There are two main types of clear braces. Type one is a removable clear brace which looks a little bit like a retainer that you would wear once you have had your teeth straightened. It’s clear and removable and is called an aligner. There are many different types of aligners that are available. One of the biggest brands is Invisalign.
They work by gently moving the teeth into position by having a 3D digital printed model of the teeth made in the ideal position and then aligners are manufactured over these 3D printed models to gently move the teeth into the desired final position.
These work on the premise that teeth can be moved around 0.5 to 1mm a month and the benefit of this type of treatment is that your braces can be removed to clean your teeth, to eat and to maintain a really high level or oral hygiene. The down side is that you have to wear them most of the time, around 20 to 22 hours a day and even to sleep but you do change them every one week or sometimes two weekly and have a new one fitted by your dentist.
Invisalign works in a way that you do have braces but they are not attached to the front of your teeth. They do work. They do move the teeth into the desired end positions. Sometimes the teeth that are required to be straight do need a few more aligners just to finish off the treatment, however in some cases sometimes the teeth are too far rotated or crooked and Invisalign may not be the right treatment choice for your teeth. This is why a consultation with the dentist is always needed. No single set of teeth that is aligned using any type of brace system in the world is the same as another.
Ideally Invisalign is used for patients who want something which is aesthetic, is extremely clear, is really unnoticeable and can be removed if required.
The other types of braces that are available are clear braces that are glued to the front of the teeth on a temporary basis. These are similar to what people call ‘train track braces’ but they are ceramic and clear and they move the teeth in the same way that traditional braces would but they look much more aesthetically pleasing than the stainless steel ones. They are cemented to the teeth at the start of the treatment and they are removed at the end of the treatment unlike Invisalign they cannot be removed for eating and drinking and the dentist or orthodontist would do most of the work. Teeth usually treated with clear braces fixed to the front of the teeth such as Six Month Smile; Ice braces; can be a little bit faster and more comprehensive in comparison to removable aligner systems because there is a lot more control and also the teeth can be moved as though they are being treated with traditional silver stainless steel braces but they still have the aesthetic look which is pleasing on the eye.
The braces that are glued to the teeth have the benefit that the dentist is in control; they cannot be lost or misplaced like Invisalign can, they are very aesthetic; they do look very different from traditional stainless steel braces but they do require excellent oral hygiene.
Treatment time with traditional braces and ceramic braces are around about the same but again they can take anything from 6 months up to 18 months and again every single case is different and a full consultation is required by a dental professional to give you an estimate of the total treatment time.
Here are some pictures below of the difference between Ice/Six Month Smile braces and Invisalign braces. Whichever option you chose, braces will work as long as you have a thorough assessment and to know what you would like your teeth to look like at the end. Clear braces could be the right choice for you.
