If you’re on your tooth straightening journey, you might have heard of ceramic braces – but what are they, and how do they work?
Tooth-Coloured and Near-Invisible
Ceramic braces are very similar to traditional braces – but there’s one significant difference. Instead of standard silver metallic brackets and wires, ceramic braces use tooth-coloured brackets to straighten smiles.
And suppose you’re still trying to guess why many patients choose ceramic over metal. In that case, it’s because they are much less noticeable on the teeth, which is a huge advantage for patients fearing they’ll be self-conscious during the re-alignment process.
On this page, our orthodontists have detailed everything you need to know about ceramic braces, from their effectiveness to their cost and even what they’re like to wear daily.
Am I a suitable candidate for ceramic braces?
Before you dive into the pros and cons of ceramic braces, it’s essential first to understand if you’ll likely be accepted to undergo the treatment.
Ceramic braces are only recommended for patients who already have all of their adult teeth. This ensures a faster correction time and a reduced risk of brackets breaking because of the strain of tooth movement.
Patients wishing to have ceramic braces will be glad to know that the fixed braces, just like their traditional counterpart, straighten complex and severe bite and malocclusion problems like underbite, crossbite, open bite, and crooked and uneven teeth – they are also effective at closing gaps.
If subtlety is important to you during your journey to the perfect smile, we recommend ceramic braces and lingual braces over discreet systems like Invisalign.
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So, what’s great about them and what’s not so great?
In the table below, we’ve listed the breakdown of both the pros and cons of ceramic braces – especially in regards to how they compare to other straightening alternatives:
Learn about cosmetic braces and discover the type that best fits your lifestyle.
Living with ceramic braces – the rules:
As these braces are made from ceramic, they are more susceptible to breakages and stains. We advise patients to avoid certain activities and follow a particular set of aftercare protocols to ensure their treatment remains subtle.
- Brush and floss teeth after every meal to avoid food residue from lingering.
- Avoid the typical foods and drinks that cause staining and discolouration.
- Do not smoke, as again; the smoke can leave yellowish stains.
- Do not use tooth whitening toothpaste, which can affect the exposed tooth surface more than the tooth underneath.
Patients who feel put off by these rules might also be interested to know that even clear aligner systems like Invisalign need to be treated carefully.
Also susceptible to staining, patients are recommended to brush and floss their teeth after each meal or snack when wearing Invisalign.
What wearing ceramic braces feels like
As with any teeth straightening treatment, ceramic braces initially take some time for you to get used to. Upon first application, patients can expect to feel slightly uncomfortable with tiny changes to their speech and salivation.
However, as you adjust, speech and salivation revert to normal quite quickly (on average, a few days).
During your orthodontic treatment, there is a heightened risk for decay and gum disease developing, which is why, even with Invisalign, patients are encouraged to brush and floss their teeth after drinking and eating.
Bear in mind that with your new ceramic braces fixed to your teeth, it is trickier to clean the teeth and gums more effectively, so an improved hygiene routine is recommended to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
Finding the right orthodontist
Who you choose to straighten your teeth with is a big decision – they’ll be the practitioner responsible for meeting your demands, creating the smile you want and deserve and ensuring you get there in the quickest amount of time – not to mention making the process easy and comfortable.
For the past 25 years, The Perfect Smile has been building a notable reputation for offering and delivering an immense range of orthodontic services – and has employed leading orthodontists, who have even designed their fast teeth straightening systems used by hundreds of established practices across the country.
Patients can trust that they are in safe hands with us.
Before & After Gallery
See what our patients look like before and after braces so you can gain a better idea of how they’re going to look and work for you.
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Contact us for any questions, requests and further information; or to arrange a FREE Initial Consultation.
Our free no obligation Initial Consultation will be with our dentist and/or our Treatment Coordinators. The suitability of options discussed will ultimately be dependent upon your clinical assessment with a dentist at the practice.
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