Many people would love to have straighter teeth and a more attractive smile. When people think about getting their teeth straightened, their first thoughts are often of metal braces. There’s no doubt that traditional metal braces do an excellent job of straightening teeth. For many complex cases, metal braces are the preferred solution. However, all that metal in the mouth comes with a lot of drawbacks. Clear ceramic braces from Dr. Kevin McMahon at Edgewood Dental Care in Edgewood, KY may be right for your needs.

Metal Braces: Effective, Embarrassing, Inconvenient

Braces are composed of brackets (pads) that are usually affixed to the fronts of teeth. Those brackets are connected by metal wires. The wires are tightened periodically to exert pressure on teeth and gradually move them into position.
Sounds simple, but there are things that can go wrong, at least from the patient’s perspective. The metal can irritate or even cut the tongue, lips, and the insides of the cheeks. Caring for one’s teeth is harder with the brackets and wires in place. It’s hard to brush thoroughly, and flossing requires a special technique.
Metal braces take some getting used emotionally as well. The bright metal is the first thing people see when you smile, and the embarrassment of wearing braces can hinder people’s social, romantic, and even professional lives.

Clear Ceramic Braces Have Advantages

Clear ceramic braces are similar in concept to metal braces, but the brackets and wires are clear and far less noticeable. While they can still be seen when you smile, the appearance isn’t nearly as jarring as metal braces. That’s a real advantage for people who smile a lot in the course of business and for people who just enjoy smiling a lot.
Clear braces are also more comfortable to wear. The ceramic is smoother than metal and won’t irritate the soft parts of your mouth like metal. For those with complex orthodontic needs, clear braces are often the best choice.
One possible disadvantage to clear ceramic braces is that because they use less pressure than metal braces, moving your teeth into their final positions might take somewhat longer to complete. But you’ll be more comfortable in the meantime. For complex cases, clear braces can often accomplish treatment goals faster than Invisalign, another orthodontic treatment.

You Have Options

At Edgewood Dental Care in Edgewood, KY, Dr. McMahon offers a variety of orthodontic solutions for teens and adults including metal braces, clear braces, and Invisalign. When you schedule an orthodontic consultation, he’ll perform a careful and thorough examination and discuss your goals, the appropriateness of the different options, your comfort level with those options, and your finances.

You can have the straight teeth you’ve always wanted. Find out whether clear ceramic braces are the right option for you. Schedule a consultation with Dr Kevin McMahon by calling Edgewood Dental Care in Edgewood, KY at 859-474-7830. You can also use our convenient online form to request an appointment or to ask a question.