If you want to straighten your teeth with the technology of traditional braces but want to avoid the mouth-full-of-metal look, then clear braces are for you. At Mint Orthodontics, Marco A. Navarro-Flores, DDS, MS, and his team offer exceptional clear braces for all of their patients looking to align their smiles with discretion. To learn more, schedule a visit to one of their office locations in Brownsville, Edinburg, and Rio Grande City, Texas. You can book your visit by calling your nearest office or scheduling online.
What are clear braces?
Clear braces are an orthodontic treatment that uses the same technology as traditional metal braces but are made of materials that make them less visible in your mouth.
Traditional metal braces are composed of brackets, bands, and an archwire. The brackets are bonded to the front of your teeth, the archwire passes through the brackets, and the bands anchor the archwire in place on the brackets.
The archwire is periodically tightened, which puts tension on your teeth and gradually moves them into a better state of alignment.
While traditional braces are made of metal, which can be noticeable or unsightly in your mouth, clear braces use brackets that are made out of a clear ceramic, greatly reducing their visibility in your mouth. Some clear braces even make use of a tooth-colored wire, which reduces visibility even further.
Why should I get clear braces?
Clear braces provide all of the cosmetic and medical benefits of traditional braces but do so with a treatment that’s much less conspicuous. This makes them a popular choice for teenagers and adults who might put off orthodontic treatment because they want to avoid a mouth full of metal.
Clear braces also have some advantages over invisible orthodontic aligners, which likewise offer a more discreet treatment than traditional braces.
Clear braces are able to treat more complex issues, like correcting a bite, widening an arch, or turning a tooth in its socket, which might be more difficult to correct with invisible aligners.
How do I care for my clear braces?
Clear braces are functionally similar to traditional braces, meaning you care for them similarly as well. Your clear braces require you to maintain good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing daily, and you should visit your Mint Orthodontics office regularly to check in with your orthodontist and get your archwire tightened.
You should stay away from darkly pigmented foods and beverages, like berries, coffee, and soda, as clear braces can stain more easily than traditional metal braces.
They can also be slightly more brittle than traditional braces, so you need to spend more time and care making sure that they’re kept up properly.
Despite these drawbacks, clear braces offer an excellent way to improve your smile with the same efficacy but less visibility as traditional metal braces.
To learn more about what clear braces can do for you, schedule a visit to Mint Orthodontics today by calling the office nearest you or booking an appointment online.
