Translucent in appearance, ceramic braces are a fantastic choice for a low profile aesthetic, if traditional braces or clear removable aligners aren’t right for you. However, there are some important factors to consider before you decide to go with ceramic braces.
In what ways are ceramic braces different from regular braces? Are they really translucent?
On traditional braces, the brackets are made of metal, and with ceramic braces, they're made of a tooth coloured ceramic instead. This allows them to blend in with the natural colour of your teeth, making them appear translucent.
So while the ceramic brackets aren’t actually ‘see-through’ as such, it appears as though they are because they so closely resemble the colour of your teeth. The overall look is much cleaner and more streamlined than regular braces.
Are there any downsides to this to this style of braces?
Ceramic braces straighten your teeth the same way traditional braces do, with one caveat. Because the ceramic material is not as strong as metal is, they may require a slightly longer treatment time. This is because your orthodontist won’t be able to apply as much force at one time as he would with traditional braces.
Ceramic braces are also more costly than traditional braces. Some of our patients choose to save money on them by only having the ceramic brackets applied to their more visible upper or upper centre teeth. Then, they use metal brackets for the rest. That way, they get the best of both worlds!
And lastly, though the brackets are tooth coloured and blend in very well with your teeth, the ceramic brackets are actually somewhat larger than metal ones are. This is not typically a noticeable difference, but worth keeping in mind nonetheless.