Ceramic "Tooth Colored"
Ceramic brackets are made of porcelain-like materials. They are
very strong and generally do not stain. We
use the popular brand “Clarity” made by 3M Unitek.
The
ligatures (tiny
rubber bands)
that hold the arch wire on to the ceramic brackets are often white or
clear. This looks great, but the ligatures can stain. Unless you eat a lot of curry, smoke, or drink a lot of black coffee,
this generally isn't a problem.
Metal
Metal brackets can
be silver or golden. They are very strong and can withstand
most types of treatment. In the "old days", metal braces were not
just brackets, but bands that wrapped around the entire tooth.
Nowadays, people wear small metal brackets that are glued to the
front of each tooth (a big improvement!). Metal brackets tend to be
less expensive than other types of brackets. In addition, you can
make them colorful with ligatures that come in a rainbow of colors.
