Invisalign or braces; which one is right for you?

Much like the ongoing disputes between comic book fans about which comic is better, DC or Marvel, there is now something of a similar dispute undertaken by dentists: which is better for adult orthodontic care, braces or invisible aligners?

Luckily, this is down to interpretation as both of these options have their own benefits and setbacks. As you can imagine, it is easier to determine which will be better suited for a patient than which comic book villain is a better character!

When you come to Clear Braces Direct, we will offer you a candid assessment of your current dental misalignment. If we feel that it is too severe to undertake Invisalign London, we will happily refer you to one of our orthodontic colleagues to better fit your needs. However, if you are given the green light by our team, you can begin using these remarkable invisible aligners.

But what are some of the core considerations that go into choosing which is more suited for you? Here is a brief guide as to what our team will consider when deciding whether Invisalign London is right for you.

Discipline

One of the key differences between using Invisalign London and braces is the discipline involved in the use of the former. For invisible aligners to work, they need to be worn for around 22 hours a day; this is solely your responsibility. When it comes to assessing whether this treatment will work or not, our team will need to know that you have the discipline to wear them for this allotted time.

Severity of misalignment

As mentioned earlier, the severity of the misalignment will play a large role in determining which orthodontic tool we will use. If you have a misalignment that involves your molar teeth or requires one of your teeth to be rotated, this will usually be best suited to a fixed brace. If the misalignment is mild to minor and located at the front of your mouth, then we will likely suggest the use of invisible aligners.

Time

The timeline of both treatments is very different, with orthodontic braces taking up to 3 years to straighten teeth and invisible aligners taking between 3 to 6 months on average. So, if you have an important event coming up and a mild to moderate misalignment, then our team will likely suggest the invisible aligners. However, if you have a severe orthodontic misalignment, we will not recommend simply using invisible aligners just because they are faster but may suggest a clear fixed brace instead.

Impact

Do you have a job that requires you to give a lot of talks? Once again, if you do and need a more complicated realignment of your teeth, we may suggest a clear fixed brace. However, one of the core benefits of wearing invisible aligners is that visually, they are exceedingly discreet, thus making less of an impact.

Care

It is fair to say that fixed braces and invisible aligners both require care. Fixed braces will require you to attend dental checkups and appointments more regularly to have them tightened, and you will need to invest in interdental brushes to keep them clean. Invisible aligners also need to be kept clean, and you must maintain good oral hygiene. So, depending on your age and level of dental health, we will assess your suitability for each orthodontic tool.