Invisalign® and Invisalign Teen are awesome for people who want a discreet treatment option. But removable, clear aligners aren’t for everyone. A lot of the patients at Jeffrey Kwong Orthodontics prefer an under-the-radar treatment that is completely hidden, doesn’t require keeping track of an appliance you have to wear for 22 hours per day, and let’s you live you normal life of eating, drinking, brushing and flossing while treatment keeps working.
Enter InBrace® hidden braces. InBrace designs a Smartwireâ„¢ for each patient; personalized for your case. The Smartwire is applied to the back of your teeth by an orthodontist to gently improve your smile.
These behind-the-teeth braces, which were designed by orthodontists, can’t be seen at all when you smile. Because you don’t have to take them out, they continuously work and shorten treatment time. And patients also love that they don’t need monthly tightenings like traditional braces or tray changes that come with clear aligners, so discomfort isn’t reintroduced like other treatments.
At Jeffrey Kwong Orthodontics, we’re the first provider of InBrace® hidden braces in the greater Sacramento area. Since I started offering InBrace, they’ve become a popular option amongst our patients. Here are 7 reasons why patients love them:
1. The WOW starts Now!
You would be surprised by how many people don’t smile when they have braces or Invisalign. It’s like they go through this smile journey for the final reveal, but don’t smile all the way through it because they are embarrassed about the look of the braces. Well, InBrace has opened up a new category of esthetics. So many of our InBrace patients comment on how quickly they, and their friends, notice improvements to their smile throughout treatment, and guess what? It makes them smile more!
2. InBrace Braces are Pretty Much Invisible.
Even though clear front-of-teeth braces are less noticeable than metal front-of-teeth braces, the brackets and wires are visible up close. Invisalign is more discreet than clear braces, but, again, when someone gets up close, they can usually tell you have aligners and attachments on your teeth. Plus, you have to take your aligners in and out of your mouth when you eat or drink, even while in public ”“ which can be messy and causes some patients to lose aligners they need to replace.
The InBrace system is the most esthetic orthodontic option because no one can see treatment when you talk or smile. Since someone would have to really peer into your mouth to get a glimpse of the appliance, the only people who will know you’re straightening your teeth (unless you tell) are the dental and orthodontic professionals in your life. They show off your natural teeth in all their glory, and you get to watch them magically straighten right before your eyes.
3. InBrace Treatment is Comfortable and Streamlined.
The InBrace system involves very slim brackets with a customized Smartwire® that uses light, continuous forces to shift the teeth into place. Lighter forces means less braces pain. There is an adjustment period for any appliances that we use, and most patients get used to InBrace in about two to three weeks.
The invisible braces are also extremely streamlined in comparison to traditional braces and standard lingual braces. The technology that we use to open and close spaces in regular braces is actually built into the Smartwire, so they rarely need auxiliaries like power chains or coil springs to achieve outstanding results.
InBrace relies on a locking loop design to hold the archwires in place without sliding or friction. Thanks to this innovative feature, only a few elastics are needed as opposed to elastics on every tooth. The lack of extras in your mouth adds to the comfort.
Also, InBrace is driven by innovation and the company accomplishes this through feedback from the doctors that use InBrace and the patients who wear the braces. We’re excited to be starting generation 2 of InBrace, which was designed to be more comfortable, durable, and made to treat a wider range of bites.
4. Oral Hygiene is Easier.
One of the biggest benefits of Invisalign is the fact that since the aligners are removable, you can brush and floss as you normally would. With metal or clear braces, keeping them clean involves being more diligent and using tools like a floss threader or orthodontic flosser. With conventional lingual braces, oral hygiene is even tougher, because you don’t have a clear view of your appliance.
While it can seem like you’d have to be part of Cirque du Soleil to effectively brush and floss with any type of behind-the-teeth braces, InBrace is different. There are loops in the wire between the teeth, so you can floss normally without using floss threaders. While, of course, just as with any appliance glued on the teeth, you’ll have to brush your teeth more frequently and we highly recommend using a Waterpik to flush food and debris out, the process of removing plaque will still be easier and less time consuming.
5. Treatment is Efficient.
I know I’ve said this several times before, but it’s worth repeating, when a treatment claims to be faster, it’s usually just a marketing gimmick. Your teeth move in response to pressure and it doesn’t matter if it’s a metal wire or a plastic aligner that’s applying said pressure.
However, InBrace does eliminate some of the mechanical inefficiencies associated with other treatment options. I use digital treatment planning upfront to determine the shortest path for each individual tooth to take to reach your ideal smile. I can also predict challenges and address them before you begin treatment.
Your InBrace Smartwires are custom made just for you and programmed with those end tooth movements. The wires move the teeth to their final positions from the start with a process InBrace calls autopilot.
They also open and close spaces, straighten rotations, and work on the angulation of teeth. This means that staging and sequencing is more fluid and dynamic unlike with traditional braces. There’s no manual wire bending and no programming aligners to make space first before tackling other movements. All of this adds up to less time spent in the treatment chair.
In some cases, this creates a better outcome as well. If you’ve read InBrace reviews or looked at InBrace before and after pictures, then you know just how outstanding the results can be.
6. InBrace is a Set-It-and-Forget-It Solution.
For some, removable aligners are the ultimate in convenience. For others, trying not to lose the aligners, taking them in and out to eat and drink, and making sure to wear them for 22 hours per day is a hassle.
Once your InBrace hidden braces are bonded to your teeth, that’s it. Aside from brushing and flossing and coming in for the occasional check-up, you don’t have to really think about the braces, and the success of your treatment isn’t heavily dependent on compliance.
7. InBrace Costs Less Than Traditional Lingual Braces.
Traditionally, the cost of lingual braces has been significantly higher than the cost of conventional braces or clear aligners. This is because with conventional lingual braces, it takes significantly more doctor time and more frequent and longer appointments .
InBrace is NOT lingual braces. InBrace is the fusion of new technology with tooth movement concepts. The engineering behind the product makes the braces time saving for you and for your orthodontist! For these reasons, InBrace costs less than traditional lingual braces, and is our most customized option. As a premium product, it is more of an investment than regular braces and Invisalign, but not by much.
At Jeffrey Kwong Orthodontics, we work with most insurance plans. If you have dental insurance that covers conventional braces, it will also cover InBrace braces, reducing how much you pay out of pocket. We also offer flexible financing options to help you break up the cost of InBrace treatment into affordable monthly payments.
Ready to Learn More About InBrace in El Dorado Hills, CA?
To find out how InBrace hidden braces can bring out the best in your smile, schedule a complimentary consultation at Jeffrey Kwong Orthodontics today!
