Find My Orthodontic Appliance: Personalized Assessment (Types of Orthodontic Treatment)

Find My Orthodontic Appliance

Guide for a Personalized Assessment

Types of Orthodontic Treatment

Conventional wire braces have less of a selection burden than clear aligners, which are the current trend, because conventional wire braces are more affordable than clear aligners, allowing cost to be considered. In addition, conventional wire braces do not have the clinical limitations of clear aligners, so they can handle a wider range of more complex and difficult orthodontic cases more smoothly. On the other hand, the reason clear aligners are the current trend is that they offer excellent aesthetics and can treat a sufficiently wide range of orthodontic cases.

Depending on the condition of my teeth and the degree of my bite, conventional wire braces may be more suitable, or clear aligners may be selected.

To reduce the likelihood of side effects such as relapse or poor treatment results, it is most important to know the types of orthodontic treatment accurately and find the appliance that suits me.

About the Types of Orthodontic Treatment

Metal braces / ceramic braces / self-ligating braces / clear aligners

These four are the representative types of orthodontic treatment.

The characteristics of each appliance are explained in detail below.

Metal braces

Metal braces are the most basic type of orthodontic appliance, made of stainless steel and using fine wires and elastic bands to connect the wire.

Advantages of metal braces

• Strong durability: Because they are made of stainless steel, they are highly durable and provide excellent orthodontic results.

• Lowest cost: Due to the nature of the material, they are the least expensive among the types of orthodontic treatment.

Disadvantages of metal braces

• Poor aesthetics: They are often described as looking like railroad tracks on the teeth, so their aesthetics are the worst and may leave a poor first impression on others.

• Uncomfortable: The wire creates a significant foreign-body sensation, and the fine wires and elastic bands can restrict mouth movement, causing issues such as speech difficulties. Food also gets stuck frequently, and they can cause cheek irritation.

• Time-consuming: You must visit the clinic every 4 to 8 weeks, and treatment usually takes about 2 years, so they are difficult to choose if you do not have much time.

Ceramic braces

Ceramic braces are structurally no different from metal braces, but they are made of ceramic material similar to the color of teeth, which helps address the drawback of metal braces having the worst aesthetics.

Advantages of ceramic braces

• Excellent durability: Because they are structurally the same as metal braces, they are highly durable and produce very good orthodontic results.

• Better aesthetics: They are visible, so they cannot be said to have the best aesthetics, but they are more aesthetically pleasing than metal braces and provide similar results.

• Affordable: They cost more than metal braces, but they are the next most affordable option.

Disadvantages of ceramic braces

• Aesthetics are still not ideal: They improve on the drawback of metal braces having the worst aesthetics, but their aesthetics are still not great.

• Risk of breakage: Since ceramic is porcelain, it can break when impacted, and because the appliance uses wires, fine wires, and elastic bands, it has many of the same inconveniences as metal braces.

• Time-consuming: Like metal braces, ceramic braces are difficult to choose if you do not have enough time, because of the appointment intervals and treatment duration.

Self-ligating braces

Self-ligating braces are appliances that do not use the fine wires and elastic bands found in the metal braces or ceramic braces described above. Instead of fine wires and elastic bands, the wire is secured with clips or sliding doors.

Advantages of self-ligating braces

• Less pain and excellent orthodontic results: Unlike metal braces or ceramic braces, they apply gentle force consistently, so there is less pain and excellent orthodontic results.

• Better aesthetics: Unlike ceramic braces, they can be chosen in an all-white design, making them more aesthetically pleasing.

• Less time required: Because treatment effects appear more quickly, the treatment period is shortened, so the overall time required is comparatively less.

• Relatively convenient: Unlike metal braces or ceramic braces, they do not cause inconveniences such as speech difficulties, food trapping, or cheek irritation due to fine wires and elastic bands.

Disadvantages of self-ligating braces

• Aesthetics are still not ideal: They look better than metal braces or ceramic braces, but even all-white appliances may still feel aesthetically lacking to more sensitive individuals.

• Risk of discoloration: Because the clips or sliding doors are white, they may become discolored if you eat strongly pigmented foods.

• Somewhat higher cost: They are less expensive than clear aligners, but cost more than metal braces or ceramic braces.

Clear aligners

Clear aligners are a popular orthodontic appliance made of plastic, with no wires, fine wires, or elastic bands, and they are removable.

Advantages of clear aligners

• Less pain and excellent orthodontic results: Although clinical limitations may exist, they show less pain and excellent orthodontic results in a wide range of orthodontic cases.

• Best aesthetics: Because they are made of transparent plastic and designed to fit closely to the teeth, they are barely noticeable and offer the best aesthetics.

• Least time required: Since you only need to visit once every 3 to 6 months, they can be the best choice if you do not have much time.

• Most convenient: They do not cause issues such as speech difficulties, food trapping, or cheek irritation, and because they are removable, you can take them out on important days.

Disadvantages of clear aligners

• Clinical limitations exist: There are clinical limitations in cases such as extrusion, rotation, and distal tipping control.

• Risk of deformation: Because they are made of plastic, high-temperature food or beverages can cause them to deform, so you must always remove them before eating or drinking, which can be inconvenient.

• Expensive: They are the most expensive among the types of clear aligners, so they can be a burdensome choice if you are not financially comfortable.

The clear aligners at Gangnam Saero Dental Clinic are

Clear aligners are the most preferred appliance for adults because they offer excellent aesthetics and convenience, but they are also difficult to choose easily because of their clinical limitations and high cost.

However, the clear aligners at Gangnam Saero Dental Clinic include adjustment methods designed to compensate for clinical limitations, and follow-up care is handled thoroughly so that poor results do not occur.

In addition, Gangnam Saero Dental Clinic is staffed by medical professionals from university hospitals and has university-hospital-level equipment, making university-hospital-style treatment possible. At the same time, because it is a dental clinic, it can provide appliances at the most reasonable cost.

At Gangnam Saero Dental Clinic

As mentioned earlier, the key is to choose the appliance that suits you best. To do that, it is important to visit medical professionals with deep expertise in the specialty of orthodontics. At Gangnam Saero Dental Clinic, Director Jeon Jae-min, who has over 20 years of experience as an orthodontic specialist and has served as the attending physician for famous idol stars, celebrities, and public figures, is here. We hope you can create an ideal smile through personalized assessment for beautiful orthodontic results at Gangnam Saero Dental Clinic.