The process of correcting the alignment of your teeth with braces can be long, painful and awkward. Standard braces are known for using tiny elastic or metal bands (known as “ties”) to hold the wiring in place. Even though the ties are effective in holding the wires in place, they posed several disadvantages, such restricting movement of the jaw / mouth, frictional binding and food trapping. But there is another, less cumbersome option that has been prevalent since the 1930s. Self-ligating braces are different from standard braces because they eliminate the need for bands. Patients with these braces also don’t need to come in to as many appointments as those with standard braces.

 

Self-Ligating Braces come either in traditional metal, ceramic or clear brackets. Self-ligating braces, especially ceramic, which blend in with the teeth, are also more aesthetically pleasing than traditional ones. There are two types of brackets used in self-ligating braces: passive and active.