Lingual braces also known as Concealed, Invisible braces are the only non-visible form of fixed orthodontic therapy.

Special instrumentation, equipment, doctor and staff training are required for this technique. These braces can be used on both arches or on combination with outside clear braces on the lower teeth as shown in the following picture.

Lingual braces is a highly technical (and therefore very demanding) method of treating crooked teeth, offered routinely only by four or five other orthodontists in the Southern California area. Usually braces are glued on to the front surfaces of the teeth where you can readily see them. Most adults are really embarrassed by crooked teeth. Crooked teeth with braces on them are a nightmare for adults. When I first began to offer clear transparent braces my adult patients breathed a sigh of relief. But when I began to offer them lingual braces they were not only relieved they were ecstatic! Imagine braces that were glued to the back of the teeth. Adults who put them on would tell me how they would go to a party and tell people who were virtually strangers about their new lingual braces and then casually show them of like a kid with a new bicycle. Lingual braces had become a fashion statement, something to be proud of, a badge of distinction, in a word - "classy".

Six years ago when I first started to offer lingual braces it was like being a pioneer exploring an exciting and dangerous new frontier. It demanded unusually long appointments (30-90 minutes), new sorts of instruments (more expensive), and totally different head and hand positions (awkward and cramped), and getting used to another kind of patient (quirky). Even today when I'm setting up to insert or adjust lingual braces on a patient in mentally morph myself as though preparing for competition in an Olympic event. It's like a jeweler trying to work on the inside of a small watch that is wet, dimly lit, moves, and has an attitude besides!

Initial discomfort with lingual braces (sore tongue and minor speech problems) is more of a problem, but patients seem to readily leap those hurdles. One problem that is sometimes bothersome to me occurs when patients forget they have to refocus their brushing efforts on the inside of the teeth and gums become swollen and interfere with adjustments. On the other hand, the lingual brace appliance is a particularly useful tool for correcting problems involving very deep overbites, which are frequent in an orthodontist's office.