New option in the Valley to straighten your teeth without all the metal

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The days of bracing yourself for braces may be over.

People across the Valley now have a new option that makes smile straightening a lot less visible.

Board-certified orthodontist, Dr. Tamara Shamlian is the first in the Valley to offer the INBRACE system of lingual, or behind the teeth braces at Clarity Orthodontics in Northwest Fresno.

For patients who are candidates for INBRACE, gone is the full mouth of metal, with traditional braces.

INBRACE is even more invisible than clear appliances.

"I love the vision of INBRACE. They want patients to be able to enjoy their lifestyle without the obstruction of the brackets or clear aligners," said Dr. Shamlian.

Dr. Shamlian says INBRACE is ideal for patients like Katherine; busy professionals who may have had traditional braces in the past, but now need another round of moderate to mild correction...because...

"My retainer stopped fitting so I got another one fitted and I eventually didn't wear that one either," said INBRACE user Katherine Picone.

The Central Unified math teacher and her husband decided to grin and bear it together and both get braces.

Katherine then became the first Valley patient to be fitted with INBRACE.

The system is completely digital from diagnostics to the creation of the customized system. The brackets are bonded to the back of the teeth, and a smart wire is made for the patient's specific course of treatment.

In only the first six weeks of treatment, Dr. Shamlian shows Katherine, how much her teeth have already corrected.

The before-scan shows Katherine's teeth, crowded and overlapping at the edges.

The six-week scan shows the improving alignment.

Since the smart wire is pre-programmed for gradual movement, most patients need treatment appointments every six to eight weeks instead of every four weeks.

Patients can brush and even floss normally because the smart wire doesn't obstruct with hygiene, conveniences Katherine appreciates.

"That was the cool part of the technology that I didn't have to come in all the time and have an appointment," said Picone.

Dr. Shamlian says INBRACE costs about the same as Invisalign, which is about $5,000 to $6,000.

She says patients can end up saving money because of fewer visits to the office and fewer broken brackets.

The doctor says kids and teens can also benefit from INBRACE because of fewer office visits and less maintenance.

Each patient's orthodontic needs are thoroughly evaluated to find out if they're a candidate for the state-of-the-art system.