Brius is a fixed appliance placed behind the teeth, so nothing shows from the front and there is no wear-time to track. Clear aligners are removable, and clear ceramic braces sit on the front of the teeth but blend in.
How does Brius work?
Independent movers explained
Brius uses an independent mover for each tooth, anchored to a bar on the tongue side. It is a fixed appliance behind the teeth.
That construction is the whole difference. With conventional braces, one archwire ties every bracket together across the front, so moving one tooth pulls on its neighbours. With Brius, each tooth gets its own thin arm off a bar on the tongue side, so teeth can be moved more independently of one another. The appliance is custom-made to your arch and bonded in one longer appointment, after which you return periodically for Dr. Johnson to confirm the teeth are tracking — adjustments happen at the appliance rather than by changing a wire across the front.
Why nothing shows from the front
Because the appliance sits behind the teeth, nothing shows from the front. Brius does not rely on tray wear time.
The honest trade-off of anything behind the teeth
The tongue notices. Speech feels different for the first week or two while you adapt, and cleaning around the arms takes more care than cleaning around front-facing brackets — a water flosser and a little patience help. Anyone who tells you a lingual appliance feels like nothing is overselling it. What you get in exchange is discretion that does not depend on your discipline: because the appliance is fixed, treatment keeps progressing whether or not you remember it.
How do the three options compare for adults?
Reading the comparison
O·M·I publishes traditional metal, white/tooth-colored, and clear ceramic braces, along with clear aligners and Brius. Read about Brius independent movers, clear aligners, and clear and metal braces.
Read the table below for what each option is and where it sits, then read the section after it for the question that actually decides most adult cases — not which appliance is best in the abstract, but which one fits how you live.
| Option | Where it sits | Visibility | Daily routine | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brius independent movers | Behind teeth | Nothing shows from front | Fixed; no tray wear-time | Adults seeking a fixed hidden option |
| Clear aligners | Over teeth | Virtually invisible | Removable | Patients wanting removability |
| Clear ceramic braces | Front of teeth | Blends in | Fixed | Patients considering clear braces |
| Traditional metal braces | Front of teeth | Visible | Fixed | Patients wanting a durable option |
Which option suits your routine?
If you travel or speak for work
Visibility and routine matter differently for each person. Brius sits behind the teeth; clear aligners are removable; clear ceramic braces blend in on the front.
If your work is client-facing or you present regularly, this is usually the deciding factor. Aligners are near-invisible but come out for meetings over meals and go back in immediately, which is a habit some people manage effortlessly and others quietly abandon. Brius removes the decision entirely — there is nothing to take out and nothing visible from the front — at the cost of a fortnight of tongue adaptation. Ceramic braces sit on the front and blend, which is enough discretion for many adults at conversational distance but not at close range. Frequent travel argues against aligners for a practical reason too: trays get left in hotel rooms, and a lost tray at the wrong point in a series costs you time.
If you do not want to track wear time
Brius is fixed and does not rely on tray wear time.
Aligner results depend entirely on wearing them 20 to 22 hours a day, every day. That is not a moral judgement, it is arithmetic — trays that spend evenings on a nightstand are not moving teeth, and the case stalls. If you already know from experience that you will not keep to that, a fixed appliance is the more honest choice, whether that is Brius behind the teeth or braces on the front.
If you want to remove it for meals
Clear aligners are removable. Brius and braces are fixed appliances.
Removability is a genuine advantage: you eat normally, and brushing and flossing happen with nothing in the way. With any fixed appliance, hygiene takes longer and hard or sticky foods need avoiding for the duration. Adults who value eating and cleaning without hardware usually land on aligners; adults who value not thinking about treatment at all usually land on something fixed.
What about complex cases and cost?
When braces are still the right answer
Braces handle any case, including the most complex, with the most control and generally the lowest fee — which is why they remain the recommendation for a meaningful share of adult cases. Some bites need mechanics that an independent-mover system handles poorly, and substantial restorative work behind the teeth can complicate placing a lingual appliance at all. Dr. Johnson reviews your imaging and existing dental work before recommending Brius, and if the answer is no he will show you why on your own scan.
What drives the fee
Cost follows the case rather than the brand name: how far the teeth must travel, how long the case runs, and which appliance the plan calls for. O·M·I publishes no set prices for that reason; a Smile Advisor reviews your individual figure at the complimentary consultation, where 0% financing and HSA cards are available on the balance after insurance is applied.
Retention applies to all three
Whichever option straightens your teeth, they will drift afterwards without retention. Plan for retainers as part of treatment rather than as an afterthought, and ask at the consultation whether retainers and post-treatment visits sit inside or outside the quoted fee.
How do you find out which one you are a candidate for?
What happens at the consultation
Dr. Johnson assesses Brius candidacy at the Dupont Circle Drive office. A complimentary consultation lets the Smile Advisor review cost and options. O·M·I offers 0% financing; review 0% financing and adult orthodontics.
What to bring and what to ask
Bring your insurance card, a list of current medications and conditions, and any recent dental records. Then ask the questions that separate the options for your case specifically: am I a candidate for all three, what would each achieve, and what would each cost. Dr. Johnson trained in orthodontics at the University of Michigan, lectures nationally at the AAO and teaches CBCT imaging as an adjunct clinical professor there, and sees patients at the Fort Wayne, Auburn and Fishers offices — so ask to be shown the reasoning on your own imaging rather than in general terms.
Frequently asked questions about hidden orthodontic options
Is Brius the same as lingual braces?
Both sit behind the teeth, but Brius uses independent movers on a tongue-side bar.
Will Brius affect my speech?
Ask Dr. Johnson during an individual evaluation. O·M·I does not publish a universal speech outcome.
Are hidden options more expensive?
Cost depends on the individual plan. O·M·I publishes no set prices and reviews cost at the consultation.
Can teens get Brius?
Candidacy is assessed individually by Dr. Johnson. Book a complimentary consultation.
Choosing an orthodontic option starts with candidacy and routine. O·M·I publishes Brius, clear aligners, and traditional and ceramic braces; the consultation determines what fits your plan. In a complimentary consultation, the O·M·I team reviews your individual plan, answers questions, and explains which details still need confirmation. The right choice depends on your goals, clinical findings, and the plan discussed with the team; this article does not promise a price, timeline, outcome, or coverage result.