Braces in Melbourne

Gorgeous Smiles provides ceramic and metal braces at our Melbourne CBD clinic for straightening teeth that are crooked, crowded, gapped or misaligned and to correct how the upper and lower teeth meet. We're an established dental practice on Exhibition Street with a team of AHPRA-registered dentists, and traditional braces are one of the ways we move teeth into better alignment over time. If you already know you'd like to get started, you can book an appointment to talk through your options.

Braces work by applying gentle, steady pressure that moves teeth into their desired position over months, rather than all at once. They can help with:

Achieving tooth alignment and bite alignment can also make everyday care easier, because straighter teeth are simpler to clean around, and a more even bite spreads the load when you chew.

Traditional metal braces use stainless steel metal brackets and wires. They're the most cost-effective option and they're hard-wearing, which makes them a practical choice for more complex movement that needs precise control. They're popular with teenagers, partly because coloured elastic bands can be swapped at each visit. The trade-off is that they're the most visible type, since the metal brackets sit on the front of the teeth.

Ceramic braces (also called clear braces or clear ceramic braces)work the same way, but the brackets are tooth-coloured or clear, so they blend in against the enamel and are much less noticeable from a normal talking distance. Treatment times are usually similar to metal braces. They tend to suit adults and anyone who'd rather their braces weren't obvious at work or in photos. They generally cost more than metal, and the brackets can be a little more prone to staining if you're not careful with things like coffee and red wine, so they ask for a bit more day-to-day attention.

Most of the decision comes down to two things: how much it matters that the braces are noticeable, and your budget. Choose traditional metal braces if cost is your main priority, or if your case needs a lot of precise movement and you're fine with a more visible look. Choose ceramic braces if keeping things discreet matters more and you're comfortable paying a bit more for brackets that blend in. Both are effective methods of teeth straightening, so the choice usually comes down to your priorities and treatment options rather than one type being better than the other. The clearest way to decide is to have a dentist assess your teeth and explain which option suits the movement you actually need.

Braces and Invisalign both straighten teeth. The practical difference is that braces are fixed while aligners are removable, so the choice comes down to visibility, discipline and case complexity. If a removable option appeals, read our Invisalign in Melbourne page

At Gorgeous Smiles, metal braces range from $2,000 to $8,000 and ceramic braces from $6,500 to $9,500, although your final cost depends on your treatment plan and treatment duration. The figure depends on the type of braces and how much movement you need. For a full breakdown of what changes the price, see our guide to braces cost. Two things mostly drive it: the type of braces you choose, and how much correction your teeth need (which also affects how long you'll be in treatment). Ceramic braces generally cost more than metal, and a longer, more complex case costs more than a minor correction.

Rather than quote a figure that might not reflect your situation, we confirm the cost after a dentist has assessed your teeth and you've agreed on a treatment plan, so the price you're given is the actual price for your treatment. Gorgeous Smiles offers interest-free payment plans through trusted providers such as Afterpay, Zip Money and humm, helping patients access treatment sooner (subject to terms and conditions). With deposits starting from 10% or 20% (depending on the treatment value), payment plans can be tailored over terms of up to 24 months with convenient weekly or fortnightly repayments. Gorgeous Smiles also accepts all major health funds, with on-the-spot HICAPS claiming so any rebate you're entitled to comes off at the time.

Braces work for adults as well as teenagers, and for children once enough adult teeth have come through and a child's teeth are ready, as long as the teeth and gums are healthy enough to begin treatment. Because they're fixed in place, they're well suited to complex cases and to anyone who knows they'd struggle to keep a removable appliance in consistently, since results depend on wearing it as directed. If you'd rather have something you can take out, and your case suits it, clear aligner systems like Invisalign are worth looking into instead. Either way, whether braces are the right fit, and which type, comes down to an orthodontic consultation where a dentist checks your oral health and talks through what your teeth actually need.

Our Melbourne CBD dental clinic at 121 Exhibition Street is within a:

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