Stainless Steel (Metal) Braces – Conventional Stainless Steel (Metal) Braces – Self Ligating Ceramic Braces – Conventional Ceramic Braces – Self Ligating Invisible Braces – Invisalign Invisible Braces – Lingual Braces There are many reasons people get braces, diagram below shows a summary if you may require braces treatment: Fixed appliances like braces are attached to the teeth by metal bands or special cement. They aren’t normally taken off until treatment is complete. Metal braces/Traditional braces – Often also called “traditional braces,” metal braces have two basic components. These are the metal bracket that is applied to the teeth and the bendable metal wire that is threaded through the brackets in order to apply pressure to the teeth and ultimately move them. Ceramic Braces – Ceramic braces were once a very popular alternative to metal braces. Because the brackets were made out of a ceramic material that is the same color and has the same texture as teeth, it would be very difficult to see the ceramic brackets on the teeth. Self-Ligating Braces (Metal/Ceramic) – Similar to traditional metal and ceramic braces, self-ligating braces make use of the bracket and wire system. Usage clips instead of elastic bands to hold the brace’s wire in place provides lesser friction, more confortable and less trip to orthodontic for adjustment. Lingual Braces – Invisible Braces Essentially the exact same as metal braces, except that they are on the inside of the bite, instead of on the outside. They can be just as effective as traditionally placed braces, whether of metal or ceramic, but they cannot be seen from outside of the mouth.