But, Why Get Braces Instead of Invisalign?

Good question! Aside from the interesting fact that they’re sort of “in” at the moment, why might you choose braces for yourself or your child over clear aligners? There are still some things that braces are better, or faster, at accomplishing. Some reasons you might choose metal or ceramic braces over Invisalign are: 

• Complex case: Severe malocclusion can sometimes require braces to facilitate the movement necessary.
• Faster treatment: In certain instances, braces may be the faster mode of treatment.
• Easier compliance: Some people just know that they or their child won’t be disciplined enough to wear their removable clear aligners 22 hours per day. Braces don’t come off, so there are fewer compliance problems!
• Lower maintenance: While braces do come with their own hygiene requirements, you don’t have a separate piece of hardware to clean and keep track of with braces.

We always want you to be on board and get the most out of your treatment, so let’s work together for your best outcome! Dr. Zhou can discuss your options with you in detail.

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Types of Braces

Even if you learn you’re limited to braces for one of the reasons cited above, you still have choices! Level Orthodontics offers three kinds of braces, each with its own benefits.

Metal Braces

You are most likely familiar with metal braces. Many of your classmates probably had them growing up, and you may have worn them yourself. The good news is that advances have been made. If you did have braces as a teen, you may recall some unpleasant aspects of your experience. (We’re being gentle here–it might have been a terrible experience!)

These days, brackets are smaller and lower-profile than they used to be. This offers two big advantages: They’re not as conspicuous, and they’re a lot more comfortable. Additionally, modern metal braces are more comfortable thanks to heat-activated archwires that move teeth more efficiently than their steel predecessors.

Still, you may wonder why you’d want to choose metal braces over ceramic or LightForce. Reasons for choosing metal braces include: 

• Durability: Metal is still the strongest material for braces, less likely to break than ceramic.
• Colors: Kids (and some grownups) love that they can customize their elastics for a colorful smile.
• Faster treatment: Patients may get a slightly shorter treatment time with metal vs ceramic braces.

Ceramic Braces 

Ceramic braces work the same way metal braces do. Nothing revolutionary there, but they do offer some benefits over metal braces, including:

• Low visibility: The brackets for ceramic braces are tooth-colored or clear, which makes the whole system less conspicuous than metal braces.
• Comfort: Even compared to the newer, lower-profile metal brackets, ceramic braces generally cause less irritation to the inside of your mouth.

LightForce

Invented in 2015 and FDA-approved in 2019, this new technology may not sound like much at a byte, but it represents big advancements in patient experience. 3D-printed brackets are custom-made to fit the exact contour of each individual tooth. Attaching standard, mass-produced brackets to teeth is a lot like gluing a book to a ball. It’s not an especially durable bond. We’ve had a couple of centuries to make that method work, and we do; but LightForce’s customized brackets grip your teeth much better.

Dental professionals have recognized a need for this for decades but humanity lacked the technology to execute it. As soon as 3D-printing tech reached a point that it was possible, many innovative dentists had already conceived of it, and a few of them hit the ground running. Benefits of LightForce over metal and ceramic braces include:

• Custom fit: You know we love this! Personalized treatment is a cornerstone of our practice. But we’re not interested in personalization just for its own sake. LightForce’s custom fit makes for the most comfortable braces yet.
• Efficient treatment: A better grip on your teeth means we can move teeth more efficiently and sometimes faster.
• Less chair time: The efficient movement of your teeth and LightForce’s digital technology allows us to reduce your frequency of visits.‍
• Aesthetic choices: Once again, we’re happy to offer our patients choices. With Lightforce, you can choose white brackets and colored elastics for a fun statement, or clear brackets and clear elastics for a lower-key look. It’s up to you!

Braces in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Level Orthodontics is proud to offer our patients three options for braces: metal, ceramic, or LightForce. We’d be thrilled to have you in for a consultation to help you choose an orthodontic treatment that’s just right for you. Make an appointment today to get started!

As the tried-and-true method of straightening teeth and resolving bite issues, braces have proven themselves (and improved) over generations.

Clear aligners like Invisalign® are wildly popular, but braces do retain a few advantages. At Level Orthodontics in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, we want you to know you have choices. We offer our patients the following options for braces: 

• Metal
• Ceramic
• LightForce

Each type of braces comes with pros, cons, strengths, and weaknesses, so let’s dig in and learn a bit about each one. But first, a quick primer on braces in general.