If you’re thinking about straightening your teeth (or your kids teeth), the first question you’ll want to ask yourself is exactly how you’d like to straighten them.
Advances in dental technology have seen a number of new teeth-straightening methods hit the market in recent years, but for most people the big question is: Braces or Invisalign?
If you’ve gotten to this point in consideration, you probably have many questions – which one’s best for me? What’s the most cost effective? What can and can’t be treated? What are the pros and cons of each?
BRACES VS. INVISALIGN: WHICH WILL WORK BEST FOR YOU?
This big question is a lot easier to answer when you break it into pieces. In the table below, we’ve listed some of the biggest and most important factors to consider when making the choice.
| Braces | Invisalign | |
| Appearance | Silver, Coloured, or Clear Brackets | Clear / Virtually Invisible |
| Treatment Time | Approx. 2 years (depending on patient needs) | Approx 6 – 18 months (depending on patient needs) |
| Maintenance | Brush brackets and wires regularly while brushing teeth. | Brush and rinse aligner trays in lukewarm water |
| Follow-Up Visits | Approx 1 per 6-8 weeks | Change aligner trays every 1 – 2 weeks. Visits every 4 to 8 weeks. |
| Follow Up Treatment | Retainer likely needed after braces are removed | Positioner or retainer likely needed after treatment, possibly just at night |
| What Ages can be Treated? | Child to Adult | Early Teens to Adult |
| Not Ideal For | Patients playing rough contact sports regularly | Patients with more complicated orthodontic problems |
| Cost | $3000 – $9,000 | $6,000 – $9,000 |
PROS AND CONS
While both braces and Invisalign can straighten your teeth, they both have particular pros and cons that go beyond what the table above has listed.
Are you likely to lose your Invisalign retainers? Maybe consider traditional braces. Do you have very sensitive teeth? Invisalign (without brackets and wires) may be for you. In the table below, we go over a few of the unique advantages and disadvantages of Braces and Invisalign. Each has advantages and disadvantages of its own.
Pros and Cons – Braces
| Pros | Cons |
| More effective for more complex orthodontic problemsRequires less self-discipline (They’re permanent, so there’s no temptation to remove them)No extra cleaning steps – just brush and floss as normal | May have some pain, sores or discomfort from wires and bracketsMay have some tooth discoloration from bracketsMay have difficulty eating sticky or hard foods |
Pros and Cons – Invisalign
| Pros | Cons |
| Nearly InvisibleRemovableNo issues with food getting caughtNo difficulty eatingNo discomfort from wires | May have discomfort from tooth movementMust remove before eating or drinking anything but waterMust brush after each meal to avoid staining |
READY TO LEARN MORE?
As specialist orthodontists, we know better than anyone what a big choice getting treatment can be. If you’d like to read more, visit us online. Start learning about Invisalign here. For traditional braces, we offer a slightly more advanced and convenient technology called Damon braces. Learn about our Traditional Damon Braces here.
If you’ve got any questions, or would just like to speak to a specialist and get some more advice, get in touch!.