Who can benefit from clear braces?
Clear braces suit teens and adults with healthy teeth and gums who want fixed braces that are harder to notice. New patients welcome, with evening and weekend appointments.
Key points before you book:
- Expect to wear clear braces for about one to three years. The time is set by how much your teeth have to shift.
- Ceramic brackets are more fragile than metal ones, and the clear ties around them pick up stains.
- Decay and gum disease are treated before any braces go on.
- Published prices for ceramic braces at other Toronto-area clinics run about $5,000 to $7,000. Your own cost comes in a written estimate after an exam.
- OHIP does not pay for braces. The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) has no orthodontic coverage at present.
Clear braces treat the same kinds of problems as metal braces:
- Crooked or crowded teeth
- Gaps between teeth
- Bite problems such as an overbite, underbite or crossbite
- Teeth that have drifted back after earlier braces
Not every bite is suited to clear braces. Dr. Julien Kim will look at tooth position and spacing first and tell you plainly if something else would work better. A bite problem caused by the jaw bones themselves can need more than braces, depending on how severe it is and your age.
Who are clear braces not right for?
Clear braces are not the right first step if you have untreated decay or gum disease. A published review of orthodontic side effects warns that braces on teeth with untreated gum disease can cause lasting damage to the bone and gums. Those problems are treated first.
- A bite that hits the brackets. Teeth that bite against ceramic brackets can wear down. In that case the dentist may suggest metal brackets on some teeth.
- Cleaning you cannot keep up with. Plaque left around brackets leaves white marks on the enamel.
- Wanting braces you can take out. Removable clear aligners are the option to ask about.
Clear braces for kids, teens and adults
Clear braces for kids
Children can have clear braces once enough of their adult teeth have come in. Cleveland Clinic names ages 9 to 14 as the usual window for braces, and the right moment depends on how your child's teeth and jaws are growing.
Ceramic brackets break more easily than metal ones, so a child who chews pens needs extra care. Our children's orthodontics page covers early checks for younger patients.
Clear braces for teens
Clear braces suit teens who want fixed braces that show less at school and in photos. There are no trays to lose.
Teens do need to brush around every bracket after meals. Plaque trapped next to a bracket dissolves minerals from the enamel, and chalky white patches can form.
Clear braces for adults
Adults can have clear braces if their teeth and gums are healthy. Cleveland Clinic says adult braces work just as well as braces for teens. Treatment for adults can take a little longer.
Your exam looks at any crowns, fillings or gum recession before a plan is made. Ask whether clear braces or clear aligners fit better around your work and routine.
What are the benefits of clear braces?
The main benefit of clear braces is that they straighten teeth with fixed braces that blend in with your teeth. They work around the clock, and there are no trays to remember.
| Metal braces | Clear braces | Clear aligners | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made of | Steel brackets glued to each tooth, joined by a wire | Tooth-shade ceramic brackets glued to each tooth, joined by a wire | Removable clear plastic trays, changed in a set order |
| Appearance | Easy to see | Blend with the teeth, visible up close | Hard to spot when in |
| Your part | Brush around brackets, skip hard and sticky food | The same as metal, plus care with drinks that stain | Keep the trays in for the daily hours set, remove them to eat |
| Durability | Strong brackets | Brackets can chip or crack | New trays replace old ones as you go |
| Wrong choice if | Visible metal bothers you | Your lower teeth bite hard on the upper brackets | You will not wear the trays for the hours set |
If you would rather take your braces out to eat and clean, compare clear braces with clear aligners before you decide.
Dr. Julien Kim is an orthodontist at My City Dental who sees patients in English, Mandarin Chinese or Korean. Dr. Kim can tell you which of the three suits your bite.
What are the downsides of clear braces?
The downsides of clear braces are staining, fragile brackets, wear on the teeth that bite against them, a risk to the enamel when they come off, and a higher price than metal braces. A 1992 paper in an orthodontic journal lists wear on opposing teeth and enamel damage at removal among the problems with ceramic brackets, and advises choosing carefully which teeth get them.
- Staining. The clear elastic ties pick up colour from food and drink. The brackets themselves can change colour too. A 2026 clinical study measured marked colour change in eight brands of ceramic bracket after three months in the mouth.
- Fragile brackets. Cleveland Clinic notes that ceramic brackets are more fragile than metal ones and break more easily.
- Removal. Ceramic brackets bond strongly and are brittle. A 2024 review of ceramic bracket removal lists enamel micro-fractures and cracks as a risk.
Clear braces also carry the risks of every fixed brace. White marks on the enamel can stay for good, and teeth drift back if you stop wearing your retainer.
Tooth movement can also shorten some root tips a little. The loss is usually small, but root length that is lost does not grow back. In rare cases the loss is large, and the dentist then pauses, changes or stops treatment.
How do you keep clear braces clean and stain-free?
The NHS advice for a fixed brace is to brush with fluoride toothpaste after meals as well as morning and night. Clean under the wire every day with an interdental brush.
Rinse with water after coffee, tea or red wine. Skip hard, crunchy and sticky foods and gum, which crack brackets and bend wires.
What should you do if a bracket chips or a wire pokes?
Call My City Dental at (905) 581-2228 if a bracket chips, cracks or comes loose, or a wire pokes your cheek. Cover a sharp edge with orthodontic wax until you are seen. Emergency same-day care is offered when available.
If you think you breathed in or swallowed a piece of bracket, get checked at a hospital emergency department, even with no symptoms. Call 911 if you are choking or cannot breathe.
Call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department if you have trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling that spreads toward your eye or neck, fever with facial swelling, or bleeding that will not stop.
How long do clear braces last?
Clear braces stay on for about one to three years. NHS guidance puts a fixed brace at 1 to 2 years. Cleveland Clinic puts the average near two years, and some people need three.
You come back for adjustment visits on a schedule the dentist sets. The brackets remain glued in place until treatment ends. A bracket can come loose and need a repair visit.
What is the cost of clear braces in Vaughan?
Published prices for ceramic braces at other Toronto-area clinics run about $5,000 to $7,000. Your own cost comes in a written estimate after an exam.
Your estimate depends on:
- The amount of tooth movement your bite needs
- Braces on the upper teeth, the lower teeth or both
- The length of treatment
- Whether every tooth gets a ceramic bracket or only some of them
- Retainers after the braces come off
How much more do clear braces cost than metal braces?
Toronto-area clinic pages put ceramic braces at about $500 to $2,000 more than metal braces. Our metal braces page gives the published range for metal braces.
Is $5,000 reasonable for clear braces?
Yes. A price of $5,000 sits at the low end of the published Toronto-area range for ceramic braces. Before you compare totals, check whether each estimate includes retainers and adjustment visits. Invisalign prices are on our Invisalign page.
My City Dental has a $500 off braces offer. Ask our team about the current $500 Braces offer and whether it applies to your treatment plan before booking. Offers can change, so ask the team whether one applies to you when booking.
Can you pay for clear braces monthly?
Raise payment options with the team once you have your written estimate. Weigh the estimate against your budget and insurance before treatment starts.
Does OHIP or the CDCP cover clear braces or Invisalign?
No. Ontario's OHIP list excludes dental services provided in a dentist's office, so braces and Invisalign are not covered. The CDCP Dental Benefits Guide states that orthodontic services are currently not available.
The CDCP is accepted at My City Dental for services the plan covers. What it pays for depends on the service and your eligibility, and some services need preauthorization.
Clear braces questions
Are clear braces still a thing?
Yes. Clear ceramic braces are still in everyday use, and a 2026 clinical study compared eight current brands of ceramic bracket.
Clear braces sit between metal braces and clear aligners. They are fixed like metal braces and harder to see, and they do not depend on you wearing trays.
What is the prettiest braces colour?
Clear, white or tooth-coloured ties keep clear braces hardest to spot. Clear ties do discolour, and a 2025 clinical trial found every brand tested had changed colour within 28 days.
Coloured ties hide stains but make the braces easier to see. Ask the team which tie colours are available.
Are clear braces worth it at 40?
Yes, if your teeth and gums are healthy and the look or fit of your teeth bothers you. Age by itself is not a reason to say no.
If you have older fillings, crowns or receding gums, the exam checks each one before a plan is made. Clear braces appeal to adults who want fixed braces that are less obvious in meetings and photos.
Do you need a retainer after clear braces?
Yes. Cleveland Clinic says anyone who wears braces needs a retainer afterwards. It keeps your teeth from drifting back to their old positions once the brackets are off.
A retainer can be a removable clear tray or a thin wire glued behind the front teeth. Your dentist picks the type with you and sets how many hours a day to wear it.