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If you are considering dental braces or Invisalign to align your teeth or your kid’s teeth, you may have many questions. Which is more efficient? Which is best for my case? Do they cost the same? Will my teeth need to be fixed again in the future?
Braces or Invisalign: Which is best?
Both dental braces and Invisalign are designed to align your teeth while enhancing your oral health and smile. Most people think that straightening your teeth is purely cosmetic. However, straitening your teeth can do so much more to improve oral health. It can improve your bite so your teeth are less likely to wear down or fracture. It can also make your teeth easier to clean and therefore less likely to build up tarter or calculus which can lead to periodontal disease.
Dental Braces
Getting braces your braces on is a very simple process and involves the use of metal or ceramic brackets which are being glued to your teeth. Both metal and ceramic braces are extremely effective at aligning complex tooth issues.
Comparatively, they are more effective when compared to Invisalign in closing the gaps and aligning. While every patient case might be different, the average time spent in dental braces treatment is anywhere from 12 months to 18 months depending on the complexity of the case.
While wearing braces it is more important to take some special care and maintenance than it is with Invisalign. Oral hygiene with metal braces can be slightly challenging due to the wire that connects each tooth, thus brushing and flossing regularly is important to maintain good oral health. In addition, crunchy or sticky foods (includes apples, popcorn, gum, and other chewy favorites) needs to be avoided in order to avoid damage to the brackets and wires.
From a cost perspective, each person will be different but Braces tend to be slightly cheaper than Invisalign due to the lab bill from Invisalign. Braces also tend to shorten treatment slightly and therefore is our modality of choice for teenagers but we always let our patients decide what is best for them or for their child.
Invisalign
Major benefits of Invisalign are that they are removable and are almost invisible. They are more comfortable when compared to metal braces, as the aligners are made of smooth plastic due to which there won’t be irritation to gums or cheeks. Invisalign are best options in cases that are not too complicated since Invisalign works to align teeth in a less invasive and efficient way by gently moving teeth to the planned position. The average amount of time required for the Invisalign treatment may take somewhere between 12 and 18 months, however it may vary from case to case.
As the aligner is removable, you can take them out before eating and drinking, so you may not any issues getting stuck between brackets and wires. You can also remove them before brushing and flossing, allowing you to easily access and clean your teeth. Although there are no food restrictions with Invisalign aligners, you will need to clean and rinse your aligners when performing your daily routine.
If you are in Chandler, AZ and need help deciding which is best for you, get in touch with Smiles of Chandler today to talk to us. We are happy to help you.
