Ahh, the age-old question: Should teeth be straightened with Invisalign or Braces? Okay, maybe it’s not the age-old question for everyone, but I deal with this every day. It seems like summer is the time when everyone wants to straighten their teeth. With many people staying at home, straightening their teeth with no one looking has become even a bigger deal. Let me try to answer the question of which is better, braces or Invisalign.
Metal and Clear Braces
These are the classics that have been around for over 100 years. Our founding father, Edward Angle, started this profession, and has grown into a massive industry serving millions of patients yearly. Traditional braces have come from being purely for function to becoming something young and old want for aesthetic reasons.
Braces are the tried-and-true way to move teeth. They have been used for so long that every orthodontist knows how to use them well. We are extremely successful moving teeth with braces, and we know what will work and what won’t. I always say that metal or clear braces are the gold standard.
Invisalign History and Attachments
Invisalign has been around for over 20 years and is continuously getting better. They spend a seemingly endless amount of money marketing their product and making it better. It went from a product that was just OK at moving teeth to something that works amazingly well.
If you had these clear aligners five years ago, you may not recognize how small their attachments are now. The Invisalign attachments used to be almost as large as braces, and now they are so small you can barely see them.
Invisalign is still not for everyone, but it’s a great product that can give you great results.
Pros and Cons of Invisalign
As I said earlier, these invisible aligners are a great product. They allow you to straighten your teeth without people noticing. You don’t have any dietary restrictions because you take out your trays to eat and drink. It’s cleaner because, once again, you take out your trays to brush and floss.
The biggest downfall of Invisalign is people get bored and stop wearing it. You have to wear Invisalign trays on average 22 hours a day. If you wear it less then that your results will not be good.
Conclusion
Invisalign is a great product that I love to use. Although it is still not as good as braces, it allows people who would otherwise not straighten their teeth access to something that can help them gain a confident smile.
There are pros and cons to both clear aligners and Braces. Braces may give you a better result, but you must be careful to clean your teeth better and avoid hard, sticky, chewy foods. Invisalign looks way better, but you may get fatigued wearing them constantly.
Thank you for reading this. Of course, if you have any questions about braces or Invisalign, post them below, and we’ll answer them as soon as possible!
