Clear Braces vs. Metal Braces

At Elite Dental Group, we offer clear alternatives for adults and teens the greater Laguna Hills area. We can straighten teeth and move them into the perfect position so the patient has a beautiful and radiant straight smile. If you have crooked teeth, unsightly gaps between your teeth or a misaligned bite, then we can help to correct these issues and more. Clear braces work just as effectively as metal braces but with some major improvements. Clear braces are much more difficult to notice, making them ideal for busy professionals, teens and those that do not want to negatively impact their current appearance during the process.

There are several types of clear and barely visible options to choose. One operates similarly to traditional metal braces where we place a bracket onto each tooth and thread a wire between the brackets. The difference is that instead of being made out of metal, the brackets for clear braces consists of a tooth-colored resin that blends in with the natural tooth. The wire is also tooth-colored so that the braces themselves are almost invisible and difficult to see. We find that this solution works well for teens and adults that are able to practice proper dental hygiene with the clear braces. Otherwise, food can stain the brackets. This solution is an excellent alternative to traditional braces and is just as effective at addressing all oral health concerns.

Clear braces also come in the form of aligners. Clear aligners look like a full retainer that surrounds the teeth and are worn on the upper and lower teeth. Aligners are more convenient to wear than metal braces since patients can remove them when necessary. One of the major concerns that people have with wearing braces is that they do not come off until the treatment is complete. If, for example, you get braces then decide to get married, you will either have braces in your wedding pictures or need to pay to remove them and reinstall them after. Simultaneously, if you have a big presentation at work and want to impress a client, your braces cannot come off for the meeting. This leaves many adults apprehensive about committing to a two-year treatment plan. We understand that appearance is important for more than vanity. It impacts your ability to create a professional image and retain your own self-image. As a Laguna Hills provider of clear braces and aligners, we make it so that you do not have to compromise your appearance or lifestyle while straightening teeth; aligners are a key component of that.

When straightening teeth with aligners, the biggest advantage is that they are removable. While patients wear the aligners for around 22 hours a day, they remove the aligners while eating and brushing teeth. Patients can also remove the aligners during a sport, athletic activity, or for a photo. With clear aligners, there is no need to adjust what you eat or worry about getting food stuck between the brackets. Patients can remove clear aligners for any reason, so long as they continue to wear the aligners for at least 22 hours per day. If you are interested in learning more about the process, we invite you to call 949-317-3197 and schedule an appointment with our Laguna Hills office.

Teen Braces and Adult Braces

We treat both teens and adults and understand that both can benefit from similar treatment options. While children may not be able to wear clear braces, teens can wear clear braces if they take proper care of them. The main difference between clear braces for teens and adult braces, is that teens may need to use their aligners for a longer period of time. With such a busy schedule, we expect teens to remove their aligners more frequently to do things like play sports.