Invisalign vs. Traditional Metal Braces: Pros & Cons

Creating a perfect smile and realigning your teeth has never been easier. But with so many orthodontic choices at your fingertips, it’s hard to know which option is best. Below, we’ll go over the pros and cons of the two most common realignment treatments: Invisalign and traditional metal braces. This way, you can decide which treatment is right for you or your child.

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What is Invisalign?

Invisalign has become a household name, but most importantly, it is a highly effective orthodontic treatment. Invisalign is FDA-approved and consists of BPA-free clear aligners that look like retainers to shift teeth.

Pros of Invisalign

Here are the pros of Invisalign:

• Discreet. The biggest perk to Invisalign is that the aligners are virtually invisible. Adults love that co-workers and clients can’t see they are in orthodontic treatment, and self-conscious teens love how discreet they are too.
• Easier to maintain good oral hygiene. Since Invisalign trays are removable, maintaining good oral hygiene isn’t difficult. You’ll be able to brush and floss without issue.
• Fewer food restrictions. Unlike metal braces, you can eat and drink without restrictions since your retainers are removable. You won’t have to change your diet or how you eat your food. With braces, some people find certain types of food awkward or uncomfortable to eat.
• More comfortable. Comfort-wise, your Invisalign trays will require some getting used to because they are applying light pressure to your teeth to encourage movement. However, compared to metal braces, Invisalign is said to be more comfortable and easier to acclimate to.
• Fewer appointments. With Invisalign, much of the dentist’s work happens before you wear your trays. Digital scans and images are taken of your teeth and used for making all the customized retainers by the Invisalign lab. The dentist will direct you when to change to the next set of trays, but since fewer adjustments are needed, visits are kept to a minimum to check on your progress.

Cons of Invisalign

Here are the cons of Invisalign:

• Wearing Invisalign requires discipline. Having the ability to remove your trays is both a pro and a con. Patient compliance is key to successfully realigning your teeth. So if you aren’t disciplined about placing your aligners back in your mouth after brushing or eating, you likely won’t wear them the required 22 hours per day. This is the biggest reason why Invisalign treatments fail, because of the lack of consistency by the patient.
• Invisalign trays can be inconvenient. Besides drinking water, you’ll need to remove your trays to eat and drink. So whenever you’re out in public, you’ll need to figure out a way to do this discreetly and not lose them. Also, you’ll need to keep a toothbrush handy to brush your teeth before placing the retainers back in your mouth. Food particles may interfere with your teeth movement and can stain your aligners.
• Invisalign isn’t for everybody. Unfortunately, Invisalign isn’t always the best treatment method and usually isn’t recommended for more complex orthodontic cases. However, we’d be happy to schedule an evaluation at our Kingston, PA office to determine if you’re an Invisalign candidate.

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What are Metal Braces?

Although not discreet like Invisalign, traditional metal braces do have several advantages you’ll want to consider before deciding between the two. Traditional braces consist of brackets, wires, colorful or clear O-rings, and sometimes rubber bands.

Pros of Metal Braces

Here are the pros of metal braces:

• Metal braces are great for all treatments. Metal braces can treat easy cases and more difficult ones as well as correct multiple dental and facial issues. Since braces consist of brackets and wires to produce tooth movement, they provide a powerful treatment with successful results.
• Faster treatment times. Since braces are secured to your teeth and not removable, treatment can stay consistent. You’ll be wearing your braces 24/7 and won’t have to worry about compliance interfering with your progress.
• Different types of braces are available. Besides traditional metal braces, there are other types of braces, including ceramic (white tooth-colored) and lingual braces (placed on the backside of the teeth). So it’s possible to get traditional braces without the metal look if that is of concern.

Cons of Metal Braces

Here are the cons of metal braces:

• Aesthetics. Some adults and teenagers don’t like the look of traditional braces. They’re worried about how they’ll appear in social settings or if it will affect their daily lives. For example, with work, playing sports, performing in a school band, and public speaking.
• Frequent office visits. More dental visits will be required while in braces to check your progress and make adjustments. The dentist will want to take a look every month or so to check teeth movement and make changes to your wires or bracket positioning.
• Hygiene difficulties. Brushing and flossing around wires and brackets isn’t easy. If you don’t clean your teeth properly while in braces, you run the risk of causing decalcified white marks on your teeth and decay. You’ll need to become diligent about brushing and flossing while in treatment.
• Slightly uncomfortable. Metal braces are known to be slightly uncomfortable, especially when wires are changed every few weeks. They also can cause mouth sores as well as gum and cheek irritation.
• Food restrictions. You’ll need to avoid certain foods and drinks while in treatment. Hard, sticky, or chewy foods can cause brackets to pop off or wires to break. Until the damaged component is replaced, your treatment will be at a standstill. If you were to have multiple breakages, it could prolong your treatment time.

Make an Appointment with Brand Dental

There’s a lot to consider when choosing between Invisalign vs. traditional metal braces. We’d be happy to discuss the pros and cons with you further and answer any questions you may have. We’re here to help you make the best decision for yourself or your child. Contact us or schedule an appointment below to get started. We look forward to helping you create a perfect smile!

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