Lingual braces are placed behind your teeth, and are therefore virtually invisible to other people. Usually, lingual brackets are made of metal.
Orthodontists need special training to be able to treat patients with lingual braces. Therefore, not every orthodontist provides them. To find an orthodontist who provides lingual braces, ask your dentist or search Google for the phrase lingual braces along with the name of your state, country, or location.
Advantages of Lingual Braces
The obvious benefit of this type of treatment is that no one will know that you are wearing lingual braces unless they look inside your mouth!
With standard braces, the brackets are cemented to the front of the teeth, which are quite uniform in their shape. However, lingual brackets are attached to the back side of the teeth. The back side of each tooth has its own unique shape - unlike the front of each tooth, which is fairly uniform among all peo
ple. Standard brackets are mass-produced, but each lingual bracket must be custom-formed to the unique shape of each individual tooth.
Your back teeth will not meet at first because your front teeth will be hitting the brackets on the back of the upper front teeth. This may seem hard to deal with but it will speed up your treatment noticeably, and it will prevent you from clenching, which can remove brackets and make it more difficult to move your teeth to new positions.
HELPFUL HINTS FOR WEARERS OF LINGUAL ORTHODONTICS
Most people get along with them quite well and without any additional aids after a week or two. However, some people are more sensitive than others to the appliances and may develop canker sores from these initial irritations.
To help with the initial adjustment period, first learn to avoid swallowing using a tongue thrust. If you find that your tongue is pushing at your teeth when you swallow, try the following technique. Bring your back teeth together as if you were closing your mouth, and with the upper teeth gently contacting the lower, try to swallow. You will find it a little difficult at first, but learning the correct way to swallow will be a great aid in minimizing irritation of the tongue.
Second, wax is given to you to use as needed to reduce irritation in areas of tenderness on your tongue. Don't overuse it or your mouth will never get used to the brackets.
Third, try to speak as much as possible and practice over enunciating at home. This will help you speak more clearly.
Fourth, eat foods the first few days which are soft and soothing: bean soup, chicken noodle soup, rice, mashed potatoes, soft bread, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches made with soft bread with the crust removed, fruit shakes, cottage cheese, applesauce, and Carnation Instant Breakfast or other meal replacers.
Finally, until you have adjusted to your new braces, don't plan special steak dinners or dinners out to fancy restaurants. Also remember that stringy vegetables, such as lettuce, can catch in the brackets and be an embarrassment. Practice eating at home, before dining out, to test how well you are doing. You'll be glad you did.