Invisalign or Braces: Which Treatment Is Best for Your Needs
Most Americans report their smile is an essential part of their overall appearance. Therefore people with crooked and misaligned teeth often contemplate whether they should have treatment to straighten their teeth with Invisalign or braces. Suppose you are in a similar position and trying to determine which treatment is best for your needs. In that case, it is a challenge you will find difficult to overcome unless you schedule a meeting with the dentist near you to understand which orthodontic appliance suits your requirement best.
How to Decide between Invisalign and Braces?
This severity of the malocclusion affecting you determines whether you can have Invisalign clear aligners over your teeth or must have them straightened using traditional metal brackets and wires. Whether you qualify for treatment with Invisalign or not, you must wear braces for your teeth made from metal brackets and wires, ceramic brackets and wires, or transparent dental-grade plastic aligners for the straightening. The dental professional you visit determines the best solution for your needs by examining your teeth and taking x-rays to determine the severity of the condition. Instead of visiting the dentist with a predetermined mindset, it helps if you see them with an open mind concentrating on how you can straighten your teeth and not the appliance helping you correct the problem.
Invisalign Vs. Braces
Regarding orthodontic appliances, none can dispute that traditional braces and Invisalign are effective for straightening teeth with problems like overbites, underbites, misaligned teeth, open bites, gapped teeth, and crowded & crooked teeth.
Traditional braces have been around for over a century and are considered the gold standard for correcting any orthodontic problems affecting everyone’s smile. However, Invisalign, a late entrant in the 90s, introduced a revolutionary treatment for straightening teeth without using metal brackets and wires. Instead, they developed clear aligners to fit snugly over the teeth as a single piece instead of promoting individual brackets on each tooth to straighten it.
If you visit Invisalign in Chaska, MN, the provider certified by Invisalign will evaluate your teeth to determine whether you qualify for Invisalign treatment. Traditional braces treat malocclusions of all kinds, whether they are mild or severe. However, if you have complicated situations of the malocclusion described above, you may not qualify for Invisalign treatment and may receive a recommendation from the dentist to prefer traditional braces to straighten your teeth.
Straightening your teeth is not the most comfortable treatment available from dentists or orthodontists. Whether you have traditional braces or Invisalign, expect some discomfort in the initial stages soon after getting them on your teeth. Fortunately, Invisalign offers more comfort than traditional braces because you don’t have any brackets or wires attached to your teeth and poking to the soft tissues in your mouth. Metal braces are uncomfortable, making it challenging for you to maintain appropriate dental hygiene and requiring monthly appointments with your orthodontist for adjustments and tightening of wires. Thankfully Invisalign has no such requirements because you receive a fresh set of aligners to replace your existing batch and continue with the treatment as usual.
If you must have traditional braces over your teeth, rest assured the orthodontic appliance will remain on your teeth for three years or more every minute of the day. You cannot remove metal brackets and wires and need help from your orthodontist before you try to make any changes to the appliance.
On the other hand, Invisalign braces have a removable feature allowing you to remove the braces from your mouth when having the foods you love and to maintain appropriate dental hygiene. Invisalign braces must remain on your teeth for 20 to 22 hours every day if you desire effective results within the specified time by the dentist providing Invisalign near you.
The most significant challenge with Invisalign is compliance with wearing the aligners for 20 to 22 hours every day. You may think it is comfortably extendable because you can remove the aligners from over your teeth yourself. However, if the aligners don’t return over the teeth within the specified time, you risk compromising the treatment results. You may even require additional aligners to extend your treatment making it more expensive than you initially expected.
What about Costs and Dental Visits?
Traditional braces and Invisalign both have similar prices and cost between 3000 and 8000. The cost of treatment with conventional braces is determined ahead of time when the orthodontist attaches brackets and wires to your teeth.
Unfortunately, Invisalign treatment depends on how many trays you require to correct the complications in your mouth and your compliance with the treatment requirements. While the treatment costs begin at around $ 3000, the eventual costs will depend on how many trays you need and how long you have the virtually invisible braces over your teeth.
You must visit orthodontists once every month to tighten wires to increase pressure on your teeth to move them into their correct positions. On the other hand, with Invisalign, every batch of aligners you receive is tighter than the earlier set eliminating the need to visit dentist in chaska for adjustments. You must schedule an appointment with the Invisalign dentist every 6 to 8 weeks to assess your progress and receive your fresh batch of aligners.
If you are like many people choosing Invisalign over traditional braces, we suggest you discuss your choices with the dentist near you for advice on which option is best suited for your situation. If you qualify for Invisalign, consider yourself fortunate because you receive a comfortable treatment to straighten your teeth faster if you comply with the treatment requirements.