Book a Lingual Braces Appointment in North London

Lingual braces work like traditional braces with brackets and wires that guide teeth into position. The main difference is they are placed on the tongue side of the teeth. Each bracket is custom-made using digital scans to fit your teeth precisely, keeping them low profile and comfortable. This makes them suitable for professionals, actors, or anyone who wants fixed braces without an obvious look. A patient from Highgate, a working barrister, chose lingual braces because she could not have visible appliances during court appearances; the treatment remained invisible to clients and colleagues.

Lingual braces suit moderate to complex orthodontic issues, such as crooked teeth, crowding, or gaps. They are ideal if discretion is your main goal. Many North London patients pick this option for a fixed appliance that does not require wearing removable aligners like Invisalign. For example, a Muswell Hill patient previously struggled with wearing aligners for 22 hours a day. He chose lingual braces as a 'fit and forget' solution that worked continuously without daily management. This treatment is effective for strong straightening while keeping your results private.

Your treatment begins with a 60-minute consultation at our Finchley practice. We take digital scans and a 3D CBCT image of your teeth. The scans go to a specialised lab to create your custom brackets, usually taking 3 to 4 weeks. The fitting appointment is the longest, about 90 to 120 minutes, when we bond each bracket to the back of your teeth and place the archwire. After that, you will have adjustment visits every 6 to 8 weeks. Most cases take 18 to 24 months in total. When your teeth are lined up, we schedule a debonding appointment to remove the braces.

During the first week you may feel tongue irritation and a slight lisp while you adjust. This tends to improve quickly, and orthodontic wax can help soothe sore spots. Cleanliness is important. Use interdental brushes and a water flosser to clean around the brackets. Avoid very hard, sticky, or chewy foods that could damage the braces. After treatment you will wear retainers every night to keep your new smile. If a wire breaks or a bracket loosens, call us during office hours (Mon/Wed/Fri 9 to 5, Tue/Thu 11 to 7). For emergencies after hours, call 111.

While lingual braces offer the most discreet option, other choices exist. Invisalign clear aligners are popular because you can eat and clean with them. They require attachments on the front of the teeth, so they are not fully invisible and need wearing for about 22 hours a day. Traditional fixed braces sit on the front of the teeth and are more visible, but they often cost less for complex cases. During your consultation we will explain the pros and cons of each system based on your clinical needs, lifestyle, and budget to help you decide.

As a highly specialised and custom-made appliance, lingual braces are a premium orthodontic treatment. At our private London practice, the cost for lingual braces typically ranges from £6,000 to £10,000. This fee is all-inclusive and covers your initial scans, custom bracket creation, all fitting and adjustment appointments, and your first set of retainers. We believe in full transparency with no hidden fees. We are a private-only practice and do not offer NHS services. However, we do accept patients with private dental insurance plans from providers including Max Bupa, Denplan, and Cigna. Please contact us to discuss your specific coverage and receive a personalised treatment plan.

To choose what works for you, ask these questions of any provider in North London. What brand of lingual braces do you use and why? How many cases like mine have you treated with lingual braces? Does the quoted price include all appointments, emergency visits, and retainers? What is the process if a wire or bracket breaks outside office hours? Can you show before and after photos of previous lingual brace patients? How will you monitor my progress during treatment?