There are many reasons why you or your loved one might have crooked teeth or a less-than-perfect smile right now. But there’s only one real way to fix them, and that’s using braces.

Since braces are such an effective tool to create a beautiful smile, there are many different kinds available to customers. This can create a paradox of choice where you get confused rather than enthralled by the options.

That’s why we have written this article below. In it, we will share with you all the kinds of braces in Glenview, IL that are available to you and how to choose the best choice for yourself.

Metal Braces

These are the most typical kind of braces that you might have seen on other folks. Interestingly enough, mummified skeletons have been discovered with crudely-fashioned metal attachments on each tooth, ancient versions of the modern metal braces.

So it’s not as odd as you might think to place metal braces on your teeth to pull them back into alignment over time.

Metal braces are becoming better and better as time goes on, as technology improves. They are not as bulky as they were before, and they are also more effective and faster at getting the job done.

If you have a child or adolescent who needs quite a bit of teeth alignment, then metal braces would be perfect for them. The metal braces are attached to each tooth of the patient and then the wire gets attached to the braces using elastic ties.

To make it fun for younger patients, these elastic ties come in a rainbow of colors. The wire gets adjusted every 4-8 weeks by an orthodontist to move the teeth back into alignment.

There are many pros to getting metal braces for a younger patient, one of which is that they don’t have to be reminded to wear the braces every day ensuring treatment success. They are also quite affordable.

But they do require a bit of adjustment in the way you eat foods (some foods must be avoided) and the way you clean your teeth.

Ceramic Braces

To accommodate patients who don’t like the idea of so much metal in their mouth and want a more discreet way of getting their teeth aligned, ceramic braces came into existence. These are made of clear tooth-colored material so it’s less visible when you smile.

It’s almost as affordable as metal braces but more discreet, so it might be more suitable for finicky teenagers who don’t want their friends to tease them or for adults who don’t want clear aligners for some reason.

Funnily enough, if you eat a lot of foods with curry in it or some other staining items like that, your ceramic braces will get stained over time and not be so clear. You will need to ensure you take care of your oral hygiene habits as with metal braces and watch out for certain foods that can damage your braces.

Self-Ligating Braces

These braces are almost exactly the same as metal or ceramic braces. They use metal braces and wire to move the teeth as the first two options do.

But they don’t have rubber ties attached to the wires, but doors or clips. These aren’t well known by customers but are a great choice for patients who want shorter appointment times since they are easy to adjust.

If you like the idea of going in and out of your orthodontist appointment in minutes, then self-ligating braces are for you. Also, if you have a child with ADHD who has a hard time sitting still for long, then self-ligating braces will be suitable for them as well.

Lingual Braces

You won’t find many orthodontists who are specialized in using lingual braces, because it’s the least common kind of braces on the market. These braces are placed behind the teeth, which is why adults who want discreet braces will choose them.

But as many dentists aren’t specialized enough to offer lingual braces, you will have to do a bit of research to find one that works with this kind of braces in your area.

Clear Aligners

As popular and well-known as metal braces, clear aligners have made quite a name for themselves in recent years. This particular brand, Invisalign, is the one that everyone speaks about.

But Invisalign is just one brand of clear aligners, and there are many others in the market, just not as well-known.

With clear aligners, you get your teeth aligned without any visible braces in place. Instead, clear, transparent, and removable aligners are used to move the teeth back into alignment.

Not only is this option the most discreet, but it’s also quite affordable nowadays since the market is booming for Invisalign.

The delightful thing about using clear aligners is that if you aren’t the best at oral hygiene, then you don’t have to worry as much. You can brush your teeth as you would normally and eat whatever foods you like, as long as you remove the aligner first.

Getting Braces in Glenview, IL – Every Patient Is Unique

Don’t make a judgment for yourself about which kind of braces in Glenview, IL, would be suitable for you. Make an appointment with an orthodontist in Glenview, IL, and have them examine your mouth and circumstances to decide which choice would be right.

You can even schedule a virtual exam with our team at Graber & Gyllenhaal Orthodontics if you wish to save some time. We always bring the latest innovations in orthodontics to our patients for their benefit. We wish to do the same for you.