Your Guide to Clear Braces

If you are unhappy with your smile but hesitant to endure the inconveniences and discomforts of traditional metal braces, clear braces could be right for you. You can get a beautiful smile without anybody knowing you’re wearing braces.

What Are Clear Braces?

Clear braces are transparent plastic trays molded to fit over your teeth, slowly shifting your teeth into alignment. Your dentist will take X-rays, bite impressions, and 3D scans of your teeth, and conduct thorough examinations of your teeth in order to determine if you are eligible for clear braces and what the treatment regiment will be. Throughout treatment, you will switch to a new set of aligner trays every 1 to 2 weeks. Each pair of aligners is designed to target certain teeth, moving them in a specific direction using applied force. These aligners must be worn for at least 22 hours per day and should be removed when eating or drinking anything besides water.

What are clear braces made of?

        The materials used to make clear braces can vary depending on the manufacturer, but most are made of medical-grade thermoplastic polymers. These materials have been FDA-approved for many years for long-term use inside the human body and were selected for use in clear braces because of their durability.

How long will I have to wear them?

The length of your clear braces treatment will depend on the severity of the alignment problems that need fixing. It could take anywhere from 3 to 18 months to complete treatment. Mild misalignments like crowding or spacing will have shorter treatments, while more severe problems like an overbite or underbite will take longer to treat.

To learn more about clear braces and other types of orthodontia, visit Oasis Kids and Orthodontics.