Telephone: (604) 533-6696


Translucent Cosmetic Braces

With 'translucent' cosmetic braces, you get the same benefits you would with wire braces, but with a less softer, less obvious 'braces look'.

Translucent Cosmetic Braces, Langley Orthodontist

What are translucent cosmetic braces?

Translucent cosmetic braces are very similar to metal braces, except that the brackets (and in some cases, the wires) are tooth-colored rather than metal.

These tooth-colored ceramic brackets are generally non-staining, and blend in with your teeth as if they were translucent. This makes them less noticeable than metal, but not as "invisible" as inside braces or clear aligners.

Translucent cosmetic braces are made of composite materials that are somewhat weaker and more brittle than metal braces are. And though the blend in with the natural colour of your teeth better, the brackets are slightly larger than metal brackets.

Like metal braces, translucent ceramic brackets are not removable until treatment is completed. This means that they involve more or less the same lifestyle issues as metal braces do.

Other Treatment Considerations

Since they're not as strong as metal braces, translucent cosmetic braces can sometimes require a longer treatment time frame, since your orthodontist may need to apply a slower, more gradual force to ensure the strength capabilities of the clear brackets are not overtaxed.

Translucent cosmetic braces are typically more expensive than traditional metal braces. For this reason, some patients decide to have the ceramic braces placed only on the most visible teeth – typically the upper teeth or even just the upper center teeth – while using traditional metal brackets on the rest.

Also, there is a risk of tooth abrasion if the incisal edges of the upper front teeth touch the lower ceramic brackets.
