Removable or fixed braces
If your parents had braces, you may have seen pictures of them with their mouths full of metal. Today, braces are much less noticeable. Metal braces are still used, but you might be able to get clear braces or braces that are the same colour as your teeth. There are even braces that are behind your teeth where no one can see them.
Fixed braces - the teeth have small attachments glued to them. Fixed braces fitted to upper and lower teeth look a bit like railway lines, so some people call them "train-track braces". Fixed braces are very good for correcting complex problems. These are commonly made of stainless steel, when used for children as they are easier to keep clean. Tooth coloured ceramic or acrylic appliances are also available, and are most often used for adults. They are much more aesthetic. We also use lingual fixed appliances; this is where the attachments are glued to the back of the teeth, very helpful for straightening teeth for people in prominent positions.
Removable braces - can obviously be removed, but they must be worn full-time, apart from when they have to be cleaned. Removable braces are good for correcting simple problems, such as moving a single tooth.
Functional braces - These are also removable but have to be worn full-time, except for cleaning. They are used to correct the growth pattern of the jaws. They can be used when one jaw is bigger than the other, to correct asymmetry. They can be used in conjunction with headgear to help jaws to grow correctly.