Braces vs Invisalign, is there a clear winner?
Correcting your teeth can be uncomfortable, but not as bad as growing to adulthood with crooked teeth. Now that you are looking for dental correction, you need to weigh your options, braces vs Invisalign.
Both braces and Invisalign will be able to align your smile, so the factors that demand your attention are:
- Duration
- Cost
- Disqualifiers
Duration
Braces consist of a wire affixed to metal or enamel brackets on your teeth. Braces are permanent and will need monthly adjustments and tightening over the course of the procedure, which lasts for approximately 2 years. If there are more serious considerations, they may also affect the length of time you wear braces.
Invisalign systems consist of a series of BPA-free clear plastic trays. The trays can be removed at will, but are meant to stay in 22-24 hours a day. Invisalign is meant to be used for between 6 and 18 months.
Cost
Braces, depending on how long you need them, can cost you from $1,800 to $5,500 over the course of the years that you wear them.
Invisalign trays average at about $5,000 in the course of the months you will be using them.
Disqualifiers
Braces can be troublesome to some athletes. Contact sports are especially hazardous to the teeth and lips of individuals with braces. It can also be difficult to use proper mouth guards with braces.
Invisalign systems cannot make the drastic changes required for some mouths. If a patient needs:
- Premolars or canines rotated
- Bridgework
- Teeth moved vertically
- Rear teeth bite problems fixed
Invisalign isn’t the right option. Using the Invisalign system requires discipline to use the trays every day, for at least 22 hours a day.
In the end, corrective dental work is beneficial regardless of the system you choose to use. Traditional braces tend to be less expensive, except in extreme cases and in those cases, Invisalign can’t help anyway. Braces do require more time to make their corrections, 6-12 months longer than Invisalign trays.
Invisalign trays are more convenient, as they can be removed to eat, brush and floss teeth. Unfortunately, if a person isn’t responsible, the trays can be lost or neglected, which stunts the progress of the process.
Which of these categories do you fall into? How drastic are the changes that your mouth requires and what does your lifestyle require? These tips should help you decide which form of corrective dentistry, braces vs Invisalign, will work best for you.
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