Are Ceramic Braces Right For You?

While metal braces are still a common option, there are currently multiple types of braces from which to choose, including ceramic braces. Ceramic braces use a special durable ceramic instead of plastic or wire brackets. For this reason, they have many advantages over other types of braces. If you are considering ceramic braces, check out these three benefits.

Ceramic Is Less Porous Than Plastic

To prevent damage to teeth, the brackets in metal braces are usually made from plastic. Unfortunately, plastic is porous, so every time you eat or drink stain-causing foods/beverages, the plastic brackets absorb a little.

This can cause stains to develop, which affects the overall appearance of your smile after the braces are removed. It may also cause clear plastic brackets to become discolored, making them more noticeable.

Ceramic brackets are less porous than plastic, so you don't need to worry about stains. In addition, ceramic braces are often considered to be less irritating to gums than metal braces, making them great for younger patients and people with a low pain threshold.

Ceramic Braces Come in Tooth-Colored Options

A huge advantage to choosing ceramic braces is that they can be made to blend in well with natural tooth tissue. This is because you can choose tooth-colored ceramic brackets.

The braces are further hidden by using clear or tooth-colored wire and rubber bands. Keep in mind, however, that ceramic braces are not considered "invisible" braces because you can still see them. They simply blend into your teeth to look less noticeable.

Invisible braces like Invisalign do a better job of disappearing because they are made from clear aligners that fully cover your teeth.

They Work Like Traditional Braces

The problem with most invisible braces, however, is that they are less effective than traditional braces. Invisalign may be great at fixing mild to moderate issues, but if you have more complicated issues, such as a misaligned bite or rotated teeth, you may not get the results you want with invisible braces.

Ceramic braces, however, work much like traditional braces. They need to be tightened and fix a multitude of problems, including overbites. They may still not be the right choice for extremely severe cases because, although ceramic braces are durable, they aren't as durable as metal braces.

If you are tired of hiding your smile because of crooked or gapped teeth, stop postponing treatment. There are many braces options, so finding one to meet your needs is possible. For more information about braces, contact an orthodontics service such as Eberting Orthodontics.