Ceramic Braces

A big happy smile can be a great way to warm people up to you. Before any words are exchanged, a smile would be the first part of a greeting. I know that when I’m having a bad day, someone (even a stranger) giving me a smile can really brighten up the rest of my day. Whenever I can, especially when I’m feeling down, I try to smile at others, which actually helps me to feel better. However, if you have crooked teeth, you might be reluctant to smile or only manage a weak looking smile.

This is where orthodontic braces can come to the rescue. Although they can be expensive, they are definitely worth the investment as the results will show and last for a very long time. From my experience, they have made a big difference in my life. Allow me to give a brief overview of how they work.

Braces are simply devices that are designed to correct teeth issues such as overbites, underbites, cross bites and open bites, aligning them to give you that desirable smile. Here is a list of the main components of which braces are composed:

• Bracket – traditionally made of metal, this is essentially “glued” to each tooth with dental cement. A special light is used to harden, thus further securing the brackets.

• Archwire – this wire is threaded through each bracket, and it is shaped and tightened to attain the results that the patient wants.

• Ligatures – the archwires mentioned earlier are secured to the bracket with these ligatures, which can either be elastic or metallic.
  

One of the main concerns for those that desire to align their teeth is the appearance whilst using them. With traditional braces, all the components are completely metal with a metallic color so they stand out. On top of that, depending on the severity of your teeth misalignment, treatment could possibly last for more than a year, as it did for me.

This is where the innovation of ceramic braces has been welcomed with open arms. They still do the primary job of correcting crooked teeth, but they have the added advantage of being less noticeable. The difference between the traditional metal braces and ceramic braces is essentially in the brackets – they are made from composite materials. So far, I’ve come across white, off-white and clear ceramic braces. Did you know that Mr. Top Gun himself, Tom Cruise used adult ceramic braces? If they were preferred by such a famous A-list actor whose job and status involves being in the public’s eyes very often, then they must be pretty good right?

Another (and more practical) advantage is that numerous users who changed from metal to ceramic braces have reported less irritation on their gums. If you’re going to have braces in your mouth over a long period of time, every bit of comfort will help.

One major downside with ceramic braces though is that the elastic ligatures are prone to staining. So if you intend to eat food or drink liquids that have some form of coloring, then this might be an issue. It won't impact on the functionality of the braces, just the appearance. Examples include curry, non-clear soft drinks, juices, black coffee, etc. But, I don’t believe that this should deter you from getting ceramic dental braces.

Aside from completely avoiding such food and drinks, there are ways to circumvent this little bump in the road. You just need to think outside the box a bit. For example, you can drink your liquids with a straw – just ensure that the straw is inserted past your teeth otherwise doing this would be ineffective. If you want to eat curry or any other food that you believe could stain, drink water during your meals to help wash the braces. Also, once you finish eating, try to brush your braces as soon as possible.

You should take note that generally, ceramic braces cost more than the traditional metal braces. I have read that the price difference could sometimes be $500. So it's really up to you whether you think that spending this much more to achieve less visibility of your braces is worth it.