09/04/2016
Article by Dr. Leaver & Dr. Gardner
Whether you have that one tooth that just isn’t lined up with the rest of them, or several teeth that aren’t straight, you are mostly likely looking into a means to fix them. Most people want to have straight teeth and a beautiful smile. Crooked teeth can cause people to feel self-conscious and in turn, cause them to avoid smiling. If there is one thing this world needs more of, it’s smiling people. Leaver & Gardner Orthodontics is here to talk about two means that can be used to straighten your teeth; braces or invisalign.
Traditional braces are made up of metal or ceramic brackets that use pressure to move your teeth. Invisalign uses alignment trays to get the job done. The nice thing about the invisalign aligning trays, is the fact that they are clear and not nearly as noticeable as the metal or ceramic brackets. If you are an adult or a teen that is self-conscious about the fact that you need braces, you might want to look into using invisalign to straighten your teeth.
Whether you choose to have braces or use invisalign trays to straighten your teeth, there is a certain amount of maintenance involved in straightening your teeth. When you have braces, you have to get them adjusted and tightened every four to eight weeks. You may need to have wires repaired or other small maintenance details performed. When you are using invisalign trays, you have to get new aligners every two weeks. If you don’t want to make a trip to your orthodontist as frequently, you may want to get braces instead.
When you have braces, there are many foods that should be avoided so you don’t break any brackets or wires. Chewy or stick candy, ice cubes, or other hard foods should be avoided when you have braces. When dealing with invisalign, your trays need to be removed whenever you are eating. If you are drinking anything other than water, they should be removed as well.
Braces can be uncomfortable, especially when they are first put on. You can experience sores on your cheeks and gums as your mouth gets used to having them there. There can also be pain and discomfort when they are tightened and adjusted each month. Invisalign doesn’t have sharp edges that rub on your mouth so there isn’t any pain there, but every two weeks when you get a new alignment tray, there can be some discomfort.
Invisalign is still a rather new technology. You can plan on spending between $5,000 and $8,000 on invisalign depending on how long your course of treatment is. Braces usually cost between $2,000 and $5,000. So if money is tight, you may want to stick with braces.
When dealing with mild cases, invisalign does a great job. When you are dealing with more complex cases, braces have proven to do a better job. With braces, you don’t have option of taking them out and that isn’t a temptation as well. Invisalign should be worn 22-24 hours a day, but it can be tempting to not wear them at times.
When comparing braces with invisalign, it is a close call. They both have their pros and cons. When considering the success you will have with either of them, it obviously depends on how disciplined you will be if you choose invisalign. If you have a complex case dealing with any of your back teeth or bite, you will need to get braces rather than invisalign to fix the problem. Leaver & Gardner Orthodontics offers both invisalign and braces to help you achieve the kind of smile you can be proud of!
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