Did you know that over 50% of Americans are self-conscious about their teeth?
If you don’t have a perfect smile and want straighter teeth, you have two main options.
Back in the day, the only way to straighten misaligned teeth was with braces. Now, you can choose between Invisalign or braces
Are you unsure which of these teeth straightening options is the best? Straightening teeth is an expensive business, and it’s always a good idea to research your options thoroughly.
Keep reading to find out the differences between Invisalign vs braces.
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The Results of Invisalign vs Braces
If you’re worried about the results of braces vs Invisalign, there isn’t really a difference between these teeth straightening options as far as outcomes go. Both will straighten your teeth, and neither will give “better” or “worse” results.
However, there are two caveats to consider.
For one, braces are usually better suited to very severely misaligned teeth. However, if your teeth are badly misaligned, you can still opt for Invisalign in conjunction with a shorter period of wearing traditional braces, providing you choose the right dentist.
If you’re not sure which dentist to choose, you can go to WardlawOrtho.com to learn how to find the best Invisalign dentist.
Another factor you might want to consider when it comes to final outcomes is that traditional braces can harbor more bacteria that Invisalign trays. If you aren’t faithful with your oral hygiene routine, this could leave you with an extra cavity or two when the braces come off.
That said, this shouldn’t be a problem if you brush and floss regularly.
Other Factors to Weigh Up Around Braces vs Invisalign
Although there aren’t any differences between the final outcome of Invisalign vs braces, there are a few other factors to consider if you’re trying to decide between these two teeth straightening options.
These include the cost, duration of treatment, number of dentist visits, and how braces vs Invisalign look and feel in your mouth.
Convenience and Comfort
Overall, Invisalign is more convenient than braces. If you get Invisalign trays, you only need to visit your dentist roughly every 3 months. With regular braces, you will most likely need to go for monthly checkups.
If you have a busy schedule, only having to go every third or fourth month can be a big advantage.
Invisalign trays can also be a lot easier to clean, as you can take them out.
Braces are notoriously hard to clean, and they can also be highly uncomfortable. The wires and anchor points can scratch the insides of your cheeks, and the rubber bands can very be very hard to get used to.
Invisalign trays can cause discomfort as the teeth shift, but because they are smooth they won’t hurt the insides of your cheeks.
Cosmetic Considerations
There’s no getting around it, Invisalign trays win hands down when it comes to cosmetics. They are nearly invisible and few people will notice you’re wearing them.
Because of this, Invisalign is usually preferred over braces, especially by professional people.
Treatment Cost
The only drawback of Invisalign is that it’s quite a bit more expensive than braces. On average, you can expect to pay roughly 40% more for Invisalign than for traditional braces.
Invisalign vs Braces: Which Will You Choose?
Invisalign has almost every advantage over regular braces, but it does cost more. As far as outcomes go between Invisalign vs braces, both are equally effective at straightening teeth, however, very badly misaligned teeth might require a period of bracing before Invisalign trays can be used.
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