Do Clear Braces Turn Yellow?
When you think of braces, the image that comes to mind might be of the traditional metal braces that most teenagers get! However, these are not the only way that your teeth can be straightened, there are other materials that can be used that are a bit more aesthetically pleasing, such as a fixed ceramic appliance. If your bite or teeth problems are too severe for invisible aligners, or Invisalign, fixed ceramic appliances might be the best solution to address your functional and aesthetic needs. The fixed ceramic appliance is almost invisible, and it does not have the limits of other techniques such as transparent aligners. The ceramic parts attach to your teeth the way traditional metal braces do, but since they are clear or the same color of your teeth, they are harder to see. Please read below for more information on clear or ceramic fixed braces.
Do the clear or ceramic plates turn yellow?
It depends on the material they are made of and the quality of the product. The ceramic ones and the premium brand crystal ones remain perfect. They can get stained on the surface, for example by drinking a lot of coffee. In this case, just use the electric toothbrush regularly.
The real problem is that the teeth around the platelets can become yellow, which is why your dentist will insist so much on oral hygiene.
Does the final result change by using the ceramic or clear materials?
The end result should be the same. In reality it depends on the ability of the professional both in the diagnosis and in the practical management of the treatment.
Does the treatment last longer?
There are 2 reasons why a more aesthetic solution can slow down treatment:
- The clear or ceramic materials have a tendency to detach more easily from the teeth.
- The ceramic creates more friction with the metal of the orthodontic arch
These limitations do not tend to apply to certain brands of premium bindings, such as 3M's Clarity bindings, which tend to peel off even less than metal ones and are perfectly machined with smooth, low-friction surfaces.
How visible is it?
Much less, there is no comparison with the metallic one. You can see arches and ligatures, which I use of metal even with aesthetic brackets, because in my opinion they perform better than transparent elastic ligatures which, among other things, turn yellow quickly.
What are the defects of aesthetic attachments?
In general, they are more fragile than metal ones and can break, but consult with your dentist about this if one breaks. To reduce the risk of fracture, the manufacturers have made these brackets larger than the metal ones, so they are a little more annoying for the cheeks.
Conclusions
We recommend aesthetic brackets over traditional ones because they improve the quality of life of those who wear fixed braces. Being able to smile with less embarrassment and seeing better the teeth that slowly align, are all advantages that have a positive psychological impact, also because the fixed braces are worn for 1, 2 even 3 years at times.