A common reason people postpone treatment for teeth straightening is that they're concerned about how they'll look wearing metal braces. Fortunately, lingual braces provide an almost invisible way of obtaining a straighter smile. With this option, the wires and metal brackets are concealed behind your teeth, so they're extremely hard for peers to notice. They're an effective teeth straightening treatment for adults, working to treat most orthodontic problems. Here's a look at how lingual braces work.

How Lingual Braces Work

Similar to conventional braces, lingual appliances use a bracket and wire system to pull your teeth gradually into the desired position. The main difference is that your orthodontist will attach the brackets on the inside of the teeth where they hidden from view. 

Brackets on the Inside

Fixed braces shift teeth using small metal brackets and wires. Your orthodontist will attach the brackets to the inside of the teeth, where they will stay for the treatment duration. Your orthodontist will typically attach brackets to each tooth. However, if you're looking to straighten the front teeth only, the orthodontist might need to fix the brackets to the front six or eight teeth.

Lingual braces are typically made from gold alloy or stainless steel. Depending on your  treatment plan, the brackets might be standard-sized or customised to fit your teeth. Your orthodontist will attach the brackets using unique dental cement. This will maintain their position for the treatment duration while enabling your orthodontist to take them off easily once they complete their role.

The Arch Wires

Your orthodontist will move your teeth using a series of arch wires that run through the brackets. Using elastic bands or metal ligatures, your orthodontist will join each wire to the brackets. Some brackets comprise clips that maintain the arch wire in place - known as self-ligating brackets.

The arch wires reinforce the teeth by resuming its original shape, the force of the wire brings the teeth along for the ride. Your orthodontist will change the arch wire approximately every 6-8 weeks. They'll use varied wires at different treatment stages. In some instances, you'll require custom-made arch wires, much like the custom brackets.

How Your Teeth Move

The lingual braces work to apply pressure on your teeth, causing your periodontal membrane to compress and stretch, and the teeth to loosen. The formation of new bone will then take place around your teeth. Therefore offering support for the new positions in a process called bone remodelling.

Once the teeth are in their new position and the braces are off, it could take some time for everything to stabilise. This is why retainers are especially significant throughout the first year after braces.

Lingual braces are an excellent option for straightening your teeth discreetly. While they can treat various complaints, your orthodontist will inform you whether you're a suitable candidate.

Book an appointment with Profile Orthodontics to discuss your treatment options.

Lingual braces are a unique type of braces that are fixed to the back of your teeth rather than the front. This makes them virtually invisible and eliminates the stress of unsightly traditional braced.

Do Lingual Braces Hurt?

Patients often shy away from the idea of wearing braces due to the associated discomfort and pain. The discomfort that comes with wearing braces is caused by the pressure placed on the teeth by the tightening wires. All teeth straightening treatments require forces applied to the teeth, and therefore it is probable that you will experience some level of discomfort at some time. 

However, during treatment with lingual braces there is significantly less pressure applied to the teeth, allowing your teeth to move at a slightly slower rate. This makes the entire treatment procedure far more comfortable than traditional braces.

What’s more, less frictional force on the teeth further allows you to go for longer breaks between orthodontic adjustments. It does mean that overall treatment time with lingual braces is longer than that of traditional metal braces. 

Tips to Alleviate Discomfort

If you do experience minimal discomfort during your lingual braces treatment, there are a few things you can do to alleviate it, such as:

• Use salt water – add half a spoonful of salt to a glass of warm water and stir well. Gargle the water to ease the pain.
• Use painkillers – for the first week or two, braces may cause pain on your gums and tongue. Your dentist can prescribe painkillers to use when the pain is extreme.
• Eat soft foods – chewing can be uncomfortable just after getting braces, so stick to a diet of soft foods for a few days, such as pasta, porridge, and soups.
• Eat cold foods – for the first few days after getting braces, consume cold foods to help alleviate pain. Make sure, though, that your teeth aren’t too sensitive to cold temperatures before heading for the ice cream.

Book an appointment with Profile Orthodontics to discuss if lingual braces are a suitable teeth straightening solution for you.

The good news is that virtually invisible braces do exist. There are two kinds: clear aligners - best known as Invisalign - and inside braces. Inside braces, or lingual braces, are applied to the inside of the teeth, so the appliance can't be seen while smiling or talking.

Invisalign on the other hand, is a series of clear trays that fit tightly over the teeth. While they are not completely invisible, they are definitely more discreet than traditional braces. The clear aligners work well for people who do not have significant orthodontic problems. Best of all, they usually require less frequent visits to the orthodontist!

How Long Do Invisible Braces Take?

Treatment times with both kinds of invisible braces can vary. For instance, Invisalign treatment usually requires about 20 to 30 aligners for your upper and lower teeth. Treatment can take an average of 9 to 15 months to complete, which depends on the severity of your misalignment. Likewise, lingual braces placed behind the teeth can take anywhere from 12 to 24 months. Again this depends on the severity of your case.

Are You a Candidate for Invisible Aligners?

Invisible braces may not be the right solution for some types of misalignment or the more complex bite problems. However, orthodontists can use invisible aligners to treat an array of conditions, including:

• Crooked teeth
• Widely spaced teeth
• Crowded teeth
• Overbite

Orthodontists custom design clear aligners for older teenagers and adults, and generally don't recommend their use for children. Younger teenagers and children with orthodontic issues may require traditional metal or ceramic braces with wires and brackets on the front of the teeth. The treatment was designed primarily for adults as it requires rigid and absolute cooperation, since the trays are worn for up to 22 hours a day and should not be lost or forgotten.

However, only your orthodontist can determine if you are a suitable patient for clear aligners or invisible braces.

Are You a Candidate for Invisible Braces

Lingual braces can take slightly longer than both traditional braces and Invisalign aligners. They also require a slightly higher budget, however lingual braces are the most invisible of the invisible braces treatment options. Lingual braces are suitable for mild to moderate bite and misalignment issues, but your orthodontist is the most qualified to advise on whether inside braces are suitable for you.

Invisible Braces: Invisalign vs Lingual Braces

When considering your invisible braces options, it's important to consider your lifestyle and your budget. Book a consultation with Profile Orthodontics in Joondalup and Claremont to discuss the range of treatments available to you.