Ceramic Braces for Teenagers

September 9, 2026

Ceramic braces work the same way as metal braces, with clear or tooth-coloured brackets instead of silver ones. They are less noticeable rather than invisible, which may matter to a teenager who would prefer a more discreet fixed appliance during treatment. Whether ceramic braces are suitable depends on the individual case and should be assessed by a specialist orthodontist.

How they work: the same movements as metal braces, at the same speed
Appearance: often not obvious from across a room, visible up close
Strength: engineered to be as strong as metal brackets
Upkeep: the small elastic ties can stain, the clear brackets rarely do
Sport: fine to keep playing, with a mouthguard made to fit over braces

What Are Ceramic Braces

Ceramic braces, often called clear braces, are the same appliance with different brackets. As our clear braces page puts it, they are “essentially like metal braces except that the brackets are less obvious because they are clear or tooth-coloured”.

Orthodontics Australia explains that ceramic braces work using the same basic bracket-and-wire principle as metal braces while providing a more subtle appearance. The important difference is how the brackets look, rather than a completely different way of moving the teeth.

If you want to see how the alternative compares, our metal braces page sets that option out. This article is about what wearing ceramic braces is actually like day to day.

Do They Take Longer or Break More Easily

Generally no on both counts, and this is worth settling early because it’s the question parents ask first.

Ceramic braces do not automatically mean a longer treatment time, but ceramic brackets are not mechanically identical to metal brackets. Treatment length depends on factors such as the complexity of the bite, the tooth movements required, how the teeth respond and whether appointments or repairs are needed.

We generally expect braces treatment to take around 18 to 24 months, although more complex cases can take longer. We can give you a more accurate estimate of your teenager’s treatment time after an orthodontic assessment.

Treatment length depends on what needs to be moved, not what the brackets are made of. Our clear braces page puts duration down to the complexity of the case rather than the type of brace, and Orthodontics Australia agrees that “ceramic braces won’t take any longer than any other treatment”.

What They Actually Look Like

Ceramic braces are often not visible from a distance, which is the claim the evidence actually supports. They’re not invisible, and a teenager promised otherwise tends to feel misled the first time they look in a mirror.

In practice that means across a classroom, in a team photo, or on a stage, they often do not read as braces at all. In close conversation, or in a selfie taken at arm’s length, they tend to be more apparent. Whether that difference matters is personal. For some teenagers, having a less noticeable fixed appliance is important. Others are perfectly comfortable with metal braces and may even prefer being able to choose coloured elastics.

Two things affect how they look:

The brackets themselves. We use small, low-profile clear brackets with smooth surfaces and rounded corners
The wire and ties. Orthodontics Australia suggests asking your orthodontist whether a silver wire and clear bands would suit your case, which can make the whole thing less noticeable again

That second point is worth raising at your appointment, since whether it suits depends on the individual case.

Will Wearing Them Help My Teenager’s Confidence

The research is clearer about quality of life than about self-esteem, and says nothing either way about how the months in between feel. That’s a more careful answer than the comfortable one, and it’s the accurate one.

At the end of treatment, the evidence is clear. A systematic review of adolescents treated with fixed braces found treatment “produces a significantly improved” oral health related quality of life by the end, which is a measure of how much someone’s teeth affect their daily life and how they feel about themselves. The biggest gains in that review were in the psychological and emotional wellbeing measures.

On self-esteem specifically, the evidence does not settle. A separate review looking at self-esteem found it rose clearly in younger children, but that for teenagers “there is ambiguity in the evidence whether there is an increase or decrease in SE” by the end of treatment. That’s a finding about where teenagers end up, not about how they feel along the way. We are not aware of good evidence either way on that.

So the honest position is narrower than the one you will usually be offered. Quality of life improves by the end, and the research supports that. Self-esteem is not shown to, and we should not imply otherwise.

None of that tells you whether to choose ceramic or metal. No research we know of compares the two on confidence, self-esteem or anything similar, so we will not claim ceramic braces are better for a self-conscious teenager. What we would say is that appearance is a reasonable thing for a family to weigh, alongside cost and everything else, rather than something to talk a teenager out of caring about.

Getting Through a School Day

Ceramic braces change the school routine very little, though a few practical things make the first weeks easier.

The first few days are often when a teenager notices their braces most. We advise that some patients take one to two weeks to adjust, while tenderness after fitting or an adjustment often settles sooner. Orthodontic wax can help if brackets rub against the lips or cheeks.

It is worth sending your teenager to school with the wax in their bag rather than at home in a drawer.

If you have a choice of timing, fitting braces at the start of a quieter week tends to work better than the week of a school camp or a formal.

Lunch usually needs a few practical changes rather than a completely different diet. Hard, chewy or sticky foods can damage brackets or wires. Cutting firm fruit into smaller pieces and choosing softer options can make eating easier, particularly just after braces are fitted or adjusted.

In lunchbox terms, that usually means cut fruit rather than whole, softer bread rather than a crusty roll, and leaving the muesli bar out.

Cleaning matters more with clear brackets, because the elastic ties around them are the part that picks up stain. A small kit that lives in the school bag, a toothbrush and a travel toothpaste, does most of the work. We provide an orthodontic care kit at the start of treatment.

If a bracket comes loose, it is not a crisis. Call us and we will see your teenager as soon as we can.

Keeping Them Looking Clear

The clear brackets themselves are generally resistant to staining. The small elastic ties around them are more likely to discolour, and these are normally replaced during adjustment appointments.

Those ties are replaced at routine adjustment appointments, so any staining that does happen is generally temporary rather than permanent.

A few habits can help between visits.

Cleaning. Brush thoroughly at least twice a day and clean between the teeth daily. Extra brushing after meals can also help when practical
Food and drinks. Darkly coloured foods and drinks may stain clear or tooth-coloured elastic ties
Appointments. Keep scheduled orthodontic visits so the appliance can be checked and the ties replaced when needed

Good plaque control is also important for the teeth underneath the braces. Plaque left around brackets can contribute to white spot lesions, tooth decay and gum problems. Some enamel changes may remain visible after the braces are removed, making daily cleaning more important than keeping the elastics looking perfectly clear.

Good cleaning also matters for the teeth underneath. Poor hygiene during treatment can leave marks on the enamel that show up once the braces come off, which is a longer-lasting problem than a stained elastic.

Sport, Mouthguards and Staying in the Game

For an active teenager this is usually the real question, and the answer is that they can generally continue playing sport while wearing braces. Orthodontics Australia advises wearing a mouthguard during contact sports. A mouthguard protects the teeth and brackets and can help reduce injuries to the lips and cheeks.

An existing mouthguard may no longer be suitable once braces are fitted. Standard mouthguards “aren’t designed to fit over braces and may not provide adequate protection”.

Choosing a mouthguard during treatment needs a little more thought because the teeth are still moving.

Store-bought guards may fit poorly or become loose
Boil-and-bite guards can be remoulded as the teeth move
Custom mouthguards may offer a better initial fit but cannot easily be remoulded as the teeth shift

Orthodontics Australia advises choosing a mouthguard that is moulded to fit the mouth and is comfortable to wear, while also considering fit, bulk and shock absorption.

A remouldable guard may be more practical while the teeth are still moving, while a custom option may suit some stages of treatment. We can help you decide what is appropriate for your teenager.

Two more things worth knowing:

Training counts too. Mouthguards are recommended at training as well as on game day, and for non-contact sports
Insurance. Some sports policies require a properly fitted mouthguard, which can matter if a claim is ever made

What About Playing a Musical Instrument

If your teenager plays a wind instrument, braces mean an adjustment rather than a stop. Orthodontics Australia notes that teens playing something like a trumpet or flute “may find that it takes a little bit of time to adjust to the new mouth placement”.

Most players settle in over a few weeks. Orthodontic wax can help if the brackets irritate the lips. It is also worth mentioning upcoming auditions, music exams or performances at the appointment so treatment timing can be discussed where possible.

Making the Decision Together

The most useful thing we can suggest is to bring your teenager into the choice rather than presenting it to them.

The facts are reasonably simple by this point.

Ceramic braces use the same basic fixed-appliance system as metal braces, but the brackets are clear or tooth-coloured
They are less noticeable rather than invisible
Ceramic is hard but more brittle than stainless steel, so care around hard foods and impacts is important
They ask for a bit more care to keep the ties looking clean
Metal braces have their own appeal for some teenagers, particularly the coloured elastics that can be changed at each visit

Cost is another factor to compare. Metal braces are usually the less expensive option at Capital Smiles Orthodontics, so choosing ceramic braces generally means paying somewhat more for a less noticeable fixed appliance. Whether that difference is worthwhile is something each family can weigh against the teenager’s preferences and clinical needs.

We have not put figures here because the amount depends on the individual case, and Orthodontics Australia notes that ceramic pricing varies between practices in any event. Ask us for both at your consultation, and we will give you the numbers for your own child rather than a range. Our cost of braces page sets out how our fees and payment plans work.

Timing is on your side too. Our own adolescents page sets out why we favour these years for treatment, and Orthodontics Australia independently describes the teenage years as a common and suitable time for a fixed appliance.

Booking a Consultation in Canberra

If your teenager is weighing up their options, a consultation is where the choice gets specific to them. Some cases suit ceramic well, and some are better served by another option, which is a judgement to make in front of the teeth rather than online.

You don’t need a referral from your dentist to book with us. Dr Jasprit Singh is a Canberra-based specialist orthodontist who sees teenagers at our practice in Deakin, ACT. She holds two Masters degrees in Orthodontics from prestigious universities, including an MSc in Orthodontics from UCL Eastman and a Master of Science in Lingual Orthodontics from Hannover Medical School.

You can read more on our clear braces page, or about what treatment involves for this age group on our adolescents page. When you are ready, get in touch with our team to arrange a consultation.