What Does “Lingual” in WIN Lingual Braces Mean?

Lingual braces are fixed braces whose brackets and arch wires are attached to the inside of the teeth – the side closest to the tongue. Thus, “lingual” derives from the Latin word for tongue (“lingua”).

When Were Lingual Braces Invented?

Patients were first treated with lingual braces in the late 1970s. The next generation of lingual braces with individualized WIN Technology is being used for treatment by certified orthodontists since 2013.

Who is the Manufacturer of WIN Lingual Braces?

The WIN Appliance is constructed by DW Lingual Systems GmbH and its team, which consists of dental technicians, engineers and specialists from the fields of bracket production, arch wire programming, 3D-Print, as well as CAD/CAM- and information technology. For clinical support in the development of the WIN Appliance, we rely on our team of certified orthodontists.

Where is the WIN Appliance Manufactured?

The DW Lingual Systems GmbH designed and manufactures WIN Lingual Braces in Bad Essen, in southern Lower Saxony. It is therefore always a quality product MADE IN GERMANY.

What Kind of Technology is Used in the Production of the WIN Appliance?

The newest generation of lingual braces are manufactured with the help of high-tech methods. The production process involves state of the art 3-D printers, “selective laser melting”-machines, arch bending robots and scanners among others.

What Do WIN Lingual Braces Look Like?

The WIN Appliance consists of extremely flat, individually designed brackets (little metal plates that hold the arch wire) that fit perfectly to the inside of the teeth of each patient. They are exactly positioned with the help of a bonding tray and are then bonded to the inside of the teeth. At the end of the treatment process, they can be removed without any remaining residue.

The second important part of the WIN Appliance is the arch wire that is also individually manufactured for each patient. The arch wire is mounted to the brackets to become one single unit. During the treatment process, the arch wires will be exchanged multiple times.

Each individual arch wire is manufactured with the help of a bending robot and is designed to leave the natural dental arch of the patient unchanged. The dental arch is the curved part of the jaw to which the roots of the teeth are anchored to.

The preservation of the dental arch does not affect the ability to efficiently correct misaligned teeth. WIN Lingual Braces always reposition the teeth on the original dental arch. That is a major factor when it comes to the long-term stability of the treatment results. Over the years, artificially changed dental arches can revert back to their original shapes. That will lead to further misalignment of the teeth. The individualized brackets and arch wires of WIN Lingual Braces make the biggest difference when compared to removable aligners.

How Do WIN Lingual Braces Work?

As all parts of the WIN Appliance are perfectly geared to one another and work in unison, they can reliably move both, the crowns and the roots of the teeth, in any direction.

What is the Difference Between WIN Lingual Braces and Conventional Fixed Braces?

Due to their extremely flat design, the WIN Appliance is like an invisible tailored suit for your teeth. Each component is individually designed for the shape of your teeth. The individual shape of each jaw is taken into account, as the optimal treatment plan with your WIN Lingual Braces is developed. That will be instrumental in achieving a stable, long term treatment result that guarantees optimal functionality of your teeth.

Conventional braces are fixed to the outside of your teeth and are mass produced. They are not designed to account for the individual shape of your teeth or your dental arch. That increases the risk of the teeth reverting back to their original position over the years and the necessity of another round of orthodontic treatment.

What is the Difference between WIN Lingual Braces and Removable Aligners?

The WIN Appliance is fixed to the inside of the teeth, making it completely invisible. Since removable aligners are simultaneously attached to the inside and the outside of the teeth, they are considered a visible treatment method. Furthermore, removable aligners must be taken out before meals and for brushing. That means, they cannot apply constant pressure to the misaligned teeth and thus are not able to produce the same reliable treatment result. Only fixed WIN Lingual Braces guarantee a three-dimensional movement of the teeth.

Is There a Difference Between the WIN Appliance and Other Lingual Braces on the Market?

Yes. DW Lingual Systems GmbH individually manufactures both, the brackets and the arch wires for each patient. All components work perfectly in unison, which guarantees the optimal three-dimensional movement of the teeth and a reliable correction result at the end of the treatment process.

When Will I See the First Improvements After Getting my WIN Lingual Braces?

It only takes a few weeks until you will be able to see the first visible improvements to your smile.

How Long Does the Treatment with WIN Lingual Braces Last?

The length of the treatment process depends on the degree of misalignment of your teeth and jaw. Minor, mainly aesthetical treatments usually are completed after 6 to 12 months. If major corrections or complex movement of the teeth are necessary, the treatment process can last up to 2 ½ years for optimal stability of the result.

What’s the Best Way to Clean a WIN Appliance?

You can clean your lingual braces by just brushing your teeth with a regular tooth paste. You can also continue to use either your electric tooth brush or a regular one – whatever works best for you. As opposed to removable aligners, fixed lingual braces do not shield the saliva from the surface of the teeth. On the contrary, the WIN Appliance is constantly in contact with saliva and thus being kept clean naturally.

Can I Get a WIN Appliance at Any Orthodontist or Dentist?

No – for the patient’s best interest! We only work together with specialized orthodontists. Those are dentists who have completed an up to four-year-postgraduate training in the field of orthodontics and have successfully passed the exam to become specialized. By picking only those highly specialized experts in the field of orthodontics, we are able to guarantee that our patients will get the best possible treatment.

What are the Advantages of Being Treated with the WIN Appliance?

WIN Lingual Braces are fixed to the inside of the teeth and are invisible from the outside. That means, others will surely notice the visible improvements in the positioning of your teeth – but they will not notice your WIN Appliance.

As opposed to conventional braces whose brackets and arch wires are fixed to the outside surface of the teeth, the WIN Lingual Braces are individually manufactured for each tooth of the patient. That means that the production process takes the individual condition of your teeth and jaw into account. Due to the exact manufacturing of each bracket and each arch wire, the end result is within 1 millimeter and 4 degrees from the initial treatment model. Currently, there are no other fixed braces nor removable aligners who can consistently deliver similarly precise results. Your advantage: You will already know at the beginning of the treatment how the final result will look like.

Another advantage of the WIN Appliance is its significantly lower risk of cavities as compared to braces that are fixed to the outside. Scientific studies found that the risk factor is actually 10 times lower.

My Orthodontist told Me That I Need a Surgical Bite Correction. Is the WIN Appliance Able to Accomplish That Kind of Correction?

The answer is a definite YES! Correcting complex cases of tooth misalignment takes longer, which increases the risk of tooth decay when using conventional fixed braces. The WIN Appliance is an advantage in these cases. Scientific studies have proven that patients who are treated with WIN Lingual Braces have a 5 times lower risk of getting cavities – as compared to other fixed braces.
Further, for a surgical orthodontic combination treatment to be successful, a high degree of precision is required to perfectly align the teeth. Such precision is offered by the WIN Appliance. Other advantages of WIN Technology for patients: It is gentler on the teeth and leads to the predicted result in a shorter period of time.

My Orthodontist Told Me That I Need a Fixed Bite Correction. Am I able to Combine It with a WIN Appliance?

Yes! It is actually an advantage to choose WIN Lingual Braces in combination with a fixed bite correction. The reason for that is, that the WIN Appliance is fixed to the inside of the teeth and can thus be used at the same time as the fixed bite correction. That will not further extend the treatment period.
Another advantage of the WIN Appliance as compared to all conventional fixed and removable braces: They can reliably keep the teeth in a pre-determined position during the entire treatment process. That does not only shorten the treatment process, it is scientifically proven that WIN Technology is gentler on the teeth because they are not being moved unnecessarily.

Do WIN Lingual Braces Have Medical Advantages as Well?

Definitely! As the WIN Appliance is fixed to the inside of the teeth, it is anatomically closer to the saliva glands. Thus, the brackets and the surface of the teeth are constantly naturally cleaned by a stream of saliva. The result: Less risk of white spot lesions and having cavities at the end of the treatment.
If there are already dental issues (such as white spot lesions on the front side of the teeth) prior to an orthodontic treatment, WIN Lingual Braces should be the chosen treatment method to avoid further damages.

Another advantage of WIN Technology is that brackets are individually manufactured to fit to the surface of each tooth. This means specifically that each bracket will fit to each curvature of the tooth. The gap between the bracket and surface of the teeth will therefore be so minimal that a “washout” (corrosion of the bonding cement) – as it can happen with conventional brackets – is unlikely. If a “washout” is not noticed and treated, it can lead to tooth decay underneath the bracket. Often the cavities are only discovered after the bracket is removed at the end of treatment.

Another major medical advantage is that each arch wire is individually manufactured to fit the dental arch of each patient. That means the treatment with WIN Lingual Braces will not change the dental arch. Scientific studies have proven that the preservation of the dental arch is essential for the long-term stability of the treatment result.

Can the WIN Appliance Correct My Overbite?

The WIN Lingual Braces – in combination with other treatment methods such as mounting elastic bands between both jaws – can successfully correct an overbite. Consult your certified WIN Orthodontist about the best possible treatment method.

Am I a Good Candidate for a WIN Appliance?

WIN Lingual Braces are able to correct almost any teeth and jaw misalignment. Consult your certified WIN Orthodontist!

Is it Problematic to be Treated with a WIN Appliance and Have Existing Dentures Such as Crowns or Bridges?

Teeth with dental crowns can be moved as easy as natural teeth. In these cases, the brackets only need some extra preparation before they are being bonded to the crowned teeth. With existing bridges, your WIN Orthodontist has to decide on a case by case basis whether they compromise the planned tooth movement.

Can Gaps Between the Teeth be Closed with the WIN Appliance?

Gaps can be reliably closed with WIN Lingual Braces. However, if teeth are missing, it does not always make sense to completely close the gaps. Please consult your certified WIN Orthodontist about the different treatment options.

I Used to Have Fixed Braces, But My Teeth Went Back to Being Crooked. Is Another Correction with the WIN Appliance Even Possible?

Yes, without a problem! WIN Lingual Braces can perfectly correct any case of tooth misalignment. It does not matter if you have had orthodontist treatments in the past or how complex your tooth misalignment has become since.

A WIN Appliance is especially advantageous, if your first treatment with conventional fixed braces has left white spot lesions on the surface of your teeth. These white spot lesions are the precursor for cavities and new brackets should never be re-attached to these areas.
WIN Lingual Braces are attached to the inside of your teeth. Several different scientific studies have proven that the treatment with a WIN Appliance rarely leads to the patient developing white spot lesions.

A second orthodontic treatment with a WIN Appliance has even more advantages. Lingual braces never alter the patient’s natural dental arch due to their individually manufactured arch wires. This directly effects the long-term stability of the treatment result. The dental arch is the original length and width of the jaw, to which the roots of the teeth are anchored to. Altered dental arches revert back to their original shape over time, which leads to further tooth misalignments.

Another important plus of the WIN Appliance: It is invisible. Most patients who want a second correction of their misaligned teeth are adults. Few of them want to wear conventional fixed braces or removable aligners because they are visible. They choose lingual braces because they are fixed to the inside of the teeth and thus cannot be seen by others. With the WIN Appliance, others will only notice the amazing improvement of the patient’s smile.

I Suffer from a Jaw Joint Ailment. Will the Treatment with the WIN Appliance Alleviate my Pain?

Jaw joint pains can have various reasons. Most often, the pain is caused by a misalignment of the jaw, which can usually be corrected by WIN Lingual Braces. Please consult your WIN Orthodontist about it.

Will a WIN Appliance Limit What I Can Eat?

In order to avoid losing a bracket, it is recommended to avoid eating very hard food items or extremely sticky sweets – as it is customary with conventional fixed braces. Raw fruits or vegetables like apples or carrots should be cut in small pieces before consumption.

Will the WIN Appliance Hurt My Tongue?

During the very first days after getting WIN Lingual Braces, there is a possibility that the mucosa of the tongue gets irritated. Every patient can alleviate this by applying a protective wax to the offending brackets. In general, the surrounding tissue in your mouth will get used to the new situation rather quickly. That means that you won’t feel bothered or limited by your WIN Appliance for too long.

Will My Pronunciation Be Affected by My WIN Lingual Braces?

Some Patients will notice a slight change in pronunciation right after getting their WIN Appliance. It takes children and teenagers usually only a few days to get used to the new situation. With adult patients, their speech pattern will get back to normal after a few weeks. After that, other people are rarely able to detect any difference in your pronunciation.

Are There Any Special Requirements for my Daily Toothbrushing Routine?

Besides brushing your teeth with your regular manual or electric toothbrush, you should additionally brush the areas between the brackets with a specially designed brush head. This will quickly become a normal part of your daily dental hygiene routine.

How Often Do I Have to Stop By my Orthodontist for a Check Up?

Depending on the phase of the treatment, you need to have your WIN Lingual Braces checked every three to six weeks. A check-up visit will usually not take longer than 30 minutes.

Will the Treatment Be Painful?

In order to reposition your teeth, they will be attached to arch wires that are affixed to the brackets. The arch wires consist of different materials and have to be exchanged during the treatment process. After the new arch wires are attached, the patients could experience an increased feeling of pressure on the teeth – which won’t last longer than a few days.

Can Patients with WIN Lingual Braces Chew Gum?

You are able to chew gum with your WIN Appliance – but use caution. Your chewing gum can easily get caught between the arch wires and the brackets – which makes it necessary to clean your lingual braces.