Braces on teeth invoke memories of young girls with thick bands of metal inside their mouths shocking this viewer momentarily. I always felt sorry for those who wore braces growing up. However, perhaps, they had the last laugh with beautiful straight teeth throughout their adult life. In many ways braces are old technology, which has stood up over the decades. Metal braces are a hundred years old and still keeping those chompers in place for the image conscious among us. Metal, ceramic, clear & lingual: Braces can be different in 2022.
Ceramic Braces vs Metal Braces
How are metal and ceramic braces different? Ceramic braces are less visually arresting for the viewer because of their tooth coloured porcelain construction. They are, often, paired with white archwire and clear brackets making them far less obtrusive for the wearer. They work in the same way as metal braces treating complex malocclusions and correcting bad bites. Apparently they are more popular with adults, who wish to go under the radar when it comes to wearing braces. The kids get to wear the metal braces because it is a rite of passage, and they are less expensive of course. Adults, generally, spend the big bucks on themselves.
What Are Braces Really?
Orthodontics are appliances employed to correct malocclusion, which refers to improperly positioned teeth and bad bites, when the mouth is closed. The century old metal braces are brackets placed on the outside of your teeth to help straighten them. Metal braces are fixed appliances in orthodontic vernacular. They take some getting used to by all reports in terms of oral comfort and sensitivity. Anecdotal data reports that ceramic braces may be more comfortable and do not irritate gums as much.
Clear & Lingual Braces?
Aligners like Invisalign are another method of teeth straightening utilising clear thermoplastic material. Invisalign are the best known clear braces or aligners. These are far more discreet and are removable. This means they do not look so imposing and do not affect what you can eat. These aligners can assist with mild to moderate crowding, crooked teeth, spaces between teeth, and bite issues. Not all people are suitable for Invisalign, as there remain some more extreme dental scenarios which would preclude its effectiveness. Lingual braces are still a key subset of orthodontics.
The modern metal braces were invented by Christophe-Francois Delabarre in 1819. In 1997 a Stanford graduate named Zia Chishti came up with the idea of an invisible plastic retainer. What will be next I wonder?