Gold dental braces: An attractive alternative to stainless steel braces.

One option that a patient may choose when deciding on having braces is for their orthodontist to use of gold-colored orthodontic hardware with their treatment. Many people feel that the look of gold-colored brackets and wires is more cosmetically pleasing than traditional stainless steel dental braces.

Some feel that its appearance is warmer and therefore allows their braces to be less obtrusive and blend in better with their smile and face. Other people like the idea of gold braces because they are attracted to the appearance of the metal itself. They feel that the luster of gold makes their braces standout in the sense that they look unique or distinctive, possibly somewhat reminiscent of fine quality jewelry.

Gold braces can offer a treatment solution for people with metal allergies.

There can be a practical application for the use of gold braces. Some people are allergic to the metal nickel and nickel is one of the components of the alloy stainless steel, the metal traditionally used to make orthodontic hardware. In those cases where a patient does have an allergy, gold braces can provide an alternative that makes orthodontic treatment possible for them.

Is the patient's orthodontic treatment different when gold dental braces are used?

For all practical purposes, orthodontic treatment performed with gold or stainless steel braces is essentially identical.

Are gold-colored dental braces really made out of gold?

The brackets and wires that make up gold braces aren't really solid gold. As you can no doubt imagine, different metals have different physical characteristics. As it happens, gold, especially 24K gold, is way to soft to be able to create or sustain the forces need for a patient's orthodontic treatment. Instead, gold braces are only golden in appearance. Their gold coloring is a coating that has been applied to the surface of another metal that has been selected because it does have suitable physical properties.

You'll have to ask your orthodontist exactly what type of coating has been applied to the surface of the gold brackets and archwires that they plan to use with your treatment. It may be a true 24K gold plating or it may be a gold-colored coating such as titanium nitride (TiN) or zirconium nitride (ZrN). For most patients it seems that the exact coating that has been applied is of less importance than the simple fact that the overall color of their braces is golden.

How much do gold braces cost?

You can anticipate that the cost of gold-colored or gold-plated braces will be more than their stainless steel counterparts. They may not, however, cost more (and may even be more cost effective) than choosing other types of cosmetic options such as ceramic orthodontic brackets.