Types of Braces: Every Option Explained
With Prices, Pros & Cons. You've been told you need braces, and now you're stuck on the question your orthodontist keeps leaving open: which kind? The answer used to be simple, metal or nothing. Today there are seven realistic types of braces on the US market, and picking the wrong one can cost you thousands of dollars, months of extra treatment time, or a year of hating how your smile looks in photos.
Quick Answer
Quick Answer: The main types of braces in the US are traditional metal, ceramic, self-ligating (Damon), lingual (behind-teeth), and clear aligners like Invisalign. Prices range from $3,000 for metal to $13,000 for lingual. Most patients choose based on visibility, budget, and case complexity.
This guide is written for anyone comparing brace options, teens weighing metal vs ceramic, adults torn between Invisalign and lingual, parents sorting out what their orthodontist actually recommended. You'll walk away knowing what each type costs, how each one works, and which ones fit your case, your lifestyle, and your wallet.
Visibility
From fully invisible lingual to traditional metal
$3,000–$13,000
Price range across all brace types
12–36 Months
Treatment duration by brace type
Case Matters
Not every type works for every malocclusion
Types of Braces: Full Comparison Table
The fastest way to narrow down your choice is a side-by-side look at every option on the market. This table covers the five brace types most US orthodontists offer, plus the two variants (chain and colored) that aren't separate systems but come up in almost every consultation.
| Brace Type | Average Cost | Treatment Time | Visibility | Ideal Candidate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Metal | $3,000 – $7,000 | 18–24 mo | Most visible | Any case, budget-conscious |
| Ceramic | $4,000 – $8,500 | 18–24 mo | Low (tooth-colored) | Adults who want discretion |
| Self-Ligating (Damon) | $4,000 – $8,000 | 18–24 mo | Moderate | Patients preferring fewer visits |
| Lingual (Incognito, Harmony) | $8,000 – $13,000 | 18–36 mo | Invisible from front | Public-facing professionals |
| Clear Aligners (Invisalign, Spark) | $3,000 – $8,000 | 12–24 mo | Very low | Mild to moderate malocclusion |
Each Brace Type in Detail
How every option works, what it costs, its real pros and cons, and who it's actually best for.
Traditional Metal Braces
Traditional metal braces are the most common type of orthodontic appliance worn in the US, and for good reason, they work on every kind of malocclusion and cost the least. Most teens and a solid share of adults still choose them.
How metal braces work
A small stainless steel bracket gets bonded to the front of each tooth with dental adhesive. An archwire, usually nickel-titanium for the early phase and stainless steel later, threads through each bracket and gets held in place with small elastic rings called ligatures. The wire applies steady, gentle force that moves teeth over months. Every 4–6 weeks you come in for an adjustment, where the orthodontist tightens or swaps the wire.
What metal braces cost
Traditional metal braces cost $3,000 to $7,000 in the United States, with most teen cases landing between $4,000 and $5,500. Complex adult cases with severe crowding or bite correction push toward the upper end.
Pros and cons
- Pros:
- Cheapest full-treatment option
- Works on any malocclusion, including severe cases
- Most durable, brackets rarely break
- Kids can pick new elastic colors at every visit (no extra cost)
- Fastest average treatment time for complex cases
- Cons:
- Most visible option, silver brackets show clearly
- Can irritate inner cheeks for the first two weeks until tissue toughens
- Food restrictions include popcorn, nuts, hard candy, and sticky foods
Best suited for: Metal braces are often suitable for patients who want the most affordable option, teens who don't mind the appearance (or actively enjoy the color choices), and anyone with a severe bite issue that aligners can't fully correct. If an orthodontist suggests you need to pull teeth or use temporary anchorage devices (TADs, small titanium screws used as anchor points), metal is usually the most reliable vehicle for those complex mechanics.
Ceramic Braces
Ceramic braces use tooth-colored or clear brackets instead of metal, making them far less visible from normal conversation distance. They work the same way metal braces do, just with a different bracket material.
How ceramic braces work
The bracket material is a porcelain composite that matches natural enamel shade. The archwire still runs through each bracket, and the ligature ties can either be clear or tooth-colored. From three to four feet away, someone has to look twice to notice a patient is wearing ceramic braces at all.
What ceramic braces cost
Ceramic braces cost $4,000 to $8,500 in the US, running roughly 20–30% more than traditional metal. A 28-year-old with moderate crowding will typically pay $5,500–$7,500 for ceramic where metal would have cost $4,500–$6,000.
Pros and cons
- Pros:
- Much less visible than metal
- Same effectiveness as metal for most cases
- Don't set off metal detectors (rarely matters, but it comes up)
- Cons:
- 20–30% more expensive
- Brackets are more brittle, they can chip or debond under hard bite force
- Clear ligature ties stain fast if you drink coffee, red wine, or eat turmeric-heavy foods
- Slightly larger brackets than modern metal, which some patients find bulkier-feeling
One honest observation from real practice: the staining issue catches adults off guard more than any other ceramic tradeoff. Orthodontists switch the elastic ties at every monthly adjustment, but between visits, clear ties yellow noticeably. If you drink two cups of coffee a day, ceramic won't stay as discreet as the before-and-after photos suggest.
Best suited for: Ceramic is often suitable for adults and older teens who want less-visible braces without the price tag of lingual, and for patients whose cases are too severe for clear aligners. For a deeper look at this option, read our Ceramic Braces Cost Guide.
Self-Ligating Braces (Damon System)
Self-ligating braces use a small built-in clip on each bracket instead of elastic ligatures. The Damon system, made by Ormco, is the most widely marketed brand in the US, though several competing systems exist.
How self-ligating braces work
A tiny sliding door or clip on the bracket holds the archwire in place. Because there are no elastic ties creating friction, the wire moves more freely as teeth shift. This is why adjustment visits happen every 8–10 weeks instead of every 4–6, the system needs less hands-on tightening between visits.
What self-ligating braces cost
Self-ligating braces cost $4,000 to $8,000, running $500–$1,500 more than standard metal on comparable cases. Damon Clear (the ceramic version of the Damon system) sits at the higher end.
Pros and cons
- Pros:
- Fewer appointments (every 8–10 weeks vs 4–6)
- Slightly smaller brackets than traditional metal
- No elastic ligatures to stain or replace
- Some patients report less soreness between adjustments
- Cons:
- $500–$1,500 price premium
- "Faster treatment" marketing claims aren't consistently supported by independent research
- Not every orthodontist is trained in the system
- Broken clips can be trickier (and pricier) to fix than a snapped elastic
Best suited for: Self-ligating is often suitable for busy adults and parents of teens who can't easily make monthly appointments, and patients who prefer a slightly sleeker bracket. If you're thinking about switching clinics mid-treatment, ask first, not every orthodontist stocks Damon brackets or knows the protocol.
Lingual Braces (Behind the Teeth)
Lingual braces are fixed brackets bonded to the back (tongue side) of your teeth instead of the front, making them invisible from the front. Brand names like Incognito and Harmony lead the US market.
How lingual braces work
The orthodontist takes a digital scan of your teeth, sends it to a manufacturer, and receives custom-fabricated brackets shaped to each individual tooth's back surface. These brackets bond to the lingual (tongue-facing) surface, and a custom archwire runs through them. Because the back surfaces of teeth aren't uniform, lingual brackets have to be personalized, which is why they cost so much more.
What lingual braces cost
Lingual braces cost $8,000 to $13,000 in the US, nearly double traditional metal. The custom fabrication process, the longer orthodontist training required, and the extended chair time all contribute to the price.
Pros and cons
- Pros:
- Completely invisible from the front, no one knows you have braces unless you tell them
- Work on most cases that metal or ceramic can treat
- Custom-fit to your exact tooth anatomy
- Cons:
- Most expensive of all brace options
- Speech adjustment for the first 1–2 weeks (lisp, tongue catching on brackets)
- Tongue soreness as your tongue learns the new surface
- Harder to clean thoroughly
- Only some orthodontists offer them, you may need to travel for a qualified provider
One honest note on the speech issue: most patients sound normal again within 10–14 days, but it's a real adjustment. If you give presentations or podcast for a living, plan your lingual placement timing around a quieter stretch of work.
Best suited for: Lingual is often suitable for public-facing professionals, actors, adult patients who refuse to consider visible brackets, and anyone with a case too complex for clear aligners alone. Read our full Lingual Braces Cost Guide for more detail on provider networks.
Clear Aligners (Invisalign, Spark, SureSmile)
Clear aligners are a series of removable plastic trays that gradually shift your teeth into position. They count as a type of orthodontic appliance even though they're not technically "braces" in the bracket-and-wire sense. Most patients ask about them alongside the other options, so they belong in this comparison.
How clear aligners work
You wear a sequence of custom trays, switching to the next in the series every 1–2 weeks. Each tray is slightly different from the last, applying pressure to specific teeth to move them incrementally. Invisalign, the most common brand, uses SmartTrack plastic and small tooth-colored attachments bonded to certain teeth to help the trays grip and move specific teeth. Spark and SureSmile are competing systems with similar technology.
What clear aligners cost
Clear aligners cost $3,000 to $8,000 in the US for orthodontist-supervised treatment. Pricing sits in the same general range as metal braces but can run higher for complex cases requiring more trays and attachments.
Pros and cons
- Pros:
- Nearly invisible
- Removable for eating, drinking, brushing, and flossing
- No food restrictions
- Easier oral hygiene than fixed braces
- Cons:
- Require 20–22 hours of daily wear, results depend heavily on your discipline
- Can't treat severe malocclusion, significant bite corrections, or badly rotated teeth on their own
- Attachments (small composite bumps on teeth) make aligners less invisible than marketing suggests
- Losing a tray sets you back a week or two
- You have to remember to remove them before every meal
Best suited for: Clear aligners are often suitable for mild to moderate crowding, spacing (including diastema, gap between front teeth), and minor bite issues, in patients disciplined enough to wear them nearly full-time. Severe cases usually still need brackets and wires.
Colored and Chain Braces: Variants, Not Separate Types
Colored braces and chain braces aren't separate kinds of braces, they're features that can be added to traditional metal or ceramic systems. Patients ask about them constantly, so they're worth clarifying here.
Colored Elastics (the "Rainbow" Option)
Colored or rainbow braces refers to the elastic ligature ties, which come in every color imaginable. Kids and teens pick new colors at every monthly adjustment visit, and there's usually no extra charge. School colors, holiday themes, and favorite sports teams show up on brackets across the country. Adults who want discretion stick with clear, gray, or silver ties. For color strategy (including which shades make teeth look whiter), see our Rainbow Braces Guide.
Power Chains
A power chain is a linked elastic band that stretches across multiple brackets, usually in the later half of treatment. Orthodontists use chains to close spaces between teeth, a diastema, an extraction gap, or residual spacing after initial alignment. They're not a separate brace option; they're a tool used during normal treatment. Power chains add no extra cost and typically stay on for 2–6 months depending on how much space needs to close.
Types of Braces Ranked by Visibility, Cost, and Speed
Different patients prioritize different things. Three quick rankings to match your priority.
Visibility Ranking (Most to Least Visible)
- 1 Traditional metal, silver brackets, clearly visible
- 2 Rainbow/colored metal, same visibility as standard metal but intentional
- 3 Self-ligating metal (Damon), slightly smaller brackets, still clearly visible
- 4 Ceramic, tooth-colored brackets, subtle
- 5 Clear aligners, nearly invisible, but attachments show up close
- 6 Lingual, invisible from the front
Cost Ranking (Cheapest to Most Expensive)
- 1 Traditional metal, $3,000–$7,000
- 2 Clear aligners, $3,000–$8,000
- 3 Self-ligating (Damon), $4,000–$8,000
- 4 Ceramic, $4,000–$8,500
- 5 Lingual, $8,000–$13,000
Treatment Speed Ranking (Fastest to Slowest Average)
- 1 Clear aligners for mild cases, 6–12 months
- 2 Traditional metal for standard cases, 18–24 months
- 3 Ceramic for standard cases, 18–24 months
- 4 Self-ligating for standard cases, 18–24 months
- 5 Lingual for complex cases, 18–36 months
- — Any type for severe malocclusion, 24–36+ months
How to Choose the Right Type of Braces for You
The right brace option sits at the intersection of three things: your case severity, your budget, and how much visibility you can tolerate for 18–24 months. Here's a framework that helps most patients narrow to one or two realistic options.
Confirm What Your Case Actually Needs
Mild crowding, small gaps, and minor rotation can often be corrected with any option, including clear aligners. Moderate to severe malocclusion, crossbites, deep overbites, impacted canines, significant crowding, usually needs fixed brackets. Your orthodontist will classify your case, and some practices use the American Board of Orthodontics' discrepancy index to score complexity.
Set Your Budget Ceiling
Add up what you can realistically pay monthly, multiply by 20–24 months of treatment, and add your available down payment. If your ceiling is $4,500, lingual isn't on your list. If it's $10,000, every option is open.
Rank Visibility Against Your Life
If you're in a public-facing career (on-camera work, client-facing sales, teaching, acting) and visibility matters daily: consider lingual, clear aligners, or ceramic in that order. If you're a parent, office worker, or student who doesn't care much: traditional metal gives you the best value.
Get Two Written Quotes for the Same Brace Type
Once you've narrowed to one or two options, book consultations with at least two orthodontists and ask for written quotes on the same brace type. Don't compare a Damon quote from one office to a metal quote from another, the price differences are meaningless without apples-to-apples comparison.
For a full framework on evaluating orthodontists and comparing quotes, read the How to Find a Qualified Orthodontist pillar guide and the full How Much Do Braces Cost breakdown.
Are "Newer" Braces Really Better?
Every few years a new system, accelerated orthodontics, robotic wire bending, vibration devices, claims to finish treatment faster or work better than conventional braces. A realistic take on the actual evidence.
Accelerated Orthodontics (Propel, AcceleDent, Vibration Devices)
Products like Propel (micro-osteoperforation) and vibration trays claim to speed up tooth movement by 30–50%. Independent research has been mixed at best. Some systematic reviews show small, clinically insignificant gains; others show no effect. If an orthodontist recommends accelerated treatment as part of your plan, ask what the added cost is and what clinical evidence they're relying on. It may help in specific cases, but it's not a universal shortcut.
Robotic Wire Bending (SureSmile)
SureSmile uses a scan of your teeth and robotic wire bending to create custom archwires. The claimed benefit is shorter average treatment, some studies support a 30% reduction, others don't. The tech is legitimate but not magic, and pricing runs $500–$1,500 above standard treatment.
Short-Term Adult Orthodontics (Six Month Smiles, Fastbraces)
These systems target only the front six to eight teeth and finish in 6–9 months. They're cosmetic-only, no bite correction, no back-tooth movement. For an adult with mildly crooked front teeth who doesn't care about occlusion, they can be a reasonable budget option ($3,000–$5,000). For anyone with a real bite issue, they're the wrong tool.