'Translucent' ceramic braces are another great low profile orthodontic treatment option, if traditional braces or clear removable aligners aren’t right for you. However, there are a few important factors to consider before you decide to go with ceramic braces.
What makes ceramic braces different from regular braces? Are they really translucent?
Traditional braces have metal brackets, whereas ceramic braces are made of a tooth-coloured ceramic instead. This allows them to blend almost seamlessly with your natural teeth.
So while the ceramic brackets aren’t actually ‘translucent’ by definition, the effect is one of transparency since they so closely resemble the colour of your teeth. The overall look is much cleaner and more streamlined than metal braces.
Are there any downsides to this to this style of braces?
Ceramic braces straighten your teeth the same way traditional braces do, but with one catch. The catch is that the ceramic material the brackets are made of is not as strong as metal is, and ceramic brackets may mean a longer treatment period. This is because your orthodontist won’t be able to apply as much force during each adjustment session as he would with traditional braces.
Ceramic braces are also more expensive than traditional metal braces. To save on them a bit, some patients only having the ceramic brackets applied to the teeth that are most visible when they speak, laugh and smile, and use metal brackets for the rest.
Finally, though ceramic brackets are tooth coloured and blend in well with your teeth, they are actually bigger than metal brackets are. The difference is hardly noticeable, but worth keeping in mind nonetheless.