Types of Braces: Which One is Best for You?

You are about to decide on braces treatment to align your crooked teeth using the most suitable orthodontic technique. We are sure that your perfectly aligned teeth after braces will make you incredibly happy.

At the end of orthodontic treatment, you will be giving yourself perhaps the most meaningful gift ever: A free smile!

To achieve a perfect smile, we offer multiple types of braces to choose from at DentMax Kahraman Orthodontics and Aesthetic Dental Clinic in Bakırköy, Istanbul. Your orthodontic treatments are administered by our academic title-holding orthodontist. After your initial orthodontic examination, we will be happy to recommend the type of bracket we think is best for you.

Below, we explain the reasons for choosing and some limitations of the five most commonly used types of braces in orthodontic treatment. So, which bracket would you choose? You can write in the comments.

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Orthodontic Treatment Type

Type 1: Metal Braces (Metal Brackets)

Often referred to as "traditional brackets", metal braces consist of two main components. The first is the silver-colored metal bracket part that is glued to your tooth and is expected to stay attached throughout the treatment. The second part is the braces wire that passes through these brackets and is shaped and applied by orthodontists to create the ideal pressure to move your teeth. Metal braces are often preferred because they are the fastest and most budget-friendly option to bring your teeth to their ideal places.

With a history of over 100 years, metal braces and brackets used to be larger and more noticeable, making your orthodontic treatment apparent to others. This visibility used to cause discomfort for those who preferred them. However, unlike the past, the brackets and braces we use today are smaller and less noticeable. With new technological developments, our knowledge, and experience, we can now achieve faster tooth movement with metal braces and significantly reduce sensitivity related to tooth movement. Metal brackets can be personalized with any color ligature, making them quite popular among young people today.

Type 2: Ceramic Braces (Clear Brackets)

Clear brackets were once a popular alternative to metal brackets because they are made of ceramic material similar in color and texture to your teeth, making them difficult to distinguish by those around you. Using ceramic brackets with tooth-colored Teflon-coated wires often provides a more successful camouflage. Some ceramic brackets are made of glass or sapphire, offering a more transparent and natural appearance. During the period when they were the only alternative to metal brackets, nearly invisible ceramic braces provided a significant aesthetic advantage and were in high demand.

Today, clear brackets can still be preferred. Despite being more costly than metal braces, their less noticeable nature, similar to Invisalign, may be the most attractive aspect. However, if oral and dental care is neglected, ceramic brackets can stain, limiting their aesthetic properties. Despite being made of improved ceramic, the possibility of bracket breakage should be considered. To prevent breakage, they must be made relatively larger than metal brackets, which may limit patient comfort. Therefore, they are more commonly applied to the upper front teeth, which are more visible for aesthetic reasons.

Type 3: Lingual Braces (Invisible Brackets)

Invisible brackets and braces hidden on the back of your teeth, on the lingual surface, work similarly to metal braces. Whether metal or ceramic braces, lingual brackets are as effective as traditional braces in terms of treatment efficiency. Hiding all mechanical components behind the teeth offers certain advantages. The biggest advantage is providing real invisibility. However, they are still not as noticeable as metal braces placed on the front surface when the mouth is opened wide.

Lingual brackets also have some limitations that many patients may find challenging to accept. Since invisible braces are hidden behind your teeth, keeping the brackets clean can be more difficult than with traditional metal brackets. Additionally, brackets on the inner surfaces of your teeth can significantly affect your speech initially, as they are located in the tongue's movement area. The learning and adaptation curve observed in patients who choose lingual orthodontic treatment can be more challenging compared to other orthodontic techniques. For patients with severe orthodontic problems, all orthodontic treatments can take longer, making invisible lingual braces not the best option. Additionally, the production costs of lingual braces are higher due to the varying anatomy of the back surfaces of teeth compared to the front surfaces. Therefore, you may need to allocate a larger budget for orthodontic treatment.

Type 4: Self-Ligating Braces

Similar to traditional braces treatment, self-ligating brackets systems primarily use brackets and wires. In self-ligating brackets, the wire is attached to the brackets using a clip or door mechanism instead of elastic or metal ligatures. As a result, food accumulation and wire irritation are expected to be less common with self-ligating braces. Additionally, these systems can reduce the frequency of doctor visits and the amount of time spent in the dentist's chair during orthodontic treatment.

While self-ligating braces can be made of metal or ceramic, they may not be suitable for every patient. Reduced friction in self-ligating bracket systems can shorten the total treatment time, but they should not be chosen for certain orthodontic problems. Therefore, they cannot be applied to every patient.

Type 5: Clear Aligners (Invisalign)

If you want a perfect smile during your orthodontic treatment without wondering, "What can I eat?" or "How can I keep my teeth clean?", you may find the answer in invisible clear aligner treatment, which truly surpasses brackets. During Invisalign clear aligner treatment, you will not need to change your brushing and eating habits because you can remove your clear aligners whenever you want.

Whether it is traditional wire treatment or Invisalign clear aligner treatment, our goal remains the same: to move your teeth.

Invisalign® clear aligner treatment is a proven and successful orthodontic treatment system, known as the most effective invisible clear aligner brand worldwide.

While undergoing orthodontic treatment with clear aligners, you will not face any concerns regarding comfort compared to braces. Since there are no wires or brackets in the clear aligner treatment, your treatment will never be visible, and there will be no instances of bracket breakage or wire irritation. Additionally, there will be no lip or cheek irritation caused by wire friction, which is rarely observed.

When we consider the cost, evaluating the unique features that enhance your quality of life mentioned above, we can say that the cost of Invisalign clear aligner treatment is comparable to other braces techniques.

Orthodontic treatment is an excellent investment to guarantee the future of your oral and dental health.

With Invisalign clear aligner treatment, we can treat a wide range of cases from simple to complex, just like with braces. Although we can even apply this treatment to patients requiring advanced orthodontic treatment like jaw surgery (orthognathic surgery), it may not be appropriate for every severe orthodontic problem. Additionally, we recommend wearing your aligners for 20-22 hours a day regularly, as they can only move your teeth when applying force.

If you want a more flexible orthodontic treatment that many people, including those close to you, will not notice, Invisalign clear aligner treatment may be a great choice.

Important Note: Whether it is clear aligner orthodontic treatment or braces orthodontic treatment, all procedures require advanced orthodontic competence and should be performed by specialist orthodontists for the sake of your regional and overall health.

Turkish Orthodontic Society:

• To avoid enduring endless orthodontic treatments or unwanted results
• To maintain the integrity of your oral and dental health
• Most importantly, to prevent losing your teeth during orthodontic treatment, we recommend specialist orthodontists.

Patients preparing for orthodontic treatment, you can click this link to find approved dentists with orthodontic specialties nearest to you. (All orthodontic specialists in Turkey are listed here.) If you cannot find the desired doctor in the search results, we recommend contacting the Turkish Orthodontic Society to confirm the specialty of your dentist. Among the braces types mentioned above, DentMax Kahraman Orthodontics and Aesthetic Dental Clinic in Bakırköy, Istanbul would be happy to assist you with whichever you prefer.