Types of Braces

Types of Braces in Olathe, Lenexa & Kansas City, KS

Hannah Orthodontics offers traditional metal braces and ceramic braces - also called clear braces - for children, teens and adults. Metal braces are the most durable and versatile option; ceramic braces use tooth-colored brackets that blend in. Both are fixed to the teeth and work continuously. Clear aligners are a separate, removable option.

Braces have changed more than most people realize. Today’s brackets are smaller, flatter and more comfortable than the ones you may remember, and they move teeth more efficiently.

At Hannah Orthodontics, Dr. Richard Hannah and Dr. Gretter Hannah will talk you through which option genuinely suits your teeth, your timeline and your daily life. Sometimes that is the most discreet choice. Sometimes it is the most robust one. We will tell you which we would recommend and why.

Your first consultation is free, and same-day consultations are often available.

Metal Braces

Metal braces are still the most widely used orthodontic appliance, and for good reason: they handle every kind of correction, from straightforward crowding to complex bite problems.

Modern metal brackets are made from high-grade stainless steel alloys and are considerably smaller and smoother than older designs. They are fixed to the front of each tooth and connected by a wire that your orthodontist adjusts over the course of treatment.

Why patients choose them

• The most versatile option - nothing is outside their range
• The most durable - very difficult to damage, which matters for younger patients and anyone playing contact sport
• Often the most cost-effective choice
• Colored elastics - kids and teens can change the colors at each visit, which turns treatment into something they get to personalize

Metal braces are frequently the right answer for growing patients and for cases needing significant movement.

Ceramic Braces (Clear Braces)

Ceramic braces work exactly like metal braces, but the brackets are made from a tooth-colored ceramic material that blends into your smile. They are often called clear braces for that reason.

They are the usual choice for adults and older teens who want fixed, reliable treatment without metal being the first thing people notice.

Why patients choose them

• Far less visible - the brackets blend with natural tooth color
• Same reliability as metal - fixed in place and working continuously, with no wear-time to remember
• Good for professional and social settings where appearance matters day to day

Worth knowing before you choose them

• Ceramic brackets are more brittle than metal and can chip under heavy force - so they are usually not the first recommendation for contact sport
• They typically cost more than metal braces
• The brackets themselves resist staining, but elastic ties can pick up color from coffee, tea, red wine and smoking between adjustment visits

Clear Braces or Clear Aligners? They Are Not the Same

These two get confused constantly, and the difference matters.

In short: ceramic braces are braces that blend in. Clear aligners are removable trays you take out to eat. If you know you would struggle to keep a tray in for 22 hours a day, fixed braces are the more reliable route.

Read about our clear aligner treatment →

Which Type Is Right for You?

There is no universally best option - only the one that fits your teeth, your age and your life.

Metal braces may suit you if you need significant correction, you play sport, you are a younger patient, or cost is a primary concern.

Ceramic braces may suit you if you want fixed treatment that is discreet day to day, you are an adult or older teen, and appearance matters in your work or social life.

Clear aligners may suit you if your case is mild to moderate and you are confident you will wear them 20-22 hours a day.

At your free consultation we examine your teeth and bite and tell you honestly which options would genuinely work for your case - including when one of them would not.