Pros and Cons Of Both Braces Vs Invisalign
Dental patients have more options to straighten their teeth than ever before. Going back 30 years ago, traditional metal braces were the only choice for straightening your teeth. Today, however, the rise of clear aligners like Invisalign has given us new options to consider.
There is no one right way to straighten your teeth, and each method has its pros and cons when weighing up both braces vs invisalign. Your dentist is your best source of guidance to help determine which option is best for you.
Reasons To Get Orthodontic Treatments
Both braces and clear aligners like Invisalign are orthodontic treatments designed to help restore your smile by correcting the position of your teeth. Braces & clear aligners are often associated with dental treatments for children, but more than ever before, adults are choosing orthodontic treatments to fix their dental issues and restore their beautiful and natural smile.
Some of the most common problems fixed by orthodontic treatments include:
- Crooked or Misaligned Teeth
- Overbite
- Underbite
- Open Bites
- Overcrowding
- Gaps Between Teeth
- Unmatched Dental Midlines
- Issues With Speech
- Issues With Chewing
- Self-Esteem Issues
Pros And Cons Of Both Braces Vs Invisalign
Advantages of Clear Aligners
Clear aligners and brands like Invisalign are custom-made clear plastic trays that are fitted to your teeth. Multiple aligners are needed to get the desired results, each new aligner gently moves your teeth until the final position is reached.
Clear Aligners Are Discreet
Not surprisingly, clear aligners and Invisalign are, well, transparent and nearly invisible! This is one of their biggest benefits, as you can discreetly fix dental issues without anyone noticing, making them an extremely popular choice for adults who might be embarrassed by wearing traditional braces.
Clear Aligners Are Removable
Clear aligners are not fixed to your teeth, and can be removed anytime you wish. This makes it easier for eating, playing sports (and replacing them with a sports mouthguard), or for any other reason.
Clear Aligners Let You Eat What You Want
With clear aligners you are free to eat what you want, as you must remove your aligners during meal times. You can eat the foods you like without worrying about pieces of food getting stuck in the metal or having to avoid foods that could cause damage to braces.
Clear Aligners Allow You To Clean Your Teeth With Ease
Maintaining good oral hygiene is much easier as you remove your clear aligners before brushing and flossing.
Clear Aligners Are More Comfortable
The soft and smooth plastic of a clear aligner is generally much more comfortable to wear than metal braces which can rub against your cheeks and gums, causing soreness and pain.
As aligners can be taken out during sports, you won’t damage your orthodontics and will reduce your risk of dental injury caused by the impact of braces against your teeth, gums, and mouth.
Clear Aligners Require Fewer Visits To The Dentist
You will not require as many visits to the dentist using clear aligners. Visits are generally only required every 6-8 weeks instead of monthly.
Total Treatment Time Is Often Reduced
Clear aligners often require only 6-18 months to complete treatment but can vary depending on the compliance of use and severity of your dental issues.
Disadvantages of Clear Aligners
Clear Aligners Come With Strict Compliance Requirements
The success of clear aligners heavily depends on your ability to follow the guidelines, being mindful that you need to wear your aligners for 22 hours per day. If you don’t follow the rules, you risk extending your treatment time or not finishing it at all.
Removing Clear Aligners Can Be Awkward
While the ability to remove your aligners is one of it’s biggest benefits, it can also be embarrassing to remove your aligners in public or other social situations. If you lose them, you’ll need to get replacements.
Clear Aligners Aren’t Always The Best Solution
Clear aligners are typically used for mild to moderate dental issues. For certain severe cases, you may need to use traditional braces instead of clear aligners to achieve the desired results.
Advantages of Braces
Braces are metal or porcelain devices composed of wires, rubber bands, and brackets fixed to your teeth and tightened to gradually force them into their desired position.
Braces Have Wide Applications
Braces are used for a wide variety of dental situations, from moderate to severe orthodontic cases. Braces are always an option whereas clear aligners only treat certain problems and severities.
Braces Come In More Varieties
Metal braces come in a variety of attractive and customisable colours. Porcelain braces offer a more discreet teeth coloured option.
Compliance With Braces Is Guaranteed
You’ll never be in danger of losing your braces as they’re fixed to your teeth. This makes them more likely to do their job without the tempation of taking and leaving them out. Some using clear aligners get into bad habits and do not follow the recommended 22 hours per day of use, which extends the time needed to successfully treat the issue.
Disadvantages of Braces
Braces Make It Harder To Maintain Proper Oral Hygiene
One of the biggest challenges of braces is the proper cleaning of your teeth needed to maintain good oral hygiene. The components of braces make it difficult to brush and floss every nook and cranny of your teeth, risking decay and damage to your teeth.
Braces Make Eating More Difficult
Metal braces require a change in diet, as sticky, chewy, or hard foods can damage your braces requiring expensive repairs and risk of increased treatment time.
Braces Are Less Comfortable
Metal and porcelain braces rub up against your teeth, gums, and cheeks more so than clear aligners, causing discomfort, soreness and pain. Because braces are fixed to your teeth, impact during contact sports can easily lead to serious injury or emergency treatment.
Braces Affect Your Appearance
Braces are more noticeable than clear aligners. Some people may be self-conscious of how they look with braces.
Braces Require More Visits To The Dentist
Dental appointments are more frequent with braces and require longer visits when compared to clear aligners.
Deciding between braces vs invisalign or clear aligners for your orthodontic treatment does require some thought and consideration. A trained, local dentist is your greatest source of information as scheduling an assessment will give them a chance to examine your teeth and discuss recommended treatment options as well as payment plans.
At King Street Dental, our staff is always happy to help answer any questions you have. If you any questions in regards to what is best for you when deciding on braces vs invisalign, we recommend you call us on 02 4243 9260, or schedule an appointment online today.