If you need braces, but do not want them to cramp your style, lingual braces are a good choice. Lingual braces are the most invisible of all brace types, and they work well for adults and teenagers. Below are the advantages of these braces, the procedure, and the after care.

Lingual Braces Advantages

The main advantage of lingual braces is cosmetic. Instead of placing them on the front of your teeth where they are noticeable, they are placed behind your teeth, which make them virtually invisible.

If you play sports and get hit in the mouth with a ball, lingual braces will not cut your lips and inside of your mouth. It also makes it much easier to play wind instruments.

You can also clean the front of your teeth much easier when brushing than if you had traditional braces.

Procedure

When you visit your orthodontist for the first appointment, they will take an impression of your teeth. This impression is then sent to a laboratory to create your customized brackets using rapid prototyping and CAD/CAM technologies. The laboratory uses robotic technology to create and bend the wires.  When the orthodontist receives the braces, they use a process to cement them onto the back of your teeth.

After Care

Once the braces are placed, you will need to see your orthodontist regularly so they can monitor your progress. They will likely recommend the follow after care tips for home:

• Practice swallowing:  When you swallow without braces, you place your tongue between your teeth before and while you are swallowing. With the braces behind your teeth, it can be difficult to do this. To help with this problem, you can practice bring your upper and lower teeth together so they gently touch and then swallow. Do this exercise several times per day until swallowing becomes more natural and easier for you.
• Practice talking: When you first receive your new braces, you may have difficult enunciating your words clearly at first. Practices over-enunciating your words until you get used to talking with them.
• Practice eating: Before you start eating out, practice eating at home. In the beginning, soft foods like mashed potatoes, rice, soup, etc., will be easier for you to eat. Other foods may get stuck in your teeth, such as steak and stringy vegetables. After some practice, you will be able to eat anything you want.

If you are interested in lingual braces, talk to your orthodontist, like Morrell M Russell DMD, about them to see if you are a good fit.  They can explain in more detail how these braces work and will benefit you.

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