Silver Braces
Metal braces are the most common type. They are made of high-grade stainless steel. Today's metal braces are smaller, more comfortable and more attractive.
Dr. Kraig Kottemann has extensive experience using a wide range of self-ligating brackets, including Smart Clip™, Damon™, Innovation R™, Innovation C™, and Forestadent Quick™ braces. However, in order to provide you with the best overall experience we do not use self ligating brackets. We use the modern twin bracket. The reasons, we do not use self-ligating braces at this time are:
1. Self ligating brackets break more often than twin brackets
2. You may not choose colors for the ties when using self-ligating brackets
3. They do not move teeth any faster or more efficiently than twin metal or ceramic braces.
4. The ceramic (clear) self ligating brackets are more visible and not as esthetically pleasing as the twin ceramic brackets
Clear Braces
Ceramic braces are made of translucent (clear) material. They are most popular with adult patients, due to their cosmetic appeal. The only minor drawbacks to ceramic brackets is that they are more fragile, they are slightly larger than their metal counterparts, and the elastic ties can discolor between orthodontic visits.
Gold Braces
Gold braces are stainless steel braces coated with 24-karat gold and are popular with patients of all ages.
Invisalign®
The Invisalign® System is a series of clear overlay templates—called aligners—that have been generated by computer simulation to gradually move the teeth. Many of our current Invisalign patients were told by a previous orthodontist or dentist that they were not candidates for Invisalign. With the new advances in aligner therapy we are now providing Invisalign treatment patients of all ages and for many different and complex problems. We currently have treated more Invisalign patients than anyone in Minnesota!