When considering braces that are comfortable, sleek and customized to reduce treatment time, Incognito braces have become the go-to appliance for some orthodontists.
Now that 3M Unitek, the company that manufactures Incognito, has created a self-ligating option, these appliances can reduce treatment time even further while rendering optimum results.
Orthodontists believe that Incognito braces hit the market several years ago under the brand name iBraces. Incognito braces are the only braces on the market that are entirely customized to fit the contours of each individual patient's teeth. Because they are lingual braces, meaning they fit onto the back of the teeth, no one will notice them.
Add in the self-ligating feature, and Incognito braces easily can be switched from passive to active mode. They can be passive for aligning and leveling the teeth, or active for finishing.
Orthodontists say that several studies have shown that self-ligating brackets reduce frictional forces, shorten the time a patient is in orthodontic treatment and offer easier, quicker archwire changes.
How The Process Works
Some orthodontists take an impression of the patient's teeth, which is used to create a 3-D model of the teeth. Using that model, a lab technician creates the customized brackets and custom archwires that have been bent by a robot specifically for each patient. All appliances are sent back to the orthodontist, who bonds them onto the patient's teeth.
Some orthodontists use this method on adult professionals who don't want others noticing that they have braces, she said. She also uses them on teenagers active in contact sports who risk being hit in the mouth. Musicians who play wind instruments and people who simply are self-conscious about wearing braces that others can see are other good candidates for Incognito braces.