material, making them less noticeable than traditional metal brackets. Clear braces are a great orthodontic treatment option for both adults and teenagers.
They work in the same way traditional metal braces work to straighten your teeth. Basically, your orthodontist will put ceramic brackets that match your tooth color onto your teeth. Then they place a wire over the brackets and secure them with clear rubber bands. You'll visit our office every 4-6 weeks to check your progress and make adjustments. Just like metal braces, clear braces straighten your teeth by applying steady pressure over time.
The biggest reason clear braces are a popular choice for adults is that you can straighten your smile without dramatically changing your look.
Clear Braces vs Metal Ones
By getting braces, you are not only ensuring straighter teeth and a nicer smile, but also gaining extra confidence! In general, you have three choices for braces when you receive orthodontic treatment:
- Clear bracket braces
- Metal braces
- Lightforce braces
While Dr. Shoe will recommend the treatment best suited for your unique case, many patients want to explore the pros and cons of all treatment options before they come in for a free orthodontic consultation. Here is a brief overview of each type of braces to help you know what to expect.
Benefits of Metal Braces
The metal braces of today probably aren’t the ones you remember! Metal bands and brackets don't need to be applied to each tooth, and newer versions of wires are much less noticeable. Plus, metal braces give your orthodontist a high level of control over your treatment, so every tooth can be shifted exactly where it needs to go.
Your Hanover or Reisterstown orthodontist can now quickly and efficiently fix a wider variety of issues using metal braces — with brackets smaller than ever before. Plus, the rubber bands come in a ton of fun colors. That means you can show some personality with your braces!
Benefits of Clear Braces
Keep in mind that clear braces and solutions like Invisalign are not the same. Both the Invisalign and 3M clear aligner systems use a series of removable trays to straighten your teeth. Clear braces, on the other hand, are similar to metal braces. The only real difference between clear braces vs metal is that clear braces are made to match your teeth's natural color instead of the traditional stainless steel.
Clear braces tend to be a great option for adults and teens who would rather have a discreet look but aren't a good candidate for clear aligners. They aren’t especially noticeable, which gives off a more pleasing aesthetic. Plus, they can work for nearly any orthodontic issue and might even straighten your teeth faster than clear aligners are capable of doing.
These are the biggest benefits of clear bracket braces:
- More aesthetically pleasing than traditional metal brackets
- Can be used to treat a wide variety of orthodontic issues
Benefits of Lightforce Braces
Patients who are considering clear braces as an option are always thrilled to hear about Lightforce braces. Lightforce has the aesthetic advantage that clear braces provide, with the added benefit of being a fully customized, 3-D printed system.
With traditional metal or clear braces, you typically need more office visits to readjust the brackets and bend wires back into place. They also don't fit as snugly to teeth which can cause damage to the brackets or wires. Although there's nothing necessarily wrong with the older methods, LightForce uses a modern approach that is much more comfortable. This takes the braces experience up several notches so that you'll barely even know they're there!
These are the four major benefits of LightForce braces:
- Completely customized
- Fewer office visits
- Shorter treatment times
- Super comfortable
Cost of Clear Braces
We know that orthodontic treatment can be a big investment for families in Hanover, PA and Reisterstown, MD. We never want the cost of clear braces to be a deterrent to patients in our office. We will evaluate your case at your free orthodontic consultation and lay out your recommended treatment plan. This includes an overview of what your dental insurance will cover, out-of-pocket costs, and financing options. We do our best to offer flexible financing to find something that truly works for you!
We believe that orthodontic care should be accessible and affordable. Flexible orthodontic financing is just one of the ways we’re dedicated to being a business that gives back to the communities we serve.
People with Clear Braces On
At Shoe Orthodontics, we offer several different treatment options to get the smile of your dreams. Here are some of our patients with clear braces on! When you’re ready to find out which treatment option works best for you, just schedule a free orthodontic consultation with Shoe Orthodontics!
