Braces are very commonplace with many of us having had them as children, but what are the choices available to you when you need them as an adult? Many of us simply think that you can only get metal braces, but this simply isn’t the case especially in our world of new technology and medical advancements. There are now 3 amazing alternatives to traditional braces that we can get in 2013.

Invisalign

One of the most popular choices in this article, Invisalign as an alternative to braces is a perfect choice for those of us that need the support a brace offers but don’t want the brace fixtures to show. This form of braces does exactly what the name suggests; they offer us the chance to have invisible braces and a perfectly straight smile at the end of it.

They are easily fixed by a specialist, much the same way as a traditional brace is fitted but it is slightly less invasive. Invisalign consists of a series of aligners that fit directly onto your teeth, slowly correcting any alignment issues. As with all forms of braces they do need to be moved to take into account the shifts within your smile, which is conducted every two weeks. The costs for choosing to have Invisalign do vary dependent upon where you go, but the benefits for your confidence will be huge.

Veneers

Although veneers are not a brace and do not work to slowly shift your teeth into the best position, they are a common alternative to the traditional metal brace and they work a lot faster too. Veneers are a very thin layer of tooth coloured porcelain that replaces the front of you natural teeth in order to create the perfect smile. Your natural enamel will be removed, before the veneers are glued to your tooth using a medical grade cement or similar. They are as easy to keep clean and sparkling as your natural teeth are and are strong enough to support the functionality of your mouth.

They are often used to correct chipped teeth, but they can also be used to correct the alignment of teeth, especially if you only have one or two teeth that are out of line. Be aware though, that veneers will need to be replaced at some point.

Smart Clip and Clarity Braces

These are two separate alternatives to the traditional metal braces that the majority of us want to avoid as adults; both have their benefits and their drawbacks and making a well-rounded decision is integral to making sure you end up with the smile you deserve. Each of these forms works like traditional braces, but look and feel different within the mouth. Smart Clip braces require no elastic bands and instead you small metal clips to secure the wires to the brackets and they offer us a quicker alternative.

Clarity braces are perfect if you don’t like the look of the metal, they are created from clear material so they are less noticeable. They do require ceramic fixing attached your teeth, but as these are tooth coloured they won’t be as obvious. The downside is that they are larger than traditional braces, making them a little uncomfortable and you may have to wear them slightly longer than traditional metal braces.