Types of Braces in Northbrook, IL

We offer three main options at Janzen & Chwa Orthodontics: metal braces, ceramic (clear) braces, and Invisalign® clear aligners. Metal is the most versatile and the most economical, ceramic is the least visible fixed option, and aligners are removable. Which one suits you depends on your bite, your age and how much you want to think about your treatment day to day.

Choosing between them is easier than the internet makes it look, because for most patients two of the three will be reasonable and one will not. Drs. Kyint and Evan Chwa will tell you which is which at your complimentary exam, with the reasoning attached. What follows is what you need to know beforehand.

Metal Braces

Stainless steel brackets bonded to the front of the teeth, connected by an archwire.

They are the oldest option and still the most capable one. Metal braces handle everything from mild crowding to complex bite correction, they work whether or not the patient cooperates, and they are generally the most economical route to a given result. Modern brackets are considerably smaller and smoother than the ones most parents remember, and the elastic ties come in colors, which turns out to matter a great deal to eleven-year-olds.

Best for: complex cases, younger patients, anyone who would rather not manage a removable appliance.

Metal Braces Janzen & Chwa Orthodontics in Northbrook, IL
Ceramic Braces Janzen & Chwa Orthodontics in Northbrook, IL

Ceramic Braces

The same design in tooth-colored ceramic, so the brackets blend against the enamel instead of standing out against it.

Ceramic braces do essentially the same job as metal braces and are the discreet option among fixed appliances. Two honest trade-offs: the brackets are more brittle than metal, so hard and sticky foods carry more risk of a breakage, and the clear elastic ties can pick up staining from coffee, tea and curry between visits. Neither is a reason to avoid them, but both are reasons to know what you are choosing.

Best for: older teens and adults who want a fixed appliance that does not announce itself.

Invisalign Clear Aligners

A series of custom clear trays, worn twenty to twenty two hours a day and changed every week or two.

Aligners come out to eat and to brush, which is why there are no food restrictions and why cleaning your teeth stays normal. They are nearly invisible. They also depend entirely on being worn, which is the single fact worth weighing before choosing them. Our clear aligners page covers how treatment runs, and our Invisalign cost page covers pricing.

Best for: adults and responsible older teens who want treatment nobody notices.

Invisalign Clear Aligners Janzen & Chwa Orthodontics in Northbrook, IL

What About Self-Ligating and Lingual Braces?

Self-ligating braces use a built-in clip instead of an elastic tie to hold the archwire. They are a real design difference, and manufacturers claim faster treatment and fewer visits. The clinical evidence for a meaningful speed advantage is mixed, so we treat them as one bracket design among several rather than as a category of their own, and we choose brackets on what a case needs.

Lingual braces are bonded behind the teeth, hidden from the front. They are the most discreet fixed option in existence, and they are also the most expensive, the hardest to clean and the most disruptive to speech at first. We do not offer them. If lingual treatment is genuinely what you want, we will say so plainly rather than talk you into something else.

Braces or Aligners: Which Should You Choose?

Braces may suit you better if:

  • The case involves significant bite correction or complex tooth movement
  • The patient is a younger teen or a child
  • Nobody in the household wants to police twenty two hours of daily wear
  • You would rather the appliance simply worked without your involvement

Aligners may suit you better if:

  • The case is crowding, spacing or a mild to moderate bite problem
  • The patient is an adult or a reliable older teen
  • Being able to remove the appliance for a wedding or a presentation matters
  • Food restrictions would be a genuine obstacle

Here the two cost about the same, because we quote on the complexity of the case rather than on the appliance. That removes the financial thumb from the scale in either direction.

How Do We Decide Together?

At your complimentary consultation we examine your teeth and bite, take a digital scan, and look at how the jaws relate to each other. Then we tell you which options would actually work for your case, what each would involve, and roughly how long each would take.

Sometimes there is one clear answer. Often there are two reasonable ones, and the choice comes down to what you care about: time, appearance, cost, or simply not having to think about it. You will leave with the options written down and a fee attached to them.

Frequently Asked Questions About Types of Braces

Yes, somewhat. Ceramic brackets can chip or crack under force that metal would absorb, so hard and sticky foods matter more. Patients who follow the food guidance rarely have trouble with them.

For most cases, yes. For certain complex movements your orthodontist may prefer metal because it tolerates higher forces, which can mean a slightly shorter treatment in those specific situations.

Occasionally, when the remaining movements suit aligners. It is not right for every case and it works best when it is planned from the beginning, so raise it at the consultation rather than a year in.
The colored ties on metal braces are changed at every adjustment visit, so staining is not really a factor. The clear ties used with ceramic braces can discolor between visits, which is worth knowing if you drink a lot of coffee or tea.

Book a Complimentary Braces Consultation

Come and find out which option fits your case. The exam is free, no referral is needed, and you will leave with a recommendation and a written estimate. Call or text (847) 272-0600 or request an appointment online. We are at 1220 Meadow Rd, Ste 300 in Northbrook.