
Aligners like Invisalign and traditional braces cost about the same and achieve the goal of a straighter, better smile, but how they straighten teeth differs. If you have the option to choose, you will want to consider how they may affect your lifestyle.
Your dentist or orthodontist will evaluate your teeth and bite to help guide you on whether you have the choice of braces or aligners. If you have the option to choose one or the other, here are a few things you should know about Invisalign vs. traditional braces.
Advantages of Aligners
Invisalign and other aligner solutions are transparent and removable, making them a dream come true for people concerned about their smile. Aligners can be removed for eating, brushing, and flossing, making life a lot easier. However, they require the patient to put the aligners back in whenever they are not eating or caring for their teeth.
Aligners usually come as a series of aligners that are worn for 10 days at a time. As long as the patient wears them all the time in the right order, they usually require fewer follow-up visits to the dentist or orthodontist.
Clear aligners are difficult to detect with the naked eye, but even so, it is nice to be able to take the aligners out for pictures on special occasions, such as graduation. They are smooth and cause very little discomfort to the wearer, compared to metal braces. Because they are so discreet, more adults are choosing to improve their smile through Invisalign.
Aligners aren’t appropriate for people who have severely crooked teeth, overbite, or underbite. The drawbacks of aligners include cleaning them often and remembering to put them back on after meals. When patients don’t keep aligners in place, they will not work as well or as quickly.
Benefits of Braces
As we know, traditional metal braces are made of brackets and wires, but they are better for solving complex misalignment issues. That may include correcting a severe overbite or underbite, missing teeth, overcrowded teeth, and crooked teeth. The complex system of arch wires and metal brackets allows for more precise changes to the teeth and surrounding bone.
One of the good things about braces is that they are always there, helping align your teeth a little at a time. With regular visits to the orthodontist, they may end up working more quickly than aligners.
The drawbacks of braces include greater discomfort, higher maintenance, a lengthy application and removal process, and difficulty eating certain foods. For example, it will be nearly impossible to bite into a crisp apple or corn on the cob without risking wire breakage—and getting apple skin and corn stuck everywhere. Flossing after every meal will be the norm while wearing braces because food tends to get stuck in the wires as well as between teeth. You may have to learn new brushing techniques to effectively brush your teeth around the braces.
Knowing the differences between Invisalign and metal braces can help make your decision easy. When you have questions about aligners or would like to be evaluated for tooth straightening, contact Uptown Dental to have a conversation and evaluation.