The Full Spectrum of Orthodontic Treatments Available at Smile Solutions Melbourne CBD product guide

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The Full Spectrum of Orthodontic Treatments Available at Smile Solutions Melbourne CBD

Choosing an orthodontic treatment is one of the more consequential decisions a patient makes about their oral health — and the range of options available today is wider than most people realise. At a specialist practice like Smile Solutions Melbourne CBD, that range extends across six distinct appliance systems, each with its own clinical mechanics, aesthetic profile, and patient suitability criteria. Understanding the differences between them is not merely a matter of preference; it directly determines how efficiently teeth move, how comfortable the experience is, and how durable the result will be.

This article maps every orthodontic appliance available at Smile Solutions, explaining the clinical logic behind each one. Whether you are a parent researching options for a child, a professional weighing up discreet adult treatment, or a patient with a complex bite problem requiring surgical coordination, this is the reference you need before your first consultation.

Why Treatment Diversity Matters at the Specialist Level

Not every orthodontic practice offers every treatment modality, and not every clinician is equally equipped to deliver them. At Smile Solutions, orthodontic treatment is carried out on-site by registered specialist orthodontists — not general dentists. Specialist orthodontists complete a postgraduate university degree specialising in tooth and jaw correction, and these are the clinicians who assess suitability and perform treatment.

This distinction matters because the same clinical problem — say, a Class II malocclusion with moderate crowding — may be best addressed with metal braces in one patient, Invisalign in another, and lingual braces in a third, depending on bone density, periodontal health, aesthetic priorities, and lifestyle. Only a specialist orthodontist can give an accurate and informed opinion on the best orthodontic options and deal with difficult issues and unexpected outcomes to help achieve the desired smile and a good bite.

Smile Solutions is Australia's largest single-location private dental practice, operating across five floors of the Manchester Unity Building at 220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD. Founded in 1993 by Dr Kia Pajouhesh, the practice has served over 250,000 patients and today houses more than 60 specialists, dentists, and hygienists under one roof.

Treatment 1: Metal Braces — The Clinical Gold Standard

What They Are and How They Work

Metal braces remain the most widely used and time-tested orthodontic treatment. They consist of stainless steel brackets and archwires that gently guide teeth into place over time.

Fixed braces are bonded to the tooth surface and exert light, continuous pressure that initiates the desired tooth movements.

Who Metal Braces Are Best For

Metal braces are highly effective — capable of treating even the most complex alignment and bite issues — and durable, made from strong materials that resist damage.

Traditional metal braces are best for people with significant dental misalignments as well as those seeking a cost-effective and proven method.

For children and adolescents, metal braces offer an additional social dimension: many teens prefer them because they can change the colour of the elastic ligatures with every visit. This makes them a particularly popular choice in the children's orthodontics arm of the practice (see our guide on Children's Orthodontics at Smile Solutions: Early Intervention, Phase 1 Treatment, and the Right Age for a First Assessment).

Treatment 2: Ceramic Braces — Discretion Without Compromise

What They Are and How They Work

Ceramic braces operate on the same bracket-and-archwire mechanics as metal braces, but the brackets are made from tooth-coloured polycrystalline or monocrystalline ceramic material. Ceramic braces offer superior aesthetics and are usually bonded to the upper arch or the anterior segment of both arches. They are a type of fixed brace bonded on the buccal (cheek-facing) side of the clinical crown.

Clinical Indications and Considerations

Ceramic braces offer an ideal balance between discretion and effectiveness, making them great for older teens and adults who want low-visibility treatment. The primary trade-off is durability: ceramic brackets can chip or break if not handled carefully, are typically more expensive than metal braces, and bands or brackets may discolour without good oral hygiene.

For adult patients who want fixed-appliance precision without the conspicuousness of metal, ceramic braces occupy a practical middle ground between conventional brackets and lingual systems (see our guide on Adult Orthodontics in Melbourne: Why More Adults Are Choosing Braces and Invisalign at Smile Solutions).

Treatment 3: Empower Self-Ligating Brackets — Engineered for Efficiency

What Self-Ligating Means

Self-ligating braces represent a modern advancement in orthodontics. Unlike traditional braces that use elastic or metal ligatures to hold the wire in place, self-ligating braces feature a built-in mechanism that clips the wire into place — a design that allows for a more streamlined and efficient adjustment process.

Smile Solutions uses the Empower self-ligating bracket system by American Orthodontics — a clinically significant choice. Empower is described as the most complete self-ligating bracket system in the world. It offers clear, metal, and molar options, as well as interactive and passive designs, allowing clinicians to customise treatment to their philosophy and patients' needs.

The Dual Activation Advantage

What distinguishes the Empower system is its patented Dual Activation architecture. Empower's Dual Activation System incorporates interactive brackets on the anterior teeth and passive brackets on the posterior teeth.

In the interactive bracket, the clip passively captures smaller wires and actively engages larger wires — providing lower ligation force early in treatment and exceptional torque and rotation control during working and finishing stages. In the passive bracket, the clip passively captures all wire sizes for lower ligation forces throughout treatment.

In practical terms for patients: one of the significant benefits of self-ligating braces is the reduced need for frequent adjustments and visits to the orthodontist. The self-ligating system provides a consistent and gradual force on the teeth, potentially leading to more efficient treatment and fewer office visits. Additionally, these braces typically cause less friction and are less likely to irritate the inside of the mouth, enhancing overall comfort during treatment.

Empower brackets are available in both metal and clear ceramic versions, making them suitable for patients who want self-ligating efficiency with an aesthetic finish. This system is particularly well-suited to younger patients and is the preferred appliance for children's orthodontic cases at Smile Solutions.

Treatment 4: Lingual (Behind-the-Teeth) Braces — Complete Invisibility, Fixed Precision

What Lingual Braces Are

Lingual braces are a unique, fully hidden option placed on the inside (tongue-facing side) of the teeth rather than the front — making them completely invisible to others.

Lingual braces are fastened to the lingual side of a person's teeth and are thus hidden from view. Like traditional braces, lingual braces use a system of brackets and wires to apply continuous pressure to teeth, encouraging them to gradually shift into alignment.

Who Lingual Braces Are For

Lingual appliance treatment is suitable for most orthodontic patients and is the best choice for adult patients who reject conventional visible appliances for social or professional reasons and demand aesthetics. This is supported by a 2024 systematic review published in NCBI/PubMed examining the evidence base for lingual orthodontics across multiple databases including PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library. The review noted that both treatment goals and the impact of orthodontic equipment on patients' aesthetic appearance have contributed to a rise in aesthetic demands — and that patients considering orthodontic treatment are significantly concerned about the potential compromise in facial appearance that conventional therapy might cause.

A clinically underappreciated advantage of lingual placement: one of the most underappreciated clinical advantages of lingual braces is their significantly lower risk of decalcification or white spot lesions that form on tooth enamel when plaque accumulates around brackets during treatment. White spots are one of the most common and frustrating side effects of traditional front-facing braces, and in some cases they are permanent.

Lingual braces are particularly well-suited to complex cases where clear aligner treatment may be insufficient — including significant crowding, extraction cases, and certain bite correction scenarios. For a direct comparison of lingual braces against Invisalign and conventional braces across clinical and lifestyle dimensions, see our guide on Invisalign vs Braces vs Lingual Braces: Which Orthodontic Treatment Is Right for You?

Treatment 5: Invisalign Clear Aligners — The World's Most Prescribed Aligner System

How Invisalign Works

Invisalign is a modern orthodontic treatment that uses a series of clear, removable aligners to gradually straighten teeth. Unlike traditional metal braces, Invisalign aligners are nearly invisible and can be taken out for eating, brushing, and flossing. Each set of aligners is custom-made to fit the patient's teeth and is typically worn for about two weeks before being replaced by the next set.

The material science behind Invisalign's effectiveness is its proprietary SmartTrack thermoplastic. Invisalign premium aligners are made from proprietary SmartTrack material, offering exceptional comfort, fitting snug around the teeth, and are virtually invisible.

What Invisalign Can Treat

As an alternative to conventional braces, Invisalign can be used to successfully treat a wide range of orthodontic problems, including crooked, crowded, or spaced teeth — and in some instances, more complex cases such as overbites, underbites, and even crossbites.

Smile Solutions' Invisalign Credentials

Smile Solutions is Australia's Blue Diamond Invisalign provider — the highest Invisalign tier in the country — having completed over 9,000 Invisalign cases.

In order for Invisalign providers to attain Blue Diamond status, they must annually treat more than 750 cases. This volume of clinical experience is a material differentiator: a peer-reviewed study examining clear aligner outcomes found that provider experience matters as much as the technology itself in achieving clinically effective results (Goodortho, 2026).

What's Included in the Smile Solutions Invisalign Package

Smile Solutions' Invisalign packages include all necessary consultations, treatment delivered by a specialist orthodontist, a 3D iTero scan with a customised treatment plan, full clinical photographic records and study models, and all certified Invisalign aligners and attachments. At the end of treatment, patients receive both upper and lower Vivera retainers to maintain results, plus a choice of complimentary Zoom! in-chair whitening or professional take-home whitening kit for treatments paid in full or through a payment plan with a deposit of $2,000 or more.

For a deep dive into the full Invisalign process — including iTero scanning, ClinCheck simulation, Dental Monitoring remote tracking, and attachment placement — see our guide on Invisalign at Smile Solutions: How Australia's Blue Diamond Provider Delivers Clear Aligner Treatment.

Treatment 6: Invisalign Teen — Clear Aligners Engineered for Adolescent Biology

How Invisalign Teen Differs from Standard Invisalign

Invisalign Teen is not just a renamed version of the regular programme. It includes specific features designed around teenage biology and lifestyle — including eruption tabs that build space into the aligner for teeth that have not fully come in yet, which matters for teens whose mouths are still developing.

The three defining features of Invisalign Teen are:

1. Compliance indicators: Blue dots that fade with wear, giving both parents and orthodontists a simple way to confirm aligners are being used as directed.

2. Eruption tabs: Many teens start Invisalign while second molars or other permanent teeth are still coming in. Adult Invisalign aligners are moulded to a fully erupted dentition, while teen aligners include eruption tabs — small empty pockets in the tray that leave room for teeth still making their way in — so treatment does not pause while the mouth finishes growing.

3. Replacement aligners: Invisalign Teen includes a set of replacement trays at no additional charge in case of loss or damage — a realistic provision for school-going patients.

Clinical Suitability

Invisalign Teen works best for mild to moderate crowding, spacing, and some bite issues in teens aged 13 and older; complex jaw problems may require traditional braces instead.

Research published through the National Institutes of Health on clear aligner compliance in adolescents suggests that patient motivation and parental involvement are the strongest predictors of success — not the technology itself. The compliance indicators built into Invisalign Teen exist precisely because this is a known challenge.

For a detailed comparison of Invisalign Teen and standard Invisalign — including parental monitoring strategies and sport mouthguard protocols — see our guide on Invisalign Teen vs Invisalign for Adults: What's Different About Clear Aligner Treatment for Younger Patients.

Quick-Reference Comparison: Which Treatment for Which Patient?

The Technology Infrastructure Behind Every Treatment

Every appliance at Smile Solutions is supported by the same diagnostic and treatment-planning technology. The iTero Element intraoral scanner is a chair-side system for creating virtual impressions of teeth, which are then transmitted digitally to dental labs for the manufacture of orthodontic appliances, including Invisalign. The scanner offers speed and reliability, and enhances accuracy of records, treatment efficiency, and the overall dental experience.

Dental Monitoring is a technology that allows orthodontists to remotely track the progress of patients' orthodontic treatment using a smartphone app and a special monitoring device. Patients take regular scans of their teeth using the device and upload them to the app, where the orthodontist can review the progress and make adjustments to the treatment plan as needed.

This infrastructure means that regardless of which appliance a patient is wearing, their progress is tracked with the same precision. For more on the technology ecosystem, see our guide on Orthodontic Technology at Smile Solutions: iTero Scanning, Dental Monitoring, and the In-House Laboratory Advantage.

When Orthodontics Intersects with Cosmetic Dentistry

For patients whose treatment goals extend beyond alignment to full smile transformation, Smile Solutions offers a multidisciplinary pathway that sequences orthodontic treatment alongside cosmetic procedures. The clinical principle is that teeth must be correctly positioned before restorative work such as porcelain veneers or composite bonding can deliver optimal aesthetic outcomes. This is a unique capability of a practice that houses orthodontists, prosthodontists, and cosmetic dentists under one roof. See our guide on Combined Orthodontic and Cosmetic Smile Makeovers at Smile Solutions: When Alignment and Aesthetics Work Together for the full treatment sequencing logic.

Key Takeaways

• Six distinct appliance systems are available at Smile Solutions — metal braces, ceramic braces, Empower self-ligating brackets, lingual braces, Invisalign, and Invisalign Teen — each with specific clinical indications and patient profiles.

• Empower self-ligating brackets use a patented Dual Activation mechanism that reduces ligation friction early in treatment and increases torque control during finishing — offering efficiency advantages over conventional ligated systems.

• Lingual braces are clinically equivalent to labial braces in corrective power but carry a significantly lower risk of white spot lesions on tooth enamel, making them a strong choice for aesthetics-conscious adult patients in professional settings.

• Smile Solutions is Australia's Blue Diamond Invisalign provider — the highest Invisalign tier in the country — having completed over 9,000 Invisalign cases.

• Invisalign Teen is a biologically distinct product from standard Invisalign, featuring compliance indicator dots, eruption tabs for developing dentitions, and included replacement aligners — not simply a rebranded adult system.

Conclusion

The breadth of orthodontic appliances at Smile Solutions Melbourne CBD reflects a clinical philosophy that no single treatment modality is right for every patient. From the proven biomechanical power of metal braces to the complete invisibility of lingual systems, from the lifestyle flexibility of Invisalign to the adolescent-specific engineering of Invisalign Teen, the practice offers a genuinely comprehensive treatment landscape — all delivered by registered specialist orthodontists with postgraduate training in orthodontics.

Understanding the mechanics, indications, and trade-offs of each appliance before your consultation puts you in a far stronger position to ask the right questions and make a well-informed decision. The articles in this series explore each treatment dimension in depth: consult our guides on bite problems, treatment costs, the patient journey, and the combined cosmetic-orthodontic pathway to build a complete picture of what specialist orthodontic care at Smile Solutions can deliver.

To begin with a free consultation, contact Smile Solutions at 13 13 96 or visit Level 12, 220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD.

References

• Smile Solutions. "Orthodontics at Smile Solutions." smilesolutions.com.au, 2026. https://www.smilesolutions.com.au/orthodontics/
• Smile Solutions. "Why Should I Choose a Blue Diamond Invisalign Provider?" smilesolutions.com.au, April 2026. https://www.smilesolutions.com.au/dental-articles/article/blue-diamond-invisalign-provider/
• Smile Solutions. "Invisalign Melbourne." smilesolutions.com.au, 2026. https://www.smilesolutions.com.au/orthodontics/invisalign/
• Smile Solutions. "Dental Technology Melbourne." smilesolutions.com.au, March 2026. https://www.smilesolutions.com.au/technology/
• American Orthodontics. "Empower® Philosophies." americanortho.com, 2023. https://americanortho.com/products/self-ligating-brackets/empower-philosophies
• American Orthodontics. "Empower® Dual Activation™ System." americanortho.com, 2023. https://www.americanortho.com/products/self-ligating-brackets/self-ligation-empower-dualactivation/
• American Orthodontics. "Empower® 2 Clear Self-Ligating Brackets." Orthodontic Practice US, 2021. https://orthopracticeus.com/empower%E2%80%8A-2-clear-self-ligating-brackets/
• Alhammadi, M.S. et al. "Evidence of Effectiveness of Lingual Orthodontics as an Alternative to Conventional Labial Orthodontics: A Systematic Review." NCBI/PubMed Central, January 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10837819/
• Jindal, R. et al. "Lingual Orthodontics Appliance, An Overview." International Journal of Oral and Dental Health, ClinMed Journals. https://www.clinmedjournals.org/articles/ijodh/international-journal-of-oral-and-dental-health-ijodh-4-057.php
• Bhatt, V. et al. "Practice of Lingual Orthodontics and Practitioners' Opinion and Experience with Lingual Braces in the United States." NCBI/PubMed Central, 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8412811/
• National Institutes of Health (via Goodortho). "Clear Aligner Compliance in Adolescents: Provider Experience and Clinical Outcomes." Referenced in goodortho.com, May 2026. https://goodortho.com/invisalign-teen-crowding-before-after-treatment-time/
• Avenue Orthodontics. "Why Invisalign for Teens Is a Smart Choice for Orthodontic Treatment." avenueorthodontics.com, April 2026. https://avenueorthodontics.com/why-invisalign-for-teens-is-a-smart-choice-for-orthodontic-treatment/