Invisalign vs Braces

The biggest advantage of Invisalign is the aesthetics. The Invisalign aligners are very hard to detect, which makes it a very popular method among adults, and is increasing in popularity with teenagers as well.

The invisalign aligners are removable which means that during meals, and brushing your teeth, you should not have your aligners is. For those who have or have had braces in the past, know the challenges one may sometimes face eating and brushing with “train tracks” in their mouth. Having the ability to remove your aligners is a huge advantage that Invisalign has over braces.

Braces have also been known to have some side-effects. Over half of braces patients have been experienced a form of tooth decay. In addition, braces may also cause shortening of the roots. Invisalign avoids these types of side-effects. Braces are also extremely prone to tearing the skin on the inside cheek where the end wire hangs out slightly. With Invisalign, this problem is completely eliminated.

Often, braces may be adjusted every 4-6 weeks. This means that when a patient goes in for their appointment, the orthodontist will have to adjust, which really means tighten, the braces to span over the next 4-6 weeks. Invisalign works through a 2 week period, which helps to minimize any pain. Many patients experience zero pain with invisalign. There is no relief from the pain with braces, as they are not removable like Invisalign, although we do not recommend avoiding the pain by removing the aligners. It is encouraged that you fight through it, if there is any.

Invisalign is very computerized. The patient can see what their expected mouth will look like in the end. They can also learn an accurate time span for wearing the invisalign. Traditional braces do not operate like this, and it is very common for the patient to have no idea how long they will be required to wear them. Speaking of time, Invisalign has been said to take less time than traditional braces.