Lingual Braces Liverpool — The Ultimate Hidden Orthodontics
Many adults and teenagers in Liverpool want straight teeth, but the thought of wearing highly visible metal brackets prevents them from seeking treatment. While Invisalign clear aligners and ceramic braces offer discreet alternatives, they are still placed on the front of the teeth.
For patients who demand absolute invisibility without sacrificing the powerful tooth-moving capabilities of traditional orthodontics, there is a premium solution: Lingual Braces. At Your Family Dentist in Liverpool NSW, we offer this advanced, completely hidden orthodontic treatment.
What Are Lingual Braces?
Lingual braces function exactly like traditional metal braces, using a system of brackets and archwires to apply continuous, gentle pressure to move teeth into their correct positions. The crucial difference is their placement.
The word “lingual” refers to the tongue. Lingual braces are custom-made and bonded to the back (lingual) side of your teeth, facing your tongue. Because they are placed behind the teeth, they are completely invisible from the outside when you smile, talk, or laugh.
The Benefits of Lingual Braces
Choosing lingual braces over traditional front-facing braces or clear aligners offers several unique advantages:
1. 100% Invisible
This is the primary reason patients choose lingual braces. They are the only truly invisible orthodontic treatment available. Even clear aligners require visible attachments (small composite bumps) on the front of the teeth. With lingual braces, no one will know you are undergoing treatment unless you tell them.
2. Highly Effective for Complex Cases
While clear aligners are fantastic for mild to moderate corrections, they sometimes struggle with severe crowding, extreme rotations, or complex bite issues (malocclusions). Lingual braces harness the robust pulling and pushing power of fixed wire orthodontics, making them capable of correcting even the most difficult cases.
3. No Decalcification Spots on the Front Teeth
If oral hygiene is poor during traditional braces treatment, patients can develop white spots (decalcification) around the brackets. If this occurs with lingual braces, the spots are on the back of the teeth, leaving the front aesthetic surface completely unblemished.
4. Always Working
Unlike removable aligners, which require strict patient compliance (wearing them 22 hours a day), lingual braces are fixed in place. They are working to straighten your teeth 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Treatment Process in Liverpool
Because the back surfaces of teeth are highly irregular in shape compared to the smooth front surfaces, lingual braces require precise customisation.
- Digital Impressions: We take a highly accurate 3D digital scan of your teeth using an intraoral scanner.
- Custom Fabrication: The scan is sent to a specialised orthodontic laboratory. Using CAD/CAM technology, they design and manufacture brackets that perfectly fit the unique contours of the back of each individual tooth. They also bend custom archwires using robotic technology.
- Bonding: Once the custom braces arrive at our Liverpool clinic, we use a specialised tray to bond all the brackets to the back of your teeth simultaneously, ensuring perfect placement.
- Adjustments: You will visit us every 6 to 8 weeks so we can adjust the wires and monitor your progress.
Are There Any Drawbacks?
While lingual braces are the ultimate aesthetic choice, patients should be aware of a few considerations:
- Adjustment Period: Because the brackets are next to your tongue, it can take 1 to 2 weeks for your tongue to adjust. You may experience a slight lisp initially, but this resolves quickly as you adapt.
- Cleaning: Brushing and flossing behind the teeth requires a bit more diligence and the use of specialised interdental brushes or water flossers.
- Cost: Due to the highly customised manufacturing process and the specialised clinical skills required to fit and adjust them, lingual braces are generally the most expensive orthodontic option.
Book Your Orthodontic Consultation in Liverpool
If you want a perfectly straight smile without anyone knowing you are wearing braces, lingual braces are the ultimate solution.
Ready to discover your hidden orthodontic options?
Call Your Family Dentist Liverpool on (02) 7256 4979 or book your consultation online today.