What are Lingual Braces? (FACTS)

Last Updated on March 6, 2019

What are Lingual braces? If you are considering different treatment options to help you achieve the smile you always wanted, then you must have heard about lingual-braces. But what are these lingual braces? What are their pros and cons? We are going to look at this treatment option and its facts to help you make a well-informed decision.

Lingual braces also referred to as “inside-braces” are an orthodontic treatment method that use wires, brackets, and elastic bands to make teeth realignment possible. Lingual braces are more common in adults because they are practically invisible.

The beauty about the lingual treatment is that they are concealed because they are attached to the inside of the teeth, making them invisible when you smile. In contrast, most of us are familiar with the “outside-braces” whose hardware is mounted on the outer part of the teeth making it visible for everyone to see when you smile.

Although lingual braces appear to be invisible, they share many similarities with the conventional-braces in terms of the orthodontic and hardware principles. Lingual brackets are not one-size-fits-all devices; they are custom made for an individual’s teeth. Your orthodontist takes an accurate impression of your teeth and uses it to create customized brackets and wires that will fit well along your teeth to move them gradually to the desired positions.

How Lingual Braces Affect Your Lifestyle

Although lingual brackets are subtle in appearance than conventional-braces, some restrictions come with the type of food you can eat when you have them. They are made of wires, but that should not give you a leeway to eat anything; they are destructible. You should take care when you are eating a hard substance because it can bend the wire or break it.

To maintain them, you need to brush your gums and teeth twice a day gently, and floss to avoid any build-up of food that can easily cause plaque. In some cases, you may require to use rubber bands to facilitate the movement of your teeth to the desired position. When you want to enjoy a meal or brush your teeth, it is recommended that you remove them. Let us now look at the pros and cons of lingual braces.

Advantages of Lingual Braces

Invisibility

We have looked at how the lingual braces can hide from the naked eye. It is easy for you to confidently discuss with your friends and your workmates without thinking much about the braces you have because they can’t see them. This avoids the notion of embarrassment that some people might be having.

The Outcome is Predictable

Modern lingual braces are sophisticated devices. They include digital treatment planning, optical impression taking, and custom-made brackets that are patient specific. This is a different process from what is done for conventional-braces.

This technology together with what the wire systems and bracket systems have, make it easy for the orthodontist to control the movement of your teeth. This makes lingual braces offer results that surpass the other orthodontic methods.

Disadvantages

For lingual braces, they are difficult to get used to during the first weeks. Additionally, each appointment at the clinic will take longer because it is tough to locate some hardware. But one the patient is used to the lingual systems, the points mentioned above become less of an issue.

Who is the Right Candidate for Lingual Braces?

If you want to find out if you are the right candidate for the lingual treatment you have to make an appointment for a consultation session. But generally, most adolescents and adults are suitable to get lingual braces. Take a look at some of the points you need to look out for:

Deep Bite Considerations

Your bite is one issue that is seen as an indication for getting lingual braces. The bite is what will be looked at to identify if there is enough room for the lingual braces to be accommodated. The general idea of braces is that when the teeth extensively overlap, they might place a lot of force on the brackets of the lingual braces when you are eating. This might knock off the lingual braces or even damage them.

This issue is debatable because lingual braces are custom-made as per the profile of an individual. But more can be looked at when you visit an orthodontist.

Quality of Results

When lingual braces were introduced, dentists had a difficult time practicing to mount them, and this made the first patients have a difficult time with the lingual braces. But that time has passed; at the moment, there are improved designs of the bracket, the brackets can be custom made, there are more straightforward mounting techniques, bracket retention is now better, there is computer aided treatment planning, optical impression taking is now common, and much more. This technique is now a well-designed process. The result is now better because the treatment is specialized and accurate.

What Type of Problems Can You Expect to Have?

Generally, it takes some time to get used to lingual braces. Here are some of the common problems:

Tongue Issues

Lingual braces are going to be a curiosity to your tongue because it will not be easy to place it anywhere else. As the tongue does its work, it will realize that there is something where it is used to be.

Ideally, in a match between soft tissues and the irregular surface of the lingual brackets, your tongue might end up being sore during the first weeks. You might notice the tongue turning red in some cases.

Speech Issues

During the first weeks, the lingual braces will affect your speech. You might notice it with the “T” and “S” sounds.

Eating Issues

When eating, lingual devices will make it hard to enjoy the process because of the new device that is unnatural to what the mouth is used to. Additionally, some foods will be trapped in the lingual braces, and some hard foods will damage the wires. The bottom line is that the individual will have to undertake a learning curve to figure the process out.

How Much do Lingual Braces Cost?

Lingual treatment is expensive because of their custom nature. Lingual braces may cost you upwards of $9,000 for a treatment plan of 18 months. It will cost more if you want to have additional appliances, or you want to go for a longer treatment plan. For you to get an ideal quote, go for a consultation and so that your needs can be assessed first.