Choice is usually a good thing, but sometimes it can be a little overwhelming. When you go to get ice cream, you probably want more than just vanilla or chocolate to choose from. But if you see a menu with 64 different flavors, it can be hard to make a choice.

When it comes to orthodontic care at our northwest IN dental office, you’ll have several options to choose from. To help make that choice easier, here is a list of the different orthodontic treatments and who are good candidates for them.

Traditional braces
– What are they? These are the same metal braces that have been around for a long time. They’ve been around so long because they work. However, these aren’t the same braces people used to get back then. Technology has improved, and traditional braces have followed suit. At our office, you can get smaller brackets and thermal NiTi wire, a special wire that doesn’t need to be replaced as often. Traditional braces don’t just move teeth. They can help shift your jaw so your bite is normal.
– Who should get them? Traditional braces are great for just about anyone. They’re often the most affordable orthodontic treatment as well, though that can vary depending on how much work is necessary to get your smile straight and even.

FAAB (fast-acting adult braces)
– What are they? FAAB are braces, but they only focus on the teeth that people can see when you smile. By skipping the other teeth, FAAB doesn’t need as much hardware in your mouth. It can also be finished much sooner. Many people are done with FAAB in about six months.
– Who should get them? FAAB are perfect for adults who primarily want a cosmetic fix for their smile. They are also good for when you want results quickly. Technically, anyone can get these “adult” braces. Children usually have problems with more than just the visible teeth, so you might be better off with a different treatment if you have bigger problems.

Ceramic braces
– What are they? These are still braces, so you’ll still get brackets and wires to move your teeth to where they belong. They’ll do a good job of it, too. However, the brackets are not metal. Instead, they’re made from a ceramic. These are either clear or colored to match your existing teeth. This helps your braces blend in more with your smile, making it harder for people to notice you have an orthodontic treatment.
– Who should get them? If you need the work of traditional braces but are worried about how the metal will look in your mouth, ceramic braces are a great choice.

Preventive orthodontics
– What are they? This option is pretty much what you think. It’s an orthodontic treatment that helps prevent your smile from having worse problems in the future. This can include a space maintainer for a child who lost a baby tooth and the adult one isn’t coming in yet. You can also get preventative orthodontics to help stop thumb sucking or guide an adult tooth properly.
– Who should get them? These are usually for children who are experiencing problems with transitioning to adult teeth. A little prevention now can save you a lot of time and money later.

Interceptive orthodontics
– What are they? This orthodontic treatment is about intercepting problems with your teeth. In other words, this stops a problem from getting worse. If a child has started developing an overbite, for example, interceptive orthodontics can stop the overbite from growing. Later on, when the teeth have finally stopped moving, you can get that overbite corrected.
– Who should get them? As with preventive orthodontics, these are best for children who are experiencing problems with their teeth early on.

Invisalign clear aligners
– What are they? These are one of the newest pieces of orthodontic technology. Instead of using brackets and wires to move your teeth, you get a series of clear plastic mouthpieces. Each is shaped a little differently. When worn in the correct order, they gently guide your teeth to a new position. Because they’re clear, they are almost invisible when you have them on your teeth.
– Who should get them? If you’re worried about the social impact of braces, Invisalign can be just what you need. That’s because they’re comfortable but hard to detect. However, Invisalign cannot correct some of the more severe orthodontic issues.

Figuring out which orthodontic treatment is best for you and your family can be difficult. Our dental team can help you choose what’s best. Call us today at 219-809-6584.