If you are getting ready to get braces and are considering clear ones, you should not get your mind set on this option until after you have met with an orthodontist. While clear braces work great for some situations, there are other times when clear braces just won't do the trick. Luckily though, you can always get traditional braces, which will solve the problems you have with your teeth and bite. Here are three situations when clear braces might not work as well as traditional braces.

Large Spaces

When you first meet with an orthodontist to learn more about braces, he or she will thoroughly examine your teeth, especially if you express an interest in clear braces. One thing the orthodontist will examine is spacing of your teeth. Teeth that are spaced in a relatively normal way typically work well with clear braces, but this is not the case when large gaps are present.

Large gaps between the teeth can occur for a number of reasons. You might have a gap because you lost a permanent tooth at some point in your life, or you might have the gap because the tooth never came in. If you have one or more large gaps that need to be filled in, your orthodontist will probably recommend using traditional braces.

If you do not have any large gaps, the orthodontist will move on to the next step of the examination. This step involves looking at the rotation of the teeth.

Teeth That Are Rotated Or Tipped

A rotated tooth is a tooth that is not straight. It means that the tooth is turned one way or the other, and teeth can have minor or major rotation problems. Braces are used for a variety of things, but one of the main goals of braces is to fix rotations with the teeth.

Braces are also used to fix teeth that are tipped. When a tooth is tipped, it means it is leaning forward or backwards too far. In other words, the tooth is not straight vertically.

Clear braces can help correct minor rotations and tipping of teeth, but clear braces have limits. If the rotations are more than 20 degrees off, clear braces might not complete the job as thoroughly as traditional braces.

Major Overbites

The third thing the orthodontist will examine is your bite. Your bite refers to the way your teeth come together when you bite your upper and lower teeth together. An orthodontist will usually take x-rays from the front of your mouth and the side to get a better idea of what type of bite you have.

When the top teeth extend over the lower teeth when the mouth is closed, it is considered an overbite. While overbites are very common, they are not always treatable with clear braces. Your orthodontist might recommend clear braces if you do not have any gaps in your teeth or if you do not have any tipped or rotated teeth; however, if you have a major overbite, traditional braces might be a better option.

Traditional braces are able to shift teeth faster and easier, because of the pressure they place on the teeth. Clear braces, on the other hand, are better to use for minor problems with the teeth, because they do not place as much pressure on the teeth.

If you are interested in correcting the problems you have with your teeth, visit an orthodontics clinic. This is the best way to find out what types of braces are available, and you will learn which type will be best for correcting the problems you have.