Ceramic Braces in McLean

McLean ceramic braces

What Are Ceramic Braces?

Ceramic braces are a more aesthetic alternative to traditional metal braces. If you want to straighten your teeth without disrupting the appearance of your smile, ceramic braces replace silver metal brackets and wires with tooth-colored brackets made of ceramic and a white archwire. 

They work like metal braces, placing pressure on the teeth to shift them over time. These braces can be used to correct crooked teeth, overcrowding, gaps, and bite problems for patients who don’t want silver brackets covering their teeth.

What Are The Benefits Of Ceramic Braces?

Ceramic braces are much more discreet and blend in with your natural teeth, so they’re much less noticeable than metal braces. The material of ceramic braces may not be as durable as metal, but they’re still solid and durable, thanks to advanced technology. They also cause less damage to your tooth enamel.

When it’s time to take your ceramic braces off, removal is much more straightforward and fast, and since they don’t demineralize your teeth, you won’t be left with eroded enamel. Ceramic braces combine the best qualities of clear aligners and metal braces. 

These braces are just as forceful and effective as metal braces but don’t disrupt the smile. Many adult patients are interested in clear aligners, but they are only suitable for minor to moderate orthodontic problems. By wearing ceramic braces, you can get the same cosmetic benefits with much more efficient tooth movements.

woman with ceramic braces
girl with ceramic braces

How Long Does Treatment With Ceramic Braces Take?

The length of your treatment will ultimately depend on the complexity of your orthodontic case. On average, however, most patients take 18 to 36 months, slightly longer than metal braces. Patients who wear clear aligners also have a shorter treatment estimation, but that’s because clear aligners are for patients with very minimal orthodontic problems. 

If you have severe malocclusions, you can expect a longer treatment time. If you have minor issues like small gaps or slightly crooked teeth, your treatment will be much shorter. Overall, there isn’t a significant difference between the treatment time of ceramic braces compared to other orthodontics.

How Do Ceramic Braces Compare To Other Types Of Braces?

Ceramic braces are less noticeable, more comfortable, and cause less damage to your teeth than metal braces. They take a little longer to correct your misalignment compared to metal braces but not by much, and this is highly dependent on factors like the severity of your misalignment. 

They aren’t removable or as unnoticeable as clear aligners, but they’re more suitable for a wider range of patients because they can correct more severe orthodontic issues. Ceramic braces are a little pricier than metal braces because ceramic is a more expensive material than metal. You also need to be more mindful of staining.

ceramic braces in McLean
ceramic braces

Am I A Good Candidate For Ceramic Braces?

If you have orthodontic problems like crooked teeth, gaps, overcrowded teeth, overbite, underbite, open bite, or crossbite, then you would benefit from orthodontic treatment. Ceramic braces give you the ability to correct misalignment without disrupting your smile.

Good candidates for ceramic braces are in good oral health and have fully developed teeth. Contact us at The McLean Orthodontist today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Bobby Marzban.

Our Treatments

Expander

Expander

Expanders are common orthodontic appliances that widen a child’s jaw during the growth of the bones and cartilage, making it spacious enough for adult teeth. Expanders are available for the upper jaw, lower jaw, or both. They have a mini-screw attached to them that you can turn using a special key to gradually widen the jaw and the dental arch. Most children who get expanders don’t report pain, and if there is any discomfort, it is tolerable. We offer 3D printed expanders with greater accuracy, easier placement, and less chair time.

Early braces

Early Braces

It may feel like it’s too early to seek orthodontic evaluation for your child, but the American Association of Orthodontics recommends an evaluation by age 7. Patients this young do not always need orthodontic intervention yet, but if there are issues that could worsen (and we can prevent them), getting started with braces early has the potential to prevent further more problems down the line.

Thumb sucking

Habit Appliances

Habit appliances are small devices we can use to help your child stop a potentially damaging habit—such as thumb sucking or tongue thrusting—before it causes issues for their bite or alignment. Often made of metal, these devices resemble small retainers that are worn for a short amount of time to break these habits and help prevent further treatment down the line.

Signs Your Child Needs Early Orthodontic Treatment

Early loss of baby teeth before age 5

By using special early orthodontic treatments, we can prevent the early loss of baby teeth which will save them more extensive treatments in the future.

Over-retained baby teeth by age 13

Over-retained baby teeth can occur when they don't have the space to fall out and grow on their own.

Speech impediment

A bad bite and misaligned teeth can contribute to speech problems.

Mouth breathing

If your child continuously breathes out of their mouth, it may be due to misalignment issues.

Thumb sucking after age 5

Excessive thumb, finger, or pacifier sucking may indicate the need for early orthodontic treatment.

Difficulty chewing or biting down

Jaw misalignments or overcrowding in the mouth can cause issues with chewing and biting properly.

Protruding teeth

Protruding teeth are often a sign that your child's teeth aren't erupting into alignment.

Underbite

Early orthodontic treatment is particularly important for children who may have jaw problems such as an underbite or overbite.

Crowded Teeth

Crowded teeth are often a sign that your child can benefit from orthodontics.

Check Out These Beautiful Results!

See the difference that Spark Aligners can make in your smile.

Cross bite, Spacing

before and after treatment

Before

After

Frequently
Asked
Questions

What is the best age to start orthodontic treatment?

The American Association of Orthodontics recommends an evaluation by age 7. This does not mean your child will need orthodontic treatment at this age, but it’s the best time to evaluate them as most patients will have their adult upper and lower incisor teeth in addition to their molars. This makes it an ideal time to observe how the rest of the adult teeth will come in and whether or not the teeth are properly aligned.

Is early orthodontic treatment necessary?

Not every child needs early orthodontic treatment, but when they do, it has the potential to prevent further complications or misalignment down the line. Getting started at a young age can also more easily guide the teeth and jaw into the place we want them to be.

How much will early orthodontic treatment hurt?

Early treatment can actually help your child avoid some of the pain and discomfort associated with greater misalignment problems later in life. While some discomfort is inevitable when we’re gradually moving teeth, it should not be painful, and we do everything we can to keep discomfort to a minimum and dental anxieties at bay.

Schedule An Appointment

Get in touch with us today to schedule an appointment for yourself or your child’s orthodontic care.

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