There are four types of braces that we offer in our office:

Conventional Stainless Steel

These metal brackets with “donuts” (small elastics) are the most common type of braces used. The donuts are the colored rings that keep the archwire in place in the bracket. Donuts come in a variety of colors including silver for those who want them to blend in with the brackets.

Self Ligating – Smart Clip^TM

Self-ligating brackets are one of the newer technologies available in braces.   Metal brackets are still used but the wire clips into the bracket and stays put, eliminating the need for donuts.  Our office uses
Smart-Clip^TM by 3M Unitek.

Ceramic or White

We use a brand called Clarity^TM by 3M Unitek and it is a ceramic bracket instead of metal. The ceramic brackets are slightly larger than the metal braces but they blend in with your natural tooth color, making them less noticeable. Most patients request clear donuts with the Clarity^TM brackets, but the colored donuts are available as well.

Gold Braces

Gold braces and stainless steel braces are the same type of brackets except for the color. Again, any color donut can be used with this bracket, although most patients choose the gold donuts. We use gold wires with these brackets so they are perfectly matched.

Invisalign^TM & Other Aligners

Invisalign^TM consists of clear plastic aligners which are similar to clear retainers without wires.  The process is different with these aligners in that the patient wears these under the supervision of the doctor and usually nothing is cemented to the teeth.  Invisalign^TM cannot be used in many orthodontic cases. If you are interested in Invisalign^TM, Dr. Asano can decide if you are a candidate for this type of treatment at your initial visit.