Did you know that nearly 60% of the population suffers from misaligned teeth? With so many people struggling with this issue, it’s no wonder that sufferers are turning to an orthodontic treatment like braces to solve their problem.
The trouble is, many people feel that they need to use unsightly, metal braces. The cosmetic concerns can cause people to delay getting important dental care or to skip getting it altogether!
One solution to this problem is clear braces. If you’re considering getting a clear braces treatment, keep reading. Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about this orthodontic treatment.
What Are Clear Braces?
Clear braces are the same as conventional, metallic braces. However, these braces have clear, ceramic brackets and clear wire braces.
Because of the material they’re made out of, a clear braces treatment can be a great way to straighten your teeth without the obvious appearance of brackets. Since you don’t see them in the mouth, they’re a great method for correcting an overbite, crooked teeth, and other issues without raising cosmetic concerns.
How They Work
Now, let’s take a minute to talk about how clear braces work. Just like metal braces, ceramic braces are adhered to each tooth and connected with wires. The system helps manipulate the teeth and pull them into proper alignment.
Most of the time, clear braces treatment takes between 4 and 6 months. However, in some cases, the braces can take much less time, getting the brackets out of your mouth in just twelve weeks.
Clear braces usually consist of ceramic brackets but a metal wire. If you want a more invisible look, you can opt for white archwires or clear wires as well. This option tends to cost a bit more but is worth it for concealing the brackets.
Types of Clear Braces
Now that you’ve got a feel for what clear braces are, let’s take a minute to talk about the different types of clear braces. There are a couple of different styles of clear braces that you can invest in.
1. Clear Aligners
One of the most popular types of braces are clear aligners. Clear aligners have a series of plastic aligners that move the teeth into place. These aligners are called trays.
Although the treys aren’t entirely invisible, they do use advanced technology that makes them extremely difficult to spot. Plus, they’re great for fixing tons of different orthodontic issues, including:
- Underbite
- Overbite
- Overcrowding
- Gaps
- Crooked teeth
Clear aligners are great because they can be used to treat the majority of orthodontic issues. And, while they can be slightly uncomfortable when you first start wearing them, they do not cause any pain.
What’s more, clear aligners don’t contain wires which can help eliminate discomfort. Since there are no wires to snag on your lips and gums, they can end up being a much more comfortable form of clear braces.
Another key piece of information to know about aligners is that you need to make sure that you consistently wear them. Since you can remove the trays, it can take a bit more discipline for you to wear them everyday. However, doing so will give you amazing results!
There are also varieties of clear aligners that are only for use at night. Nighttime clear aligners allow you to straighten your teeth while you sleep and get rid of the awkward appearance of the aligners in your mouth during the day.
2. Ceramic Braces
Another type of braces you might come across are nearly invisible braces, or ceramic braces. These braces aren’t as hard to spot as clear aligners are, but they’re definitely less noticeable than metal braces.
Ceramic braces tend not to be as efficient as clear aligners. While they work in much the same way as traditional braces, the material they’re made out of means that they take a little bit longer to move your teeth into place.
On top of that, the brackets on these braces are larger than those of standard metal braces. As a result, they push out under your lip and make it more obvious that you have braces on.
Because of these downsides, some people choose only to use clear braces on very specific teeth, such as the upper teeth. Then, they’ll use traditional metal brackets on the bottom teeth that are harder to spot. That way you can cut down the time it takes to move your teeth without making your braces super obvious.
3. Lingual Braces
The third and final type of clear braces are lingual braces. These braces aren’t technically invisible braces, but are traditional braces that an orthodontist applies to the back of your teeth.
These braces are almost entirely invisible, but they do come with a few downsides. For one thing, lingual braces tend to be one of the most expensive types of invisible braces.
The reason why these braces cost so much is because there isn’t a lot of wire between each bracket. That makes it tough for the orthodontist to apply them to your teeth.
How Much Do Clear Braces Cost?
Now that we’ve talked about the different types of clear braces, it’s time to move onto the costs associated with them. You should keep in mind that the cost of your braces will depend on a few different factors, including:
- Where you live
- The length of treatment
- Your insurance
- Which type of braces you choose
When you go in to get clear braces, your orthodontist will give you a breakdown of different payment plans and costs. You can either pay for your braces up front or open a monthly payment plan that makes it easier for you to cover the costs.
To get a better idea of how much each type of braces cost, we’ve gathered some data on the average cost of each different type of braces:
- Ceramic braces: $2,000 – $8,500
- Clear aligners: $3,000 – $8,000
- Lingual braces: $5,000 – $13,000
As you can see, the lingual braces tend to be the most expensive while ceramic braces tend to be the most affordable. If you’re interested in getting more affordable clear aligners, SmilePath offers them for just under $2,000!
The Ideal Candidate for Clear Braces
If you’re excited about the idea of getting clear braces, it’s important to see whether or not you’ll be a good candidate for this type of braces. Here are a few things to consider in order to determine candidacy for clear braces.
Age
How old you are will impact whether or not you’re a good candidate for clear braces. Clear braces tend to require a bit more self-care, which means that they’re often recommended for adults instead of for children.
However, just because they’re more common in adults doesn’t mean that kids can’t use them too! Clear braces can still be a great option for children or for teenagers who are concerned about how traditional braces will look.
Goals
Each person has different goals when it comes to straightening their teeth. And, unsurprisingly, your goals affect whether or not invisible braces are a good choice.
Invisible braces are ideal for correcting crowded teeth or closing gaps. However, in some unique and extreme cases, you may require metal braces in order to get the job done.
When you get impressions taken, your dental team will analyze them to see whether or not you’re a good fit for this type of braces.
Oral Health
It’s important to have good oral health if you’re going to get clear braces. Since dental procedures such as crowns, fillings, and cavities affect how your aligners fit, you’ll need to make sure you have no upcoming dental work before using clear aligners.
Schedule
One reason why many people use clear aligners is that you can get them delivered to your door. This makes it a far better option for people who have busy schedules and can’t make it to the regular dental appointments that traditional braces call for.
Benefits of Clear Braces
Now that you’ve determined whether or not you’re a good candidate for clear braces, you’e probably ready to get a set for yourself! Or, if you’re still not convinced that they’re for you, check out these benefits of clear aligners and braces.
Discreet
When you get traditional metal braces, they stick out on your teeth like a sore thumb. And, if you’re an adult, that can make it tough for you to dress up or down for professional situations.
Especially considering the fact that braces are more common in children than adults, getting clear braces can be a great way to boost your self-esteem with a discreet tooth correction treatment.
Cost
Braces can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and not every orthadontist has options that make it easy for patients to pay for those treatmnets. That can leave you with high interest payments if you put it on a credit card or a hefty bill to worry about if you take out a loan.
In contrast, clear braces are much more affordable. Many private companies offer clear braces at much lower prices and even deliver them to your door, saving you office visit fees!
No Food Restrictions
Since metal braces are adhered to your teeth 24/7, there are lots of foods and beverages that you can’t eat. That’s because those particular foods could damage your braces.
On the other hand, since invisible braces are removable, you don’t have this issue. You can simply remove them to eat the foods you want to enjoy and replace them when you’re done.
Protection for Teeth Grinding
Did you know that millions of people grind their teeth at night? What’s more, did you know that the grinding is more common in smartphone users?
Since so many of us have smartphones, it’s no surprise that most people today struggle with teeth grinding. The common remedy for this issue is night guards that prevent you from damaging your teeth.
Clear braces can serve as a protection against tooth grinding. Since they add an extra layer of material to your teeth, they can protect the teeth if you wear them at night.
No Orthodontic Visits
When you have metal braces, you have to regularly visit the orthodontist. You’ll need to get adjustments every few weeks as well as go in for checkups to make sure that the braces are correctly placed.
Invisible braces, however, don’t require any kind of orthodontist visits. You can take care of everything from the initial consultation to the adjustments from the comfort of your home!
More Comfortable
One of the biggest issues caused by metal braces is discomfort. The initial installation of the technology can be painful, as can adjustments after the initial treatment.
What’s more, the metal can cut your lips and gums. This can leave you with painful sores that take weeks to heal.
Clear braces, on the other hand, don’t cause cuts to your mouth. Plus, they tend to have far less discomfort associated with them than metal braces do thanks to the gentler, plastic technology.
Faster Results
Let’s be honest, the biggest concern when we get braces is how fast we can get rid of them. Even if they’re the most comfortable braces in the world, we still want to hurry up and get our straight, beautiful teeth!
Although any kind of braces takes time, clear braces tend to have a much faster turnaround time than standard braces. You’ll be able to get your gorgeous results in about half the time as metal braces.
Get Straighter Teeth With Clear Braces
Clear braces are an incredible way to get straight teeth without going through the hassle of traditional orthodontic treatments. These braces are faster and more attractive than metal braces and make for the ideal way to straighten your teeth.
If you’re ready to get started with the clear braces alternative to traditional, metal brackets, we can help. Order clear braces from the team at Smilepath today to get started with straighter, brighter teeth.
