Treatment with lingual braces
Radiant, even teeth are considered an expression of vitality and style. If you suffer from crooked teeth or from misaligned teeth and jaws, lingual braces are an effective method of correcting your teeth. Today, even more severe misalignments of the teeth and of the bite can be moved into the desired position with almost invisible methods.
What exactly are lingual braces?
Lingual braces are considered a discreet form of tooth correction, as the braces are not visible from the outside. They are worn permanently and remain in your mouth throughout the entire treatment. The difference from conventional fixed braces is that lingual braces are attached to the inner surfaces of your teeth. The word “lingual” translates as “tongue” and describes the fact that the braces face toward the tongue (or toward the tip of the tongue).
The brackets (clasps) that are attached to the inner surfaces of the teeth are strikingly flat, so that your tongue is not restricted too much in its usual movements. A curved wire is threaded through the lingual brackets. This wire is responsible for moving your teeth into their desired position. In the course of the therapy, the wire is tightened and changed several times in order to ensure an optimal result of the tooth correction.
What are the advantages of lingual braces?
A key advantage of therapy with braces worn on the inside is that they cannot be seen from the outside. The braces are therefore invisible while you speak, as they are attached to the back of your teeth. This also has the advantage that the progress of the therapy is easier to see, since brackets and wire do not cover the front surfaces of the teeth.
Because of the position of the braces, they are exposed to more saliva, which can help reduce the risk of tooth decay.
In addition, fixed braces are especially suitable for people who like things to be uncomplicated: when wearing these braces you do not have to remember to take them out, and you cannot lose them.
What are the disadvantages of lingual braces?
One disadvantage of lingual braces is the reduced space for the tongue. This changes the position of the tongue, which can initially be perceived as slightly bothersome. However, these complaints usually disappear quickly. It may take a few days up to a few weeks until you have grown accustomed to the new feeling in your mouth. If your lingual braces feel bothersome, this sensation can be relieved very well with protective wax.
Treatment process for lingual braces
We would like to make your therapy with lingual braces as pleasant as possible, which is why we explain every single treatment step to you in detail. It is a particular concern of ours to respond to your individual needs. Here you get a first overview of how your treatment will proceed:
Initial consultation and information: Before the actual start of the therapy, a detailed conversation with us takes place. During this conversation we explain the process and your options to you once again in precise detail.
Thorough examination and diagnosis: We examine your teeth and your bite precisely and with the help of the latest technical equipment. Only in this way is thorough treatment planning ensured. This is necessary in order to rule out incorrect loading of your teeth and faulty therapies. As specialist orthodontists, we have the necessary know-how to plan your therapy as effectively as possible.
3D visualization of the teeth: Thanks to modern 3D technology, we are able to display your teeth virtually and to view them from all sides. Virtual planning in advance makes it possible to produce your braces precisely. Here we work together with renowned, certified companies such as Win-System and Incognito.
Receiving your lingual braces: At a further appointment we attach your new braces to your teeth.
Wear instructions and everyday integration: Lingual braces are not removable. This means: they are worn by you 24 hours a day, day and night. In your daily dental and oral hygiene, thorough care of your teeth and of your braces is important in order to prevent tooth decay from developing. We are happy to advise you on this personally.
Regular check-up appointments: Every few weeks a check-up appointment takes place. During this appointment we look at the progress of your tooth correction and change the wire if necessary. If you have questions in the meantime, we can of course discuss them at any time.
The treatment duration of lingual braces
How long the therapy with lingual braces takes depends entirely on the initial condition of your teeth and of your bite. Compared with removable braces, however, it can be said that fixed braces allow very effective treatment and therefore treatment within a relatively short time. Minor malocclusions can often be corrected within a few months; with severe malocclusions, treatment can take up to about four years.
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FAQs - frequently asked questions about lingual braces
Are lingual braces covered by health insurance?
Unfortunately, lingual braces are only partly covered by health insurance up to the age of 18. Adults do not receive any subsidy from statutory health insurance. What lingual braces cost varies depending on the time involved and the materials chosen. In our treatments we place great value on transparent costs. That is why, before your treatment, you receive a cost estimate from us that is tailored exactly to your needs. We are happy to advise you personally about the costs of your orthodontic treatment as well as possible alternatives.
Who are lingual braces suitable for?
Thanks to their high precision, these braces are suitable for children and adolescents as well as for adults. Everyone who would like to wear braces that are as invisible as possible benefits from the aesthetics of this method of tooth correction. Lingual braces are one of the fixed braces and are therefore also suitable for more severe malocclusions.
Do you have further questions about lingual braces? Then book a personal consultation appointment online. The team of Dr. Hakim is happy to assist you with your concerns.