Lingual Braces in Las Vegas & Henderson
Brackets bonded behind your teeth rather than in front. The only orthodontic treatment that is genuinely invisible from the outside — and the least understood option we offer.
Braces on the inside
“Lingual” means tongue-side. Instead of bonding brackets to the front surface of each tooth, they are bonded to the back — the surface facing your tongue. The archwire runs behind the teeth too.
The result is orthodontic treatment nobody can see. Not less visible, like ceramic. Not nearly invisible, like aligners at close range. Actually invisible from the front, in photographs, across a table, for the entire course of treatment.
Clinically they are fixed braces, which means they treat a wider range of cases than aligners and require no compliance at all. They work while you sleep, forget, travel and eat.
The trade-offs are real and we would rather set them out plainly: a genuine speech adjustment period, more tongue contact early on, a higher fee, and not every case is a candidate.
When lingual is the right recommendation
This is a narrower recommendation than most treatments, and it usually comes down to one of these situations.
You are visible for a living
Broadcast, performance, executive roles, sales, teaching. If your face is the product and visible orthodontics is genuinely not an option for eighteen months, lingual is the only fixed appliance that solves it completely.
Your case is too complex for aligners
Significant rotations, closing extraction spaces, guiding an impacted canine. If Dr. Beth tells you aligners will not achieve your result and you still need invisibility, this is the remaining option.
You know you would not comply
Aligners demand twenty to twenty-two hours a day. Some people are honest with themselves that this will not happen. Lingual gives the discretion of aligners with none of the compliance requirement.
A fixed event you cannot move
A wedding, a campaign, a season of public appearances. Fixed dates concentrate the mind, and lingual removes visibility as a variable entirely.
When we would steer you elsewhere. If your case suits aligners and your compliance is realistic, take the aligners — they are cheaper, more comfortable and easier to clean. If discretion matters but not absolutely, ceramic braces deliver most of the benefit at a lower fee. Lingual earns its cost when invisibility is genuinely non-negotiable.
What the first month is actually like
Week one: speech feels wrong
Your tongue sits against the back of your upper front teeth to form s, t, d and z sounds. Brackets there change that, and most patients develop a noticeable lisp for the first several days. It resolves as the tongue adapts, but it is real and we will not pretend otherwise. Reading aloud for ten minutes a day speeds it up measurably.
Weeks one to two: tongue soreness
The tip and underside of the tongue rub against the brackets until the tissue toughens. Orthodontic wax over the worst offenders helps a great deal in this window, and salt water rinses ease it. By week three most patients have stopped noticing.
By week three or four: normal
Speech is generally back to baseline. Most patients report the appliance has essentially disappeared from their awareness. From this point treatment proceeds much like any fixed braces case.
Throughout: cleaning takes more effort
You cannot see what you are brushing, which makes hygiene harder rather than impossible. A water flosser is close to essential here, and interdental brushes by feel become second nature. Keep your six-month dental cleanings without fail.
Adjustments every 4 to 6 weeks
Same interval as conventional braces. Appointments run slightly longer because access is more difficult, and the technique is more demanding for the orthodontist — which is part of why fewer practices offer it.
Lingual, ceramic or Invisalign?
| Lingual | Ceramic | Invisalign | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visible from the front | Never | Slightly | Barely |
| Compliance needed | None | None | 20–22 hrs daily |
| Case range | Wide | Wide | Mild to moderate |
| Speech adjustment | 1–2 weeks | None | A few days |
| Cleaning difficulty | Highest | Moderate | Easiest — removable |
| Food restrictions | Yes | Yes | None |
| Relative cost | Highest | Mid | Mid |
Lingual braces FAQ
Are lingual braces really invisible?
Yes, from the front. The brackets and wire sit entirely behind your teeth, so nothing shows when you smile, speak or appear in photographs. Someone would have to be looking into your open mouth from below to see them. This is the only orthodontic treatment for which invisibility is literal rather than relative.
Will lingual braces affect my speech?
Temporarily, yes, and more noticeably than any other option. Most patients develop a lisp for the first several days to two weeks while the tongue adapts to brackets behind the upper front teeth. It resolves for the large majority. Reading aloud for ten minutes a day measurably speeds up the adjustment.
Do lingual braces hurt more than regular braces?
Tooth soreness is the same — a dull ache for a couple of days after placement and each adjustment. What differs is tongue irritation in the first week or two, since the tip and underside rub against the brackets until the tissue toughens. Orthodontic wax and salt water rinses handle it.
How much do lingual braces cost?
They sit at the top of our fee range. The brackets are custom-made for the individual anatomy of each tooth, the laboratory work is more involved, and appointments take longer because access is more difficult. You receive an exact figure for your case at the free consultation, and monthly plans at 0% APR with no credit check are available.
Is everyone a candidate for lingual braces?
No. Very short clinical crowns leave insufficient surface behind the tooth to bond a bracket securely, and certain deep bite patterns make lingual brackets impractical. Dr. Beth confirms candidacy using your 3D scan and will tell you plainly if your anatomy does not suit them.
How do I clean lingual braces?
By feel rather than sight, which takes practice. A water flosser is close to essential, and interdental brushes used by touch become routine within a couple of weeks. Keep your six-month dental cleanings throughout — the hygienist can reach what you cannot see.
How long does treatment take with lingual braces?
Broadly comparable to conventional braces, typically eighteen to twenty-four months depending on your case. They are fixed appliances applying continuous force, so treatment time is driven by the complexity of the movement rather than the bracket position.
Can teenagers have lingual braces?
Sometimes, though we recommend them less often for younger patients. Cleaning by feel demands more discipline than most teenagers have, and the cost is significantly higher. Ceramic braces usually make more sense at that age.
Find out whether your teeth suit lingual braces.
A free consultation, a 3D scan, and a straight answer on candidacy — including if ceramic or aligners would serve you better for less.