Top 5 Most Popular Types of Braces Today

Overview of Braces?

Definition

Braces are known as one of the most effective and widely used orthodontic methods today. This technique uses dental appliances to move teeth into their proper positions on the dental arch, helping to correct oral problems such as overbite, gaps, or crooked teeth. As a result, you can achieve straighter, healthier teeth and improved overall oral health.

Top 5 most popular types of braces today

Benefits of Braces

Improve Aesthetics

The first and most noticeable benefit of braces is the improvement in facial aesthetics. Many patients achieve a beautiful set of teeth and a confident smile after completing their orthodontic treatment. This, in turn, helps create a more balanced and harmonious facial appearance, allowing patients to feel more confident in communication.

Easier Oral Hygiene

When teeth have defects such as misalignment, overbite, underbite, or crowding, food particles can easily get trapped between teeth, making oral hygiene more difficult. Braces correct these issues, align the teeth properly, and make them more even, which helps simplify daily dental care and cleaning.

Better Overall Health

By addressing dental problems, chewing and breaking down food becomes more efficient, and oral care becomes easier. This helps reduce the risk of digestive and oral diseases, improves the process of digestion and nutrient absorption, and contributes to better overall health.

Current Orthodontic Methods

Traditional Metal Braces

With this method, dentists use orthodontic appliances such as brackets and elastic bands to apply force and gradually move the teeth into their desired positions on the dental arch. These brackets are made of special materials that are safe for the patient’s health and are fixed onto the teeth by the dentist. Elastic bands are then attached between the brackets to generate the necessary force to shift the teeth.

The treatment duration varies depending on each individual’s dental condition, but on average, it typically takes about 2 years.

Traditional Metal Braces

Advantages:

• Does not require advanced or modern dental equipment

• Delivers high effectiveness

• Low treatment cost

• Applicable even for complex dental conditions

• Requires a relatively short treatment time

Disadvantages:

• Less aesthetic since the metal brackets differ in color from natural teeth

• Initially uncomfortable, as patients may take time to adapt; elastic bands can rub against the gums, causing pain or irritation, and some patients may experience metal sensitivity from the brackets

• Requires frequent follow-up visits because elastic bands may loosen over time

Self-Ligating Metal Braces

The principle of this method is essentially similar to that of traditional braces. The key difference is that instead of using conventional brackets with elastic bands, dentists use self-ligating brackets. These brackets are designed with built-in sliding clips that can automatically open and close, allowing the archwire to move freely without the need for elastic ties.

Advantages

• Self-ligating brackets completely eliminate the disadvantages of elastic bands such as pressing against the gums, loosening, or slipping.

• The self-ligating mechanism works like an automatic sliding door, reducing the need for frequent follow-up visits to adjust or replace elastic bands.

• Archwires are less likely to deform, stretch, or break.

• Prevents issues such as slipping or deformation of elastic bands.

• Reduces pain caused by the friction of elastic bands.

Disadvantages

• May cause discomfort due to the larger bracket size.

• Lower aesthetics compared to other methods.

• Higher cost than traditional braces.

• May cause irritation since the brackets are made of metal.

Ceramic Braces

With this method, dentists also use brackets and archwires to move teeth into the desired position, thereby correcting dental issues such as overbite or underbite. The main difference is that the brackets are made of high-quality, clear ceramic material, which improves facial aesthetics and makes the braces much less noticeable to others.

Ceramic Braces

Advantages

• The color of ceramic brackets is clear and similar to natural teeth, which greatly improves aesthetics.

• Ceramic material is biocompatible and safe for users.

• Provides highly effective results.

Disadvantages

• More expensive than metal braces.

• Treatment time is usually longer than with metal braces because ceramic brackets apply less force.

• Ceramic brackets are more fragile and prone to breaking under strong impact.

• May cause discomfort due to larger bracket size compared to metal ones.

• Requires more thorough oral hygiene to prevent discoloration of the ceramic material.

Lingual Braces (Braces Behind the Teeth)

The working principle is similar to other bracket systems, but the appliance is attached to the inner surface of the teeth (facing the tongue) instead of the outer surface like conventional braces.

Lingual Braces

Advantages

• Since the brackets are placed on the inner surface of the teeth, this method offers the highest level of aesthetics.

• Provides highly effective results, as it uses the same mechanism as metal braces, generating strong force to move teeth into the correct positions.

• Shorter treatment time compared to some other methods.

Disadvantages

• This technique is very difficult to perform and requires highly skilled orthodontists.

• The treatment cost is relatively high.

• Oral hygiene is more challenging, as plaque buildup behind the teeth is harder to detect, which increases the risk of dental problems if not cleaned thoroughly.

• Can cause discomfort or a bulky feeling in the mouth, as the tongue may frequently come into contact with the brackets.

Clear Aligners (Invisalign)

This is one of the most advanced orthodontic methods, providing highly effective results. Patients using this technique are given a set of customized aligner trays designed specifically for their case. A complete treatment may include around 20–40 trays, with each tray used in sequence to gradually move the teeth into their desired positions on the dental arch.

Clear Aligners (Invisalign)

Advantages

• Highly aesthetic due to their transparent color, making them almost unnoticeable during communication.

• Easy to remove and reinsert, allowing for convenient dental care and oral hygiene.

• Comfortable to wear, as they eliminate the need for traditional orthodontic appliances that may cause pain or irritation.

• Provide highly effective orthodontic results.

• Easy to clean and maintain.

Disadvantages

• One of the most expensive orthodontic methods, as it requires advanced technology and equipment.

• Waiting time may be longer, since the trays are usually manufactured abroad.

• If patients overuse the removable feature, treatment time may be prolonged, as wearing the aligners for at least 22 hours per day is required.

Which Type of Braces Should You Choose?

For each individual, the most suitable orthodontic method may differ. Choosing the right type of braces depends on several factors:

• The dental condition and the severity of the issue: crooked teeth, underbite, overbite, gaps, etc.

• Your personal demand for aesthetics during treatment (high or low).

• The effectiveness of each method.

• Your financial capability.

• The treatment duration (short or long).

However, we strongly recommend prioritizing effectiveness when choosing a type of braces. This helps you avoid the situation of “spending money but not solving the problem,” which could lead to wasted costs, time, and effort without achieving the desired results.

Hanoi Sydney – Leading Dental Clinic for Orthodontics

To achieve the desired results from orthodontic treatment, you should choose a reputable dental clinic with high-quality services to accompany you throughout your braces journey.

Our Team of Doctors

At Sydney Dental Clinic, we are committed to accompanying you throughout your orthodontic journey, helping you achieve your dream smile in the fastest, most effective, and safest way possible. We meet all the criteria to be considered a truly reputable dental clinic:

• A team of highly experienced and skilled doctors who are always dedicated to their patients, closely monitoring them throughout the treatment process.

• State-of-the-art, safe equipment and technology fully equipped to ensure that your orthodontic treatment is both effective and efficient.

• Transparent and reasonable pricing with many promotional programs, making our services more accessible to all customers.

• Long-term warranty policies to ensure peace of mind during and after treatment.

• Excellent customer care before, during, and after treatment, with a team of enthusiastic and dedicated staff, guided by the motto: “The customer is king.”

We hope this article has provided you with valuable knowledge about the most popular orthodontic methods today, along with their advantages and disadvantages, so that you can choose the treatment that best suits your needs. We also look forward to becoming a trusted partner on your journey to improving dental imperfections and regaining confidence in your smile.