Do you have crooked teeth? Are you suffering from overbite, under bite, cross bite or some other form of tooth irregularity? If you answered yes to either of these questions you might need to visit a Denver Orthodontist and get corrective braces. There exists more than one type of braces, and the type you use depends on personal preference. Here are three types of braces you can get to correct tooth alignment problems.
- Metal Braces
You have probably seen someone in an ad, on television or in person with braces. The braces you saw were most likely the big, obvious metal braces that in the past have saddled the wearer with the title “nerd.” You may even have seen colored bands on some people’s braces, used more for aesthetic purposes than functional ones. Metal braces are also called traditional braces and are both the most common and the cheapest option. They are also the most noticeable type and made of, as you probably expected, metal.
- Lingual Braces
Lingual braces are not seen as often as metal, or traditional, braces. This might be because they have many cons: Lingual braces cost more, are more uncomfortable, are harder to keep clean and are more intensive and time-consuming to adjust. The other reason you probably don’t see them as often is because they are hard to spot; the biggest benefit of lingual braces is that they are placed behind the teeth, making them pretty much completely invisible to an outside observer. Except for their unorthodox positioning, lingual braces are the same as metal braces.
- Ceramic Braces
Ceramic braces are also more costly than metal braces. The two things that differentiate metal and ceramic braces are color and material. Ceramic braces use tooth colored or clear brackets and are less noticeable than metal braces, though if not properly cleaned, the brackets can become stained and yellowish. Invisalign, clear plastic retainers used to correct teeth, are less noticeable than ceramic braces, but ceramic braces, being the same size and shape as normal metal braces, have the advantage of correcting teeth faster.
Metal braces are recommended more often and are cheaper, but if you are worried about your appearance, there are other options. Regardless of what type of braces you like best, the important thing is to get your teeth fixed. Misaligned teeth, overcrowding and other problems that can be corrected by braces can all lead to damage to or loss of your teeth over time, so they need to be corrected. So if you think you have a teeth problem that can be fixed by braces make sure to consult a professional orthodontist.