Clear Braces

Clear braces in Harrow

Clear aesthetic braces use clear brackets which are made from pure sapphire, a glass-clear ceramic. A metal wire is normally used to straighten the teeth, but this is only really visible on closer inspection. White coated wires can be used during the first few months of treatment.

Clear aesthetic braces are normally fitted on the upper front and side teeth only. This is because if ceramic brackets (which are harder than natural tooth enamel) are fitted to the lower teeth they can chip the edges of the upper incisors as the teeth bite together. Therefore we normally recommend either clear brackets made from a softer material (polycarbonate) or metal brackets in the lower arch (as many people only show the tops of their lower teeth). The polycarbonate brackets look lovely but may wear down before treatment is complete; this is not a major problem but just means that they may need replacing at some stage.