Ceramic Braces | Pros and Cons | Jaffe Orthodontics

Ceramic braces work very much like metal braces however, they use clear brackets rather than grey or metallic silver brackets and wires.

Ceramic braces are a popular alternative to metal braces as they’re often less noticeable compared to metal braces. If you’re considering braces and don’t feel like you want people to notice that you’re wearing them, this can be a huge incentive to choose ceramic over metal braces.

If you’re interested in ceramic braces, read on to learn the key differences between the two.

Pros and Cons

While ceramic braces have several advantages to them, there are still those who choose alternatives for any number of reasons, below are some of the pros and cons of ceramic braces compared to traditional metal braces.

Pros

Less visible: The ceramic materials used for these braces are either clear or tooth colored, this makes them less noticeable compared to traditional metal braces.
They’re more efficient than clear aligners: While clear aligners are also a great alternative to metal braces, they take slightly more time than ceramic braces, which often take around 18 to 36 months to straighten your teeth. In some severe orthodontic cases, clear aligners may not even be able to effectively align your teeth, such as in cases of misalignment or malocclusion.
Color options: Metal braces really only come in one color; grey. Ceramic braces, however, are available in a variety of colors that you can use to express yourself.
They don’t produce signal interference: Metal braces can sometimes disrupt imaging test signals, but ceramic braces do not really have this problem as they cause much less interference.

Cons

They’re more expensive: Generally speaking, ceramic braces are more expensive, sometimes costing at least $1,000 to $2,000 more than metal braces.
They may cause gum sensitivity: Sine ceramic braces are larger than metal braces, it can be harder to clean around the brackets which can then lead to swollen gums or receding gums.
They’re slightly less durable: Ceramic braces are buy and large more fragile than metal braces meaning that repairs and broken brackets can become a common thing as they’re twice as likely to break off or fracture. Debonding, or the process of removing the glue has also been known to cause damage to tooth enamel.
They are slower than metal braces: Due to their fragility, the frequent repairs needed to maintain ceramic brackets can delay the straightening process.
They can stain: The elastic ties which hold the wire into the brackets stain easily and will remain that way until replaced.

Who Should Get Ceramic Braces?

Ceramic braces are recommended to anyone whose adult teeth have both come in and who has mostly stopped growing. This is to ensure a quick correction and much lower chance of brackets breaking due to the strain of tooth movement.

If you’re looking to be subtle, and quicker than clear aligners. Because of this, ceramic braces can be an excellent alternative.

Cost of Ceramic Braces

Ceramic braces for the most part tend to be more expensive than metal braces. From start to finish, ceramic braces cost around $4,000 to $8,000, which is slightly more expensive than metal braces, which tend to be around $3,000 to $6,000.

Similar to all other aligners, ceramic braces aren’t often covered by healthcare or dental insurance plans. Most likely, you are going to have to purchase a separate orthodontic plan.

Even if your dental plan does cover orthodontic care, braces may not be covered if you’re getting them for cosmetic purposes, in other words, not for the correction of malocclusion or other dental conditions which inhibit normal oral function.

Length of Treatment

Ceramic braces tend to take about a year and a half or even up to three years in order to straighten teeth. This is because ceramic braces aren’t as durable, so as your teeth move, brackets may need to be replaced more often. Due to their fragility, ceramic brackets break more easily. This can cause the straightening process to take longer due to the delays in the straightening process.

Durability

Ceramics are a much less durable material than metal, so as one might think, they break more frequently. In fact, they are more than twice as likely to break than metal braces, even from nothing more than the regular pressure of just biting down.

If you play contact sports or are involved with any sort of activity that may put strain or pressure on the mouth, you may want to consider the more durable, metal option.

Staining

While the ceramic brackets themselves do not stain easily, the elastic ties can stain. Stains can be avoided however, just by following some easy steps:

Brush and floss after every meal: This will remove food residue that may stain.
Avoid foods and drinks that leave stains or discoloration: Examples of this might be tomatoes, wine, tea, coffee, soda or other condiments that could stain such as ketchup or mustard.
Don’t smoke: Much like your own teeth, smoking can leave yellowish stains on your braces.
Avoid whitening toothpaste: Whitening agents can cause the exposed parts of your teeth to become whiter than those which are covered by the brackets leaving more yellowed dots on your teeth.
Make regular visits with Jaffe Orthodontics: Dr. Jaffe and his team are trained to help you through your alignment and to replace any stained ceramic brackets or ties as needed.

Choosing Colors

One of the best parts of ceramic braces is the options to choose your colors that are changed throughout your treatment. The components include:

Brackets: These are the part which stick to your teeth, they’re usually available in white or various natural tones.
Archwires: This is the wire that curves around your teeth which connects all the brackets and applies pressure to straighten them. You can often choose between silver, white, or frosted which will blend in with light colored brackets.
Elastic bands: The elastic bands are attached to hooks on your brackets, they’re designed to keep the archwire in place and adjust the position of the teeth and jaw. These can come in just about any color imaginable!

Contact Us

If you’re looking for a more subtle alternative to metal braces, ceramic braces may be right for you. Talk to Jaffe Orthodontics today with any questions you might have or to schedule an appointment. We proudly serve the Bronx, Manhattan, and Riverdale areas!