---
title: "Metal or ceramic braces: what differs besides the price"
description: "Metal and ceramic brackets compared: starting price, colour, strength, cleaning, treatment time. The orthodontist on what to ask at a consultation."
canonical: https://nhakhoa.thenexova.cloud/en/learn/metal-or-ceramic-braces
lang: en
last-updated: 2026-10-05
---

[Orthodontics and braces](/en/learn/topic/orthodontics)

# Metal or ceramic braces: what differs besides the price

> Metal and ceramic brackets compared: starting price, colour, strength, cleaning, treatment time. The orthodontist on what to ask at a consultation.

Nguồn / Source: https://nhakhoa.thenexova.cloud/en/learn/metal-or-ceramic-braces


Metal and ceramic brackets compared: starting price, colour, strength, cleaning, treatment time. The orthodontist on what to ask at a consultation.

[ThS.BS Võ Thanh Tùng](/en/dentists/vo-thanh-tung) · Orthodontics: brackets and clear aligners · Published 22 Sept 2026 · Updated 5 Oct 2026 · 5 min read

![Purple-gloved hands use tweezers to pick a metal bracket from a blue plastic holder of brackets, on a white background](/_astro/learn-ceramic-vs-metal.8g7EHcuN_1c1Dxy.jpg)

Price aside, metal and ceramic braces differ mainly in four ways: colour, strength, size and how easy they are to keep clean. The way they move teeth is the same: both use an archwire held by brackets to put pressure on the teeth. At An Nhiên Dental, metal braces start from 28,000,000 VND and ceramic braces from 42,000,000 VND for the whole treatment, final after the exam.

Below we go through each difference with its source, then look at when a dentist might lean one way or the other.

## At a glance

| Point                                    | Metal brackets                                                | Ceramic brackets                                                  |
| ---------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| An Nhiên from, final after the exam      | from 28,000,000 VND; self-ligating from 40,000,000 VND        | from 42,000,000 VND; self-ligating from 52,000,000 VND            |
| Local range in HCMC (Medpro, 25/09/2026) | 25 to 50 million (standard), 35 to 65 million (self-ligating) | 38 to 70 million (ceramic and sapphire together)                  |
| Colour                                   | Metal, visible when you talk                                  | Close to tooth colour, less visible; the wire usually still shows |
| Strength                                 | Strong                                                        | Chips or breaks more easily on impact                             |
| Staining                                 | Does not stain                                                | Can stain over time if cleaning slips                             |
| Size                                     | Smaller                                                       | The base is usually larger                                        |
| Not included                             | Extractions, orthodontic screws, replacement retainers        | Extractions, orthodontic screws, replacement retainers            |

Starting prices under the price list updated 4 October 2026\. The final price is set in writing after the dentist’s exam.

The colour, strength, staining and size rows draw on Medpro (25/09/2026), Vinmec (22/07/2024), Cleveland Clinic and Colgate, reread on 5 October 2026\. They describe the materials in general, not what will happen with your teeth.

## Colour, and how much they show

This is the main reason people choose ceramic. Medpro describes ceramic brackets as “less noticeable on the teeth” and suited to people who meet others a lot. Colgate points out something easy to forget: both types use a metal archwire, and the wire still shows when you smile.

If you want something close to invisible, ceramic brackets are not quite the answer. That is where clear aligners come in, with their own limits (see [clear aligners explained](/en/learn/clear-aligners-explained)).

## Strength and staining

Cleveland Clinic says ceramic brackets are “more fragile” and “tend to break more often” than metal ones. Medpro and Vinmec also note that ceramic can break on impact. In practice: biting something hard can chip a bracket, and a broken bracket has to be bonded again.

On colour, Cleveland Clinic and Colgate both say ceramic brackets can stain over time. Vinmec ties this to cleaning that is not thorough enough. Coffee, tea and strongly coloured food are the usual suspects, which matters if you drink Vietnamese coffee every morning.

## Size and keeping them clean

Medpro and Vinmec both say ceramic brackets have a larger base than metal ones. A larger base gives food more places to collect. Vinmec stresses that ceramic brackets need careful cleaning.

For either type the routine is the same: brush carefully around each bracket, use an interdental brush, and avoid hard and sticky food. When your braces go on, you can ask to be shown how to brush around the brackets.

## Treatment time

This is where the sources are careful, and so are we.

- Colgate and Vinmec say ceramic brackets may make treatment slightly longer, because of friction between the ceramic bracket and the wire.
- Colgate also says the overall time depends mostly on how far out of line the teeth are, how far they need to move, the health of your mouth and how closely you follow the plan, rather than on the bracket material.

We do not give a general number of months. The dentist estimates your timeline after the exam, X-rays and impressions.

## Self-ligating or standard

Self-ligating brackets hold the wire with a small sliding door instead of elastic ties. They come in metal and in ceramic. Medpro (26/09/2026) gives review intervals of 4 to 6 weeks for standard brackets and 6 to 8 weeks for self-ligating ones, and notes that self-ligating brackets cost more.

Medpro (25/09/2026) also says no bracket type reliably makes treatment faster or more comfortable. We agree with that way of putting it.

## When a dentist might lean one way or the other

Neither type is better for everyone. A few situations that come up at the consultation desk:

- **Budget comes first for you:** metal brackets have the lower starting price, and Medpro describes them as the more affordable option.
- **You meet people all day and do not want brackets on show:** ceramic suits you better on colour, provided you accept that the wire still shows and that cleaning takes more care.
- **You often bite hard things or play contact sports:** tell the dentist, because ceramic chips more easily.

The final choice is made by you and the dentist after the exam, based on your teeth and bite.

## An example

An illustrative case for this demo site; the person and figures are made up.

Ms Lương Bảo Châu, 33, works in an office, does not want brackets on show, and has a budget of 40 to 50 million VND. Ceramic braces from 42,000,000 VND fit that budget if nothing extra is needed. Self-ligating ceramic from 52,000,000 VND does not. Both are final after the exam.

The question she could ask: “If I choose ceramic instead of metal, what changes in my plan, apart from the price?”

## Questions to bring to the consultation

1. For my teeth, do you see a reason to choose one type over the other?
2. If a bracket breaks or comes loose, is bonding it again charged?
3. Would self-ligating brackets change the number of review visits I need?
4. Does the quote include retainers, and what is not included?

## How we do it at An Nhiên

Dr Võ Thanh Tùng, ThS.BS (a medical doctor who also holds a master’s degree), 14 years in practice, practising licence no. 000063/HCM-GPHN (fictional), examines you, takes X-rays and draws the plan on paper, then gives you a copy. He can explain in English. The written quote lists what is included (exam, X-rays, scan or impressions, appliances, review visits, one set of retainers) and what is not, and is valid for 30 days.

Each type has its own page: [metal braces](/en/services/braces/metal) and [ceramic braces](/en/services/braces/ceramic). For other methods and the costs that come with them, read [braces cost in Ho Chi Minh City 2026](/en/learn/braces-cost-ho-chi-minh-city-2026). When you are ready, you can [book a 45-minute exam](/en/book?service=nieng-rang&dentist=vo-thanh-tung); the first exam and consultation cost nothing.

Sources reread on 5 October 2026, listed at the end of the page. Article updated 5 October 2026.

This article is for information and does not replace an examination and diagnosis by a dentist.

## Ask the dentist

A 30-minute exam and consultation, no charge. Dr Tùng sees patients 4 days a week.

[Book with Dr Tùng](/en/book?dentist=vo-thanh-tung)

## Sources checked

1. [Medpro: Types of orthodontic brackets (article of 25/09/2026, in Vietnamese)](https://medpro.vn/tin-tuc/cac-loai-mac-cai-nieng-rang) (read 5 Oct 2026)
2. [Medpro: Metal braces prices (article of 26/09/2026, in Vietnamese)](https://medpro.vn/tin-tuc/gia-nieng-rang-mac-cai-kim-loai) (read 5 Oct 2026)
3. [Vinmec: Pros and cons of bracket types (updated 22/07/2024, in Vietnamese)](https://www.vinmec.com/vi/tin-tuc/thong-tin-suc-khoe/uu-nhuoc-diem-cua-cac-loai-mac-cai-trong-nieng-rang/) (read 5 Oct 2026)
4. [Cleveland Clinic: Clear Braces (reviewed 25 July 2022)](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/23568-clear-braces) (read 5 Oct 2026)
5. [Colgate: Ceramic braces vs metal braces](https://www.colgate.com/en-za/oral-health/early-orthodontics/ceramic-braces-vs-metal-braces-0417) (read 5 Oct 2026)

## Services in this article

- [From 28,000,000 VNDMetal bracesStandard and self-ligating.](/en/services/braces/metal)
- [From 42,000,000 VNDCeramic bracesClose to tooth colour; standard and self-ligating.](/en/services/braces/ceramic)

The main article on this topic: [How much braces cost in Ho Chi Minh City in 2026: prices and what comes with them](/en/learn/braces-cost-ho-chi-minh-city-2026)

## Read next

- [Orthodontics and bracesExtra costs of braces: five items quotes often leave outExtractions, orthodontic screws, retainers, treating teeth before braces, visits outside the package: what to ask so a whole-treatment quote is complete.](/en/learn/extra-costs-of-braces)
- [Orthodontics and bracesClear aligners: Invisalign or an Asian brand, who they suit and who they do notAligners cost 40 to 130 million VND by brand: tray counts, hours of daily wear, cases where aligners are hard to use. Sources and check date at the end.](/en/learn/clear-aligners-explained)
- [Orthodontics and bracesBraces on instalments: deposit, months, where the fees hideA deposit of about 30%, 12 to 18 months, interest from 0%: the conditions, application fees, conversion fees. Sources and check date at the end.](/en/learn/braces-payment-plans)