Straight teeth and a bright smile may no longer necessitate the use of unsightly wire and bracket braces. By providing an appealing and hardly perceptible alternative to standard wire/bracket braces, invisible braces boost self-esteem and physical confidence.

While invisible braces may not be appropriate for some misalignment situations or complicated bite abnormalities that are best treated by traditional orthodontics, they can be utilized to treat the following conditions:

• Overbite and overjet
• Tooth spacing that is too near or too far apart
• Crooked teeth

Invisible braces are intended for adults and older teens, however, they are not advised when baby teeth are still present. Traditional metal braces with brackets/wires on the front of the teeth will be required for children and younger teens with orthodontic difficulties.

Only your dentist or orthodontist can tell you if you are a candidate. Due to the requirement for total and uncompromising collaboration, the alternative therapy was intended particularly for adults; the “trays” are worn 22 hours per day and should not be forgotten or misplaced.

Invisible Braces & Their Types

The most popular forms of invisible braces are:

• Ceramic brackets
• Inner braces
• Transparent aligners

Ceramic braces are similar to metal braces in that they straighten teeth with tooth-colored brackets (and sometimes tooth-colored wires) rather than metal braces. The tooth-colored ceramic “blends” with your teeth and is generally non-staining. This makes them less obvious than metal but not as “invisible” as inner braces or transparent aligners.

Inside braces, also known as inside invisible braces, lingual braces, or “iBraces,” and transparent aligners take to therapy a step further by making it nearly invisible. Each option has pros and cons.

a. Ceramic or “transparent” braces are comprised of composite materials that are thinner and more flexible than metal braces. Ceramic brackets are bigger than metal brackets and need thin elastic bands, or ligatures, to secure them to the archwire (or built-in spring clips on “self-ligating” brackets).

b. Inside braces are affixed to the back of the teeth and are therefore hidden from sight. Current iBraces construct customized, computer-designed bespoke brackets that are affixed to the insides of the upper and occasionally lower teeth using scanned pictures of the insides of the teeth.

This appeals to those who are frequently in public and may be self-conscious about having transparent aligners or braces with metal or ceramic brackets/wires across the front of their teeth.

c. Clear aligners are a set of clear, removable aligners that are custom-fit to your teeth to enable nearly irritation-free treatment with minimum adjustment pain. Clear aligners are almost transparent, minimally intrusive, and resistant to wear-related clouding.

There are no brackets to break or wires to poke with transparent aligners. Clear aligners may be removed for eating, drinking, and special occasions, making brushing and flossing easy.