What are lingual braces?
Lingual braces are custom made and fitted to the back of a patient’s teeth in order for them to appear invisible to other people. The braces are made in two parts, brackets and arch wires. Where as with traditional braces the brackets are attached to the front of the teeth, Lingual braces are cemented to the back of the teeth, making them the more attractive alternative to the traditional brace.
However, the Lingual brace has pretty much the same function as the traditional brace as it sets out to correct bad bites, misaligned teeth, gaps, crowding and rotated teeth and pushes the teeth into a straighter position. They can also be worn on both the top and bottom teeth just like the traditional brace.
Fitting a Lingual Brace
The Lingual brace system is fitted over two visits, which requires three to five day intervals. At your first visit you will have an impression taken of your teeth with a plastic mould that will then be sent off so the brackets can be made and customised to fit your teeth. During your second visit the dentist will cement the back of each individual bracket before they are put into place on the back of the teeth. After this is done, the wire will then be threaded through the brackets at the back of the teeth, which creates pressure to move the teeth into a straighter position.
Lingual braces tend to be more expensive than the traditional brace and can take longer to show positive results and usually take one to three years instead of the one to two years with traditional braces. However, patients near Stockport and throughout the UK do not need to worry about their appearance during this time, so even though treatment takes longer, no one will ever see it.