Degree of Responsibility
Determining whether invisible braces are a better option for you over traditional braces requires a clear understanding of the responsibilities for both types of treatments.
With conventional braces, a patient who doesn’t mind allowing the dentist to make firm monthly changes to his or her teeth is appropriate. On the contrary, those who want the advantages of a consistent aligner must know that their greatest responsibility lies with them. Even though you will visit the dentist for tests on a regular basis, you will be responsible for swapping out your aligner with a new aligner every few weeks. The aligners will be in a numbered box and each will give your teeth a subtle shift. Additionally, the aligners must be worn consistently for 22-23 hours a day.
Patients must remove the invisible braces only when eating some food and brushing their teeth. The necessity to remove the aligners before eating food can be an advantage but it can also be a drawback if you are eating outside. Upon removing your aligner tray, you also have to be careful about brushing and flossing after each meal. For these reasons, to benefit from transparent braces you need to take some responsibility.
Advantages of Invisible Braces
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The invisible braces are, as the name says, virtually invisible. Most adults and teens want straighter teeth but they don’t like the fact that everyone knows they have braces. Invisible braces can correct crooked teeth without endangering your confidence or smile.
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Invisible braces can correct a variety of dental issues including crowded teeth, spacing, overbites, underbites and crossbites.
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The advantage of invisible braces is the ability to see the teeth gradually shift into alignment. When patients see the aligner tray advantages they are more likely to follow the procedure.
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Since the aligner trays are removed before eating, the types of food you can consume are not limited. There are certain foods which you can and can not consume when wearing them with conventional braces. Some food items can get stuck in the brackets and make it hard to clean. Food can get stuck in the metal wires and until much later, the wearer may not even know it.
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Since invisible braces are removable, brushing and flossing is easier than with traditional braces.
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Unlike traditional braces, invisible braces are made of a smooth plastic material. There are no metal protrusions which can puncture or scratch the inside of the mouth.
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Standard braces will take 3-5 years to achieve the expected results but invisible braces will only take around 1-1 1⁄2 years to straighten the teeth. Because the treatment plan is completely computerized, patients know in advance what they can expect, and about how long it will take.
Disadvantages of Invisible Braces
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Invisible braces are constrained in what they can do. These are best suited for treating malocclusions considered mild to moderate. Teeth that are strongly twisted by more than 20 degrees or tipped or bent by more than 45 degrees indicates patients have large spaces between their dents or extreme overbites. With the aligners, they may not get satisfactory results and conventional braces might be a better option for them.
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Patients with crowns or porcelain veneers may be limited from having invisible braces which require “buttons” or “attachments” since it can be problematic to bond these formations onto some types of dental work.
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Because the plastic aligners should fit tightly into the shape of the teeth to enable sufficient force to move them, the shape of the teeth can restrict what the braces may do.
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Both teeth restorations should be completed before treatment with invisible braces, since even one dental treatment to change the tooth shape will interfere with aligner fitting. Nevertheless, for invisible braces, minor corrections which do not change the tooth shape may be okay.
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Patients with dental bridges may not be able to use invisible braces since they are used to bridge a gap between missing teeth and could become damaged.
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Pain during aligner changes
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Temporary slurring of speech
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The possibility of losing the aligners during treatment
Are You Looking for Clear Aligners or Invisalign to Straighten Your Teeth?
With over 30 years of professional experience helping patients renew and beautifying their smiles, Balfour Dental continues to be the preferred dental office for families in Brentwood California and the surrounding communities of Antioch, Oakley, Discovery Bay and beyond. Their dental office is locally owned and operated by Dr. Dimple Rayani and Dr. Sien Siao, two professionals with vast experience in cosmetic dentistry treatments as well as in general dentistry. Dr. Rayani and Dr. Siao both have many different certifications, including Invisalign Certification, Implant Dentistry, Sleep Apnea Treatment, Cerec CAD-CAM Restorations, Neuromuscular Dentistry, and Implants respectively. If you are looking to renew your smile, contact Balfour Dental today!