When you are an adult looking for a brace or aligner to straighten your teeth, you will probably want a visually discrete option.

Many of our patients at Ashlow Orthodontics do, for the simple reason that wearing a standard metal brace can cause havoc with any job that involves speaking to a group or requires supreme confidence (unless you have high confidence, to begin with!).

But can you still achieve this level of discretion if you need more complex work performed? Yes, you can!

And at Ashlow Orthodontics, our orthodontist in Stoke will always aim to meet your requirements with any brace or aligner, while also keeping the treatment as discreet as possible. We know that you need more from your brace or aligner than just straight teeth, and will aim to make the wearing of any fitted brace as lifestyle friendly as possible. Great!

And with that in mind, our orthodontist in Stoke is proud to now offer the following FAQs about one of our most popular fitted braces- the lingual brace.

What are lingual braces?

Imagine a standard metal brace, then place it on the back of the teeth, and you will have a basic idea of what lingual braces are.

While they are a bit more fiddly for our orthodontist in Stoke to fit, they are just as effective at correcting complex misalignments and can be used to treat the majority of orthodontic issues. They require tightening in the same way as regular braces and are generally worn for the same amount of time.

Is anyone suitable for them?

Unlike removable aligners, most people are suitable for treatment with lingual braces.

As mentioned before, they can be used to treat almost all orthodontic issues and as they are fitted, our team doesn’t have to worry about children or teenagers adhering to the treatment and keeping them in.

For more information on your suitability for lingual braces, contact our team today.

How long is the treatment time?

This depends on what they are being used to treat.

If you are looking to correct an extreme but rather small issue (such as a single protruding tooth), then you may be able to have them fitted and taken off within 6 months. However, for the majority of adult patients, the treatment time is more likely to be between 12-18 months, especially if you have misaligned molars or teeth that require rotating.

Are they uncomfortable?

Even in 2021, invisible aligners are not completely comfortable.

And in much the same way as regular braces, you may experience some discomfort after you have your lingual brace tightened or adjusted. In these instances, we advise that you use over the counter pain relief such as ibuprofen or paracetamol to manage any discomfort.

Are they more expensive than regular braces?

There are many factors that go into calculating how expensive a brace or aligner will be.

And as both regular braces and lingual options are fitted, require tightening and can take up to 3 years, it is unlikely that a lingual brace will be more expensive than a standard one.