Fixed Braces
These are the type of braces you most commonly see people wearing. Small metal attachments or brackets are bonded to the front of the teeth and are joined together with fine metal wires. They are affectionately called train-tracks. These braces are the most sophisticated available and may be the only way that a severe problem can be corrected by the orthodontist.
Ceramic Braces
These are a form of fixed brace which is bonded to the front of the teeth. Instead of the traditional metal attachments, the brackets are made of a tooth colored or clear ceramic material. These braces are not quite as strong as metal ones and are not suitable for every type of correction. Ceramic braces as quite unobtrusive though they tend to be about 10% more expensive than metal braces with treatment times a bit longer.
Lingual Braces
These braces are worn behind the teeth -on the inside and may be stuck to the teeth in the traditional way. They have the advantage of being nearly invisible but can be difficult to wear – being an irritant to the tongue. These braces may be appropriate for use in only some types of orthodontic corrections.
Invisalign
This type of proprietory treatment involves wearing a series of nearly invisible plastic aligners on the teeth. Teeth are moved in a series of short steps with each aligner being worn 23 hrs a day for 2-3 weeks. Certain types of problem are not suitable for treatment with Invisalign such as very large overbites, jaw problems and very severe crowding. With these appliances patient compliance is essential and without it, results can be disappointing.