Lingual braces, also known as “hidden” or “incognito” braces, are customized to fit on the inside of your teeth. They are designed specifically for your mouth, and therefore no two lingual braces patients will have the exact same braces. The wires are also highly customized, bent by robotic technology to fit your mouth with your specific, one-of-a-kind smile in mind. And since these are fitted on the backs of your teeth, nobody will know that you’re wearing them!
Lingual braces are recommended to those of age thirteen and up. They are especially recommended for:
- Adult professionals, who might worry about the appearance of braces in their professional lives.
- Anybody who is concerned about having a mouthful of braces on display.
- Musicians who play wind instruments.
- Any adult or teen who plays contact sports.
- Anybody who is worried about causing damage to the front surfaces of their teeth.
You can call now to schedule a FREE initial consultation with our orthodontist, Doctor Rochon!
We proudly offer Lingual braces to patients in Ottawa, Nepean, Kanata and Orleans areas.
The advantages and disadvantages of incognito braces
Of course, all orthodontic treatments have their pro’s and their con’s.
Lingual braces are still made of metal and wires like conventional braces. The huge difference between traditional braces and lingual braces is that the lingual braces are hidden, applied to the backs of your teeth.
So then why not just go with Invisalign?
For one, Invisalign is only designed to treat minor teeth misalignments. Anything major that will need to fix severe issues with your smile or bite will require something a bit more intense than aligners.
The second reason why Invisalign may not be a suitable alternative to conventional braces is that many people have a hard time wearing their aligners for the required 22 hours a day. If you feel like you might not be able to keep your fingers out of your mouth, or might forget to put it back in after eating or brushing, lingual braces might be the invisible option for you, instead.
Potential cons to lingual braces
Because your treatment is a big commitment, you will want to go into your decision as well-informed as possible about the pros and cons of your treatment options. While invisibility is the main plus-side to lingual braces, this is essentially the only difference between these braces and conventional ones. They straighten teeth in the same way, often requiring the same duration of time to complete your treatment.
While braces on the outside surfaces of your teeth can cause some damage to your lips or the insides of your cheeks, lingual braces have been known to cause some damage to the tongue, especially while the patient is getting accustomed to having them.
Additionally, they require the same care as metal braces on the anterior sides of your teeth. Cleaning them can be tricky, and you will need to see your orthodontist just as often. When you do see your orthodontist to adjust your braces, you may notice that your appointments might be slightly longer. This is a negligible con to these braces unless you are often very busy and feel this additional time might be a problem for your busy schedule.