Metal braces and wires received a big “thumbs down” on an attractiveness scale by adults voting in a recent survey. Clear braces were voted the most attractive, and tooth colored appliances scored in the middle. Standard metal braces have a bracket that attaches to the tooth and a metal wire that runs though each bracket. The crowd-pleasing clear trays are removable and changed every few weeks. The irony for orthodontists is that metal braces allow for the most movement and control of teeth, while clear braces allow for limited movement. 

 

Metal braces allow orthodontists to move a tooth about one millimeter in four weeks. In contrast, clear tray appliances move teeth about one-half that distance in the same amount of time. The clear trays may be the most aesthetically pleasing for adults, but they are most appropriate for teeth that do not need a lot of correction. 

 

So how important are aesthetics? Dr. Henry Fields and associates of Ohio State University found that adults are even willing to pay more for braces that are aesthetically pleasing. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the trend continues for kids to make their metal braces even more obvious by adding colorful bracket ties, shapes, and accessories.