Clear Braces

Do you wish you could have a straight, perfect smile, but are deterred by the unsightliness and discomfort of traditional metal braces? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if your teeth could be corrected invisibly? Apex Dental in Chicago is here to tell you that discreet tooth alignment isn’t just a dream! With clear braces, even busy professionals can achieve the smile of their dreams without embarrassment. Let’s talk more about what make clear braces different and how they work.

What Are Clear Braces?

Clear braces are functionally identical to metal braces in that they consist of brackets bonded to each individual tooth, connected together by a wire. They differ from traditional braces in that the brackets themselves are crafted from a clear plastic or tooth-colored ceramic material and the wire is often white or clear. This means that you can get all of the practical benefits that traditional braces offer with none of the “metal mouth” aesthetic.

How Do Clear Braces Work?

Clear braces can usually be placed in one appointment with your orthodontist. He will carefully affix one clear bracket to each tooth with bonding cement. Then he will connect the brackets together with a discreetly colored wire. Finally, clear or white rubber bands called ligatures are applied to the outside of each bracket to hold the wire in place. The whole process should take between 1 and 2 hours.

It’s important to note that clear braces can be more prone to stains compared to metal braces. This can be avoided by limiting the use of coffee, red wine, and yellow spices such as curry. Thankfully, the rubber bands are changed out with every visit to the orthodontist, so if they are stained it is easily corrected. High quality clear plastic brackets like we use at Apex Dental are also more stain resistant than poor quality alternatives made overseas.

If you live near Chicago and have questions about clear metal braces or wonder if you might be a candidate, please don’t hesitate to call us at Apex Dental to schedule a consultation. We’re here to help you create the smile of your dreams.