“Invisible” braces: How today’s orthodontics blend in with the smile for a better treatment experience
If your perception of orthodontic treatment is limited to dark-colored metal braces, it is time to acquaint yourself with today’s ways to attractively, comfortably, and precisely correct misalignment and bite imbalances. As a practice specializing in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, SHN Orthodontics features a diverse range of options to straighten your teeth and restore and sustain an appealing and healthy smile. Led by third-generation orthodontist, Dr. Shannon Hilgers Nissen, our specialty office in Mission Viejo, California, has both the expertise and onsite technologies to support these many therapeutic options. These options include clear braces.
The beauty of clear braces
Traditionally, braces have been associated with metal brackets and wires that are attached to the teeth. Due to the metal, these braces tended to have a silver or gray hue in the smile. So, they stood in stark contrast to the surrounding teeth and the rest of the smile. Today, brackets can be made with various materials, including advanced plastics and ceramics, such as porcelain. Such materials may be particularly attractive to teens and adults alike because they are discreet. The plastic is clear or transparent. So, others can see your teeth peeking through and not orthodontic “hardware.”
Another discreet option, ceramics, involves using brackets that can be color-matched to blend with the rest of the tooth for a natural and seamless look.
Beyond aesthetics
Advanced materials and modern technologies also promote a more comfortable and overall enhanced treatment experience. Today’s braces are generally more compact, sleek, lighter weight, and have a higher degree of durability – less vulnerable to breakage! You do not have to worry about making “trade-offs,” sacrificing the effectiveness and efficiency of treatment for a more discreet look with “invisible” braces. All of these treatments are still based on the same foundational principles: constant yet gentle force is placed on the teeth by this “system” of brackets, wires, and special bands or rings.
Also, Dr. Nissen is happy to discuss yet another way to straighten teeth on the down low without the use of those special bands or elastics. This option, self-ligating braces, are designed with specialized mechanisms to hold the wire/archwire in place, eliminating the need for elastics. The brackets in these braces, too, can be made with transparent plastics or tooth-colored ceramics.
A world of options awaits at SHN Orthodontics to reveal your best smile! Schedule an assessment with Dr. Nissen at our office in Mission Viejo, CA, today. A member of our trusted specialty team can be reached at (949) 830-4101.
