Ceramic Braces
For patients seeking a more discreet option, ceramic braces are made from tooth-colored materials that blend with the natural teeth. These braces offer the same effectiveness as traditional braces but are less noticeable, making them a popular choice among teens and adults who want a more subtle appearance.
Are you a good candidate for ceramic braces?
Ceramic braces are recommended if all of your adult teeth have come in and you’ve mostly stopped growing. This ensures a lower chance of brackets breaking due to the strain of tooth movement.
Ceramic braces are a good choice if you want your braces to be subtle. Because they’re usually tooth-colored or white, they’re less noticeable. This makes them ideal for straightening your teeth if you work a full-time job or attend college and don’t want to draw attention to them.
Usually, braces are not covered by insurance unless your insurance plan covers dental. However, even if your dental plan covers orthodontic care, braces may not be covered if you’re getting them for cosmetic reasons and not for the correction of a severe dental condition that inhibits normal oral functioning.
Ceramic braces are a good choice if you want your braces to be subtle. Because they’re usually tooth-colored or white, they’re less noticeable. This makes them ideal for straightening your teeth if you work a full-time job or attend college and don’t want to draw attention to them.
Usually, braces are not covered by insurance unless your insurance plan covers dental. However, even if your dental plan covers orthodontic care, braces may not be covered if you’re getting them for cosmetic reasons and not for the correction of a severe dental condition that inhibits normal oral functioning.
Length of treatment compared to metal and clear aligners
Clear/ceramic braces take about a year and a half to three years to straighten your teeth, while metal braces could take less than a year up to three years.
How durable are they?
Ceramic braces aren’t as durable, so as your teeth move, brackets need to be replaced more often to keep them from breaking under pressure. This leads to slower adjustment time, and that is why the process might take a bit longer because of delays in straightening between visits to the orthodontist to fix broken brackets.
In fact, ceramic braces are more than twice as likely to break than metal braces, even from normal contact from biting down.
In fact, ceramic braces are more than twice as likely to break than metal braces, even from normal contact from biting down.
Do ceramic braces stain?
Ceramic brackets don’t stain easily, but the elastic ties that hold them to the wire can. Below are a few tips to avoid staining your ceramic bracket ties:
● Brush and floss after every meal. This helps remove food residue that might cause staining.
● Avoid foods and drinks that leave stains or discoloration, such as tomatoes, wine, coffee, tea, soda, or condiments like ketchup and mustard.
● Don’t smoke. As smoking can leave yellowish stains on your teeth and all components of your braces.
● Don’t use whitening toothpaste. Whitening agents can cause your exposed tooth surface to become whiter than the tooth underneath.
● See your orthodontist regularly. Your orthodontist can replace stained ceramic brackets or ties as needed.
● Brush and floss after every meal. This helps remove food residue that might cause staining.
● Avoid foods and drinks that leave stains or discoloration, such as tomatoes, wine, coffee, tea, soda, or condiments like ketchup and mustard.
● Don’t smoke. As smoking can leave yellowish stains on your teeth and all components of your braces.
● Don’t use whitening toothpaste. Whitening agents can cause your exposed tooth surface to become whiter than the tooth underneath.
● See your orthodontist regularly. Your orthodontist can replace stained ceramic brackets or ties as needed.
What colors can you choose from?
The color of each component of your ceramic braces can be changed throughout the course of your treatment. The components include:
● Brackets. Brackets stick to your teeth and are usually available in white.
● Archwires. These wires curve around your teeth, connecting all the brackets and applying pressure to your teeth to straighten them. They’re often available in silver, white, or frosted to blend in with light-colored brackets.
● Elastic bands. Elastic bands attach to hooks on the brackets. They keep the archwire in place and help to adjust the position of the teeth and jaw. You can get these bands in almost any color imaginable. You can choose colors that blend in with your skin shade, or get creative and select a rainbow pattern all across your smile.
On average, treatment with clear braces can take from around a year to three years, depending on the severity of the patient's malocclusion (bite problems).
● Brackets. Brackets stick to your teeth and are usually available in white.
● Archwires. These wires curve around your teeth, connecting all the brackets and applying pressure to your teeth to straighten them. They’re often available in silver, white, or frosted to blend in with light-colored brackets.
● Elastic bands. Elastic bands attach to hooks on the brackets. They keep the archwire in place and help to adjust the position of the teeth and jaw. You can get these bands in almost any color imaginable. You can choose colors that blend in with your skin shade, or get creative and select a rainbow pattern all across your smile.
On average, treatment with clear braces can take from around a year to three years, depending on the severity of the patient's malocclusion (bite problems).
