After making the decision to get braces, know that there are a few main types for you to choose from depending on your needs. But don’t worry – Dr. VanLue will go over all of this with you so that you can pick the option that best meets your needs and exceeds your expectations across the board.
At VanLue Orthodontics, we offer three different types of braces, all featuring top of the line American Orthodontics brackets.
- Traditional Metal Braces
- Ceramic/Clear Braces
- Self-Ligating Braces
Traditional Metal Braces
What Are Metal Braces?
With metal braces, a series of metal brackets and wires are attached to each tooth in a patient’s mouth. The strength of that wire is what gently pulls the teeth into the desired position over time.
Are Metal Braces Better?
Metal braces are not necessarily “better” than any other option – in fact, every type of braces offers about the same level of effectiveness. The job is simply to choose the one that best suits your needs and falls in line with your expectations for treatment.
What Is a Typical Treatment Like With Metal Braces?
After the brackets and wires are affixed to your mouth, you will go back to the orthodontist periodically so that they can adjust the strength of the wire to make sure that your teeth are moving along exactly as they should be.
How Much Do Metal Braces Cost?
Most people can expect to pay a few thousand dollars for traditional metal braces. VanLue Orthodontics provides many different payment plans to help you achieve the smile of your dreams.
Do Metal Braces Hurt?
Metal braces don’t necessarily “hurt” – but many patients do experience mild discomfort. Don’t worry – many people get used to them in a few days or weeks, and any pain you experience can be handled via over-the-counter medication.
Ceramic/Clear Braces
What Are Ceramic/Clear Braces?
As the name suggests, these use a special type of ceramic material that is designed to blend in with your natural tooth color. Because of this, they offer a far more discreet treatment than traditional metal braces by design.
What Is the Typical Treatment Length With Ceramic Braces?
Generally speaking, ceramic braces take between 18 and 36 months to be completely effective.
Do Ceramic Braces Hurt?
Because there are no metal brackets or wires in your mouth at all times, most people find them to be far more comfortable than traditional braces.
How Much Do Ceramic Braces Cost?
On average, ceramic braces cost between $4,000 and $8,000 in the United States.
Are Ceramic Braces Better?
Again – it’s not a question of if they are “better,” in that they are somehow more effective. It’s just that you have to weigh the benefits you get from ceramic braces over the ones that traditional braces are known for.
Self-Ligating Braces
What Are Self-Ligating Braces?
Self-ligating braces are actually placed very similarly to traditional metal braces, but with a twist – there are no metal ties or wires that are present. Instead, a spring-loaded door is used to maintain pressure and gently adjust the teeth into the desired position.
Are Self-Ligating Braces Highly Effective?
Self-ligating braces are just as effective as traditional metal braces, but they’re also known for faster tooth movement as well. So not only will you still achieve the smile you’ve always wanted, but your treatment time will likely be significantly reduced as well.
Potential Advantages of Self-Ligating Braces
Most patients love the fact that self-ligating braces are known for their significantly reduced appointment times with their orthodontist. Because far less friction is required to move your teeth, there is very little to “adjust” – you’ll still be seeing your orthodontist, but making sure that everything is going along exactly as it should be will take far less time.
Because of the way self-ligating braces are constructed, they’re also far easier to maintain and keep clean – thus leading to better hygiene in the patient as well.
Why Self-Ligating Braces?
In addition to all of the benefits outlined above, many people pick self-ligating braces because it’s known for a far more comfortable treatment experience in most situations. This is once again attributed to the fact that there is far less friction required to move your teeth into the intended position, and certainly far less than with traditional conventional brackets.
However, depending on the current state of your mouth and how sensitive you are, this may not necessarily be the case. This is definitely a conversation you’re going to want to have with your orthodontist so that you can make the best decision moving forward.
How Much Do Self-Ligating Braces Cost?
Generally speaking, self-ligating braces can cost anywhere between $3,800 and $8,000 in most locations – although this will obviously vary wildly depending on the exact issues you’re trying to correct and the total treatment length that will be required.
American Orthodontics Brackets
VanLue Orthodontics is proud to feature brackets from American Orthodontics. This system offers unbeatable results and a wide array of features that other options simply cannot match. American Orthodontics brackets are characterized by their Visual Placement Aids – something that helps significantly with bonding precision and that offers perfect results in a far faster time frame than most other options.
Each bracket in the system delivers excellent rotational control. To put it simply, this allows your orthodontist to achieve perfect results via treatment WITHOUT sacrificing aesthetics. American Orthodontics brackets are also heat-treated to give them a solid core structure, something that makes sure they’re as strong as possible and as smooth (and therefore comfortable) as can be.
At VanLue Orthodontics, we’ve been big proponents of American Orthodontic brackets for many years thanks to these and other significant advantages. At the end of the day, we always want to offer patients the most flexible and customized treatment plan available to accomplish their goals – and these brackets are a big part of how we’ve been able to successfully do it for so long.
All told, we’re incredibly excited to be a leading provider of these brackets in Nevada and we think that as soon as your treatment begins, you’ll definitely be able to see why.