Straightening teeth is more than just giving you a beautiful smile.
A set of straight teeth protects your overall oral health. It gives you a good bite, keeps you away from periodontal disease, and reduces the risk of jaw problems.
For people who do not have naturally aligned teeth, orthodontic treatment is done to position teeth correctly. Orthodontics not only corrects the misalignment but also addresses problems caused by crooked teeth, making your oral health better.
Two of the most common orthodontic procedures are braces and Invisalign. Both straighten your teeth and improve your oral health. The main difference we can find is in the process of how these two treatments do their jobs. If you are considering these for your crooked teeth, you might have these questions in mind: “Should I get braces or Invisalign?” or “Is Invisalign or braces faster?”
Let us compare Invisalign vs. braces to help you get an answer.
Physical Look
Invisalign is made from transparent, BPA-free plastic material, while braces are made of metal. Invisalign’s clear plastic makes aligners nearly invisible. Braces, on the other hand, have brackets that are glued onto each of your teeth where wires are maneuvered to adjust your teeth.
Comfort
Whether you choose Invisalign or braces, you will feel a little uncomfortable.
But if we will look at which one brings less discomfort, Invisalign would be on top. Invisalign has smooth plastic and applies less pressure compared to braces that have sharp edges. Patients who play sports may also find braces a bit risky. Braces have sharp edges that can wound the inside of the mouth during an accidental impact.
Benefits and Effectiveness
Braces are more effective when it comes to more severe and complex cases. They are glued onto your teeth, therefore unremovable, eliminating the need to track how many hours you need to use them each day. There are also precautions on certain foods that would loosen up the brackets.
One of the benefits of Invisalign is that it is removable, allowing you to eat without worrying about getting food stuck in between the device. There are also no food restrictions given, so you get to eat what you normally would. However, you need to remember that you need to put Invisalign back on and wear them a total of 22 hours a day.
Treatment Time
The main concern of many patients is the duration of the treatment. What takes longer? Invisalign or braces?
Braces generally take 1 to 3 years, while Invisalign usually lasts for six months to two years. Treatment time depends on the severity of the case and the individual condition of the patient.
Cleaning and Dental Visits
Keeping your teeth clean is essential, regardless if you have Invisalign or braces. You will still need to brush your teeth, floss, rinse with mouthwash, and visit your dentist regularly.
What makes it different is the special attention you need to give them. With braces, as food tends to go in between the brackets, you would need a specialized floss threader to get the small particles out and prevent them from getting stuck in between teeth. With Invisalign, efforts in brushing and flossing are generally the same, but you need to keep the trays clean all the time. Every meal, you need to clean the trays before putting them back in your mouth.
Required dental visits are done more frequently with braces as they need readjusting each month. With Invisalign, the set of aligners change every two weeks. Visits every three months are required.
Cost
In general, Invisalign tends to be more expensive compared to traditional braces. Still, the exact price depends on the oral condition of the patient and the duration of the treatment.
Century Dental Is Here for You!
We care about your oral health.
Crooked teeth not only lower self-esteem but also take their toll on your oral health. With Century Dental, we will assess your oral health thoroughly and only recommend treatments that best suit your needs. Our dentists in St. Pete Beach, FL, will put you at ease; they are all skilled professionals who are compassionate in promoting oral health.
Set an appointment with us! Let us straighten up your teeth and boost your confidence.
