what are lingual braces

Lingual braces are fixed braces that sit on the inside (tongue-facing side) of your teeth instead of the front, so they straighten your smile but stay almost invisible when you talk or laugh. They work very much like traditional metal braces, using brackets and wires to gently move teeth into better alignment over time.

What lingual braces are

• “Lingual” just means “next to the tongue,” so these braces are bonded to the back surfaces of your teeth rather than the front.

• They are a type of fixed metal brace with customized brackets and an archwire designed to fit the shape of the inner side of your teeth.

How they work

• Your orthodontist takes impressions or a 3D scan of your teeth, then a lab custom-makes brackets and wires that fit the inner surfaces.

• Once glued in place, the archwire applies continuous gentle pressure, slowly moving teeth into the planned positions with periodic tightening visits.

Advantages

• Very discreet: from the front, most people cannot see them at all, which is why they are often called “hidden braces.”

• They can be effective for complex movements and bite problems in some cases, similar to or better than regular front-of-teeth braces for issues like deep overbites or spacing.

Disadvantages

• They can feel bulky against the tongue at first and may cause temporary soreness or small tongue irritation until you adapt.

• Speech can be affected (mild lisp) for some people in the early weeks, though most adapt with practice.

• They are usually more expensive and may take slightly longer chair-time because the system is more customized and technically demanding for the orthodontist.

Who they are best for

• Adults and image-conscious teens who want a more invisible option than traditional braces but need something more controlled than clear aligners in certain cases.

• People whose jobs or social situations make visible braces a concern, such as presenters, performers, or client-facing professionals.

Quick HTML table overview

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<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Aspect</th>
      <th>Lingual braces</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Position on teeth</td>
      <td>Fixed to the back (tongue side) of teeth, hidden from front view.[web:1][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Visibility</td>
      <td>Very low; often called hidden or invisible braces.[web:3][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>How they move teeth</td>
      <td>Brackets and archwire apply gentle continuous pressure, adjusted regularly.[web:5][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Common side effects</td>
      <td>Tongue irritation, initial lisp, soreness while adapting.[web:2][web:6]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Best suited for</td>
      <td>People wanting discreet treatment, including adults and professionals.[web:3][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Cost level</td>
      <td>Typically higher than standard front-of-teeth metal braces.[web:3][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

TL;DR: Lingual braces are hidden braces fixed behind your teeth; they work like traditional braces but stay out of sight, at the cost of higher price and a trickier adjustment period.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.