Are Metal or Ceramic Braces Right for Me?

Find out whether traditional braces are the right approach for a straighter smile.

Dealing with crooked, misaligned teeth? Not only can a crooked smile affect your appearance but also it can negatively impact your oral braceshealth by increasing your chances for decay, excessive wear, and fracturing. Luckily, Our general, cosmetic and restorative dentists Dr. Jared Lawson, Dr. EJ Stringer, Dr. Tammira Badakhshan and Dr. Amadeus Lopez, periodontist Dr. Ashley Seals, Prosthodontist Dr. Vincent Auth, oral surgeon Dr. Brian Chang, endodontist Dr. Pratik Patel and orthodontist Dr. Stephen Tigani in Frederick and Urbana, MD, are here to tell you when traditional braces are the best option for getting the smile you want.

Traditional braces are still the most popular way to straighten teeth in children, teens, and even adults. Traditional braces involve a series of brackets that are bonded to the front of your teeth and connected through wires that apply pressure and force to move teeth and even jaws into proper alignment. If you have more complicated tooth movements (e.g. severe crowding) or if you need to realign the jaws, traditional braces are the only way to do this.

Of course, you may want to choose a more discreet option even if you need traditional braces. In this case, ceramic braces might be a better approach. Instead of stainless steel brackets and wires, our Frederick orthodontist will apply tooth-colored ceramic brackets to the front of your teeth; however, in most cases, a metal wire will still need to be used to link the brackets to one another.

The Pros and Cons of Metal Braces

Modern-day metal braces have come a long way over the decades and now the metal used is more lightweight and compact; however, they are still visible when you smile, which can make some people (particularly adults) more self-conscious about wearing braces. Of course, metal braces are the most affordable orthodontic treatment option, making it ideal for those on a budget, and it may even take less time to achieve results than with other orthodontic options.

The Pros and Cons of Ceramic Braces

As you might imagine, having tooth-colored braces means that your treatment will be less visible. Of course, it’s also up to you to clean and maintain them and to stay away from stain-causing foods or drinks that could leave behind visible stains on your brackets. Furthermore, ceramic braces are often more expensive than regular metal braces.

Clear Braces

Clear aligners are a great option for those who want to straighten their smile but don't like the idea of wearing metal braces. These include Invisalign, Tigani Aligners, and other clear orthodontic aligners. These aligners can be removed so you can brush and floss as normal, and they are easy to clean.

Do you want to find out if traditional metal or ceramic braces are right for you? If you are considering getting orthodontic treatment then call Pearlfection Dentistry in Frederick and Urbana, MD, today to schedule your no-risk consultation. We are conveniently located just 20 minutes from Hagerstownown, 45 mins from Baltimore and 45 minutes from Washington, DC.

Hours of Operation

Our Regular Schedule

PearlFection Dentistry

Monday:

8:00 am-8:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-8:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:00 am-7:00 pm

Thursday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Friday:

8:00 am-3:00 pm

Saturday:

By Appointment

Sunday:

Closed

Our Location

60 Thomas Johnson Dr, Suite 1 Frederick, MD, 21702