The top alternatives to braces can make you more confident if you need orthodontic treatment at any age. In particular, adults may wish for more inconspicuous options to feel more comfortable in social and work situations. Even if you’re not on television, meetings with clients and family pictures are easier when you can smile confidently.

While it’s true that children as young as seven should see an orthodontist, the teen years are ripe for dental alignment. A teen’s bones are less rigidly fused than an adult’s. In addition, dental alignment needs are normally genetic and evident early in life. Whether you missed aligning your smile during your teen years or have a bite issue that recently surfaced in adulthood, you’re not alone if you need treatment at a later age.

Here are some of the top alternatives to braces:

Ceramic Braces

Ceramic braces are the option most similar to traditional stainless steel braces. They’re an optimal braces choice for patients allergic to metal, but they’re also the braces choice for a more inconspicuous look. The ceramic material used is strong, durable, and safe in the mouth. Just like stainless braces, the wire between ceramic brackets will be tightened on a monthly basis to promote dental alignment.

Lingual

With lingual braces, braces go incognito. Lingual braces are placed on the tongue side of the teeth. It’s quite a genius alternative for the right candidate. Think about a musician who plays a woodwind instrument. Alternatives to braces like the lingual option will keep the musician from compromising their sound quality.

Invisalign

In the Invisalign treatment option, the patient wears clear trays for the majority of the time. The trays are replaced about every two weeks. The trays start with an impression of the patient’s mouth and transition to sizes that gradually promote dental alignment.

Invisalign is one of the most attractive alternatives to braces for a number of reasons. First, the trays are inconspicuous and look great at a conversational distance and in photos. Second, the trays can be removed for eating and dental hygiene. No threading through brackets is necessary to floss the teeth. In addition, there’s no change in color on the surface of the teeth which could require whitening post treatment.

Regardless of the alternatives to braces, the mechanical process used to move the teeth in each treatment will be identical regardless of the age. You can count on good results from each of the alternatives if you are the right candidate. Set up your first visit to review alternatives to braces with a trusted orthodontist. Serenity Orthodontics will evaluate whether you are a candidate for one of the alternatives and answer your questions on timing and cost.