Clear Aligners Vs. Dental Braces: Making The Right Choice
Article Written By Research Contributor, Medically Reviewed By Experts Of Serena Medical Center
Clear Aligners Vs. Braces
When you look at yourself in the mirror or whenever you are taking a selfie, do you visualise or dream of a straight smile with your teeth aligned to perfection? If you are someone who is struggling to pick between dental braces and clear aligners for your teeth transformation and smile makeover resolutions this year, then this blog is surely for you. We’ll take you through the several advantages of clear aligners treatment and why they are a better alternative to traditional braces. While both treatments are effective in their ways, let’s look at some key disadvantages faced by patients with dental braces that can be bridged with clear aligner benefits, so that you can make an informed decision with the help of our dentists at Serena Medical Center for your teeth alignment issues.
#1 Aesthetic appeal
Team Aligners:
Clear aligners are almost discreet and practically invisible, thus offering you complete freedom to go unnoticed while undergoing your teeth straightening treatment.Team Braces:
The biggest disadvantage of braces treatment has always been its evidently visible appearance in daily conversations, making personal interactions and professional engagements extremely uncomfortable for self-conscious individuals, giving them a metal mouth and an appearance that isn’t really aesthetic, nor is it preferred by most patients.#2 Seamless fit
Team Aligners:
Invisible aligners need no extra effort from your end. They can be integrated easily into daily lifestyles, as they are engineered for swift maintenance. They are tailored for your specific needs using 3D imaging and dental impressions of your mouth and jaw for precise and predictable outcomes. Dental aligners also suit active and busy office-goers in high-visibility professions. Aligners don’t interfere with your physical activity and sports routines as well.Team Braces:
Metal braces can cause some amount of damage to your mouth in case you suffer from any injuries or get hit while playing sports. Moreover, braces can demand a lot of attention from you for daily maintenance, and oral care and require additional effort to avoid breakage.#3 Patient compliance
Team Aligners:
Dental aligners are very easy to remove and wear again at any point of time, anywhere and individuals don’t even have to visit the clinic for this. This boosts your overall compliance with the treatment plan ensuring better outcomes, and promoting aligner treatment success. Aligner adoption is further enhanced due to features like flexibility and removability. Aligners are to be worn for the maximum amount of time, for effectiveness and efficacy. Dentists usually recommend wearing them for almost 20-22 hours in a day.Team Braces:
While it’s true that you don’t have to remember to wear braces, as they are fitted by your dentist and are not removable, they are observed to cause a lot of discomfort and need more discipline from patients in terms of food habits, oral hygiene etc.#4 Maintenance
Team Aligners:
Aligners are designed for low maintenance, which means, you can clean them at home with just some simple steps to keep them in good condition, free from stains and odours.Team Braces:
Without regular cleaning, braces can bring tooth decay, plaque build-up, and gum problems along. Moreover, every time there is an emergency or a problem with the fitting or even a periodic adjustment that has to be made, you will need your dentist again.#5 Clinic visits
Team Aligners:
Aligners require only a few adjustments, in turn needing only fewer visits to the clinic for follow-up. You are expected to change to the next aligner set in the series delivered to you as per your treatment schedule recommended by your dentist. The dentist monitors your progress and checks for tooth movement in the desired direction during the treatment.Team Braces:
You may have to reach out to the dentist frequently for dental emergencies due to broken wires or brackets in the conventional braces treatment. Here, the adjustments are more often and time-consuming and repairs can only be handled by the dentist in a clinic setting.#6 Oral hygiene and dietary restrictions
Team Aligners:
Dental aligners require no special changes to be made to your eating habits. You can remove them before eating, drinking, and brushing your teeth and wear them again after you are done cleaning them at regular intervals. This ensures oral hygiene at all times promoting overall dental health. Worry not, eat what you like, without the fear of potentially damaging your aligners, sabotaging your treatment outcomes, or compromising your oral care.Team Braces:
Braces are fixed and not flexible. So, you will have to alter your eating habits and make the necessary changes. Avoid hard, sticky, and chewy foods. Be careful while you brush and floss daily as the food particles may get stuck around your teeth in between the metal components in braces.#7 Convenience and comfort
Team Aligners:
Aligners are comfortable to place over your teeth all by yourself. They are super convenient as there are no sharp edges that can irritate your gums (which is not the case in metal braces). Usually, aligner treatment offers faster outcomes in comparison to braces treatment.Team Braces:
Braces, on the other hand, have metal wires and brackets which can cause discomfort while eating and speaking. Braces treatment can take longer and more manual adjustments may be required depending on the severity of the dental problems you are facing.#8 Speech impact and social acceptance
Team Aligners:
Aligners exert only mild pressure for gentle tooth movement. So they are patient-friendly in general. Speech changes here in the initial phase are short-lived and patients tend to get used to aligner wear quite faster. Since aligners are also removable, you can keep them away for your special celebrations, functions, or important office meetings.Team Braces:
You can’t do away with your braces and they shall remain at all times – be it a photoshoot or a conference – which can impact your overall appearance, confidence and self-esteem. Some patients also experience a lisp, resulting in their unclear speech, due to the metal parts in braces. In braces treatment, patients report challenges with extensive teeth movements requiring periodic adjustments and extended treatment duration for complex cases.So, have you made your decision? Which team are you? Team braces or team aligners?
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Invisalign Aligners?
Invisalign is the most popular, and best-known clear aligners brand, offering a series of best-in-class thin, custom-made trays, to fit perfectly on your teeth and correct your alignment problems to improve your smile. They are sought widely by patients who are interested in invisible teeth straightening solutions and recommended by many dentists for their proven track record in aligner treatment effectiveness and satisfaction witnessed in patients.Which Dental Flaws Do Teeth Aligners Fix?
Aligners can address several orthodontic problems such as gaps, misfits, misalignment, malocclusions, mild to moderate crowding, bite corrections, spacing issues, crooked teeth, etc.
The Bottom Line
The final decision between clear aligners vs. braces for your dental flaws is totally up to you, as it can depend on several factors – apart from your dentist’s recommendation based on the complexity of your misaligned teeth and malocclusion – like your oral health, lifestyle, dental hygiene habits, your personal preferences, your profession, your smile goals and more. Speak to Serena Medical Center dentists to understand the pros and cons of aligners vs. braces for your specific needs. Invest in your beautiful smile, with something reliable that promotes your confidence, simplifies your oral hygiene practices, and fits into your lifestyle effortlessly – all this while addressing your orthodontic needs. Now that’s what we call invisible teeth aligners. Book your appointment today!
Disclaimer: This piece of content is no substitute for direct medical advice. The purpose and intent of this blog is to just impart knowledge, share general tips and spread awareness. It is in no way a replacement for any medical consultation provided by professionals. Serena Medical Center strictly recommends reaching out to qualified healthcare providers and medical experts for personalized advice and further information.