Clear Braces

We use the most beautiful and technologically advanced ceramic braces available: Clarity™ Advanced by 3M Unitek. They are incredibly aesthetic and function as well as or better than any other ceramic brace on the market.

Do they stain? No, the braces are made of porcelain and will not stain during treatment. The elastic ties that hold the wire in will stain with time — especially if you use clear ties. That is why we recommend silver elastic ties (shown on the model above). The silver ties still look really clear but don’t stain like the clear elastics will.

Advantage

The biggest advantage to clear braces is aesthetics! Especially for adults who prefer their braces to be less noticeable, clear braces are an excellent choice!

Disadvantages of clear braces

Clear braces are made from porcelain, and while they are quite nice looking, they do have some disadvantages.

1. Clear braces tend to work a little slower than traditional metal braces due to the friction between the metal wires and the porcelain braces. Over a typical 18-month treatment, clear brackets may add between one and three months to your overall treatment time.

2. Clear braces on bottom teeth can wear away your upper teeth if you have a deep bite. While it seems counterintuitive, porcelain is actually more abrasive to your teeth than metal. So if you have a deep bite (top teeth overlap bottom teeth more than ideal) and will be biting on the lower braces with your top front teeth during treatment, it’s usually a better idea to use metal brackets on the lower teeth. It is very common to do clear braces on the top teeth where they will be most visible and metal braces on the bottom teeth.