Invisible Braces Vs Traditional Braces

Traditional braces got that name because they’ve been used for teeth aligning for decades now. The process involves wearing braces made of metal for the required treatment time. As technology progresses, the teeth aligning process modernizes, and that’s how we got invisible braces. These aim to simplify things for the patient and offer new features that the traditional option can’t deliver.

Today, you can choose between classic metal and new clear braces. If you’d like to learn more about both treatments, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we compare the major characteristics of both options. Here is what you should know before choosing a particular method!

Metal Braces – Overview

Metal or traditional braces use brackets and wires. The dentist fixes the brackets to your teeth and uses a wire to connect those brackets together. This treatment works by applying constant pressure to your teeth to move them to the desired position.

You cannot remove these braces yourself, so they are a semi-permanent option. That means you wear them as long as the treatment lasts, and only a professional can remove them.

Advantages of Using Metal Braces

In some situations, it’s not possible to use Invisalign. Those are teeth with severe rotation, crooked teeth, noticeable gaps, and other complicated cases that can’t be treated by clear braces. If that happens, your only alternative is to use the traditional metal treatment.

The main advantage of traditional braces is their functionality. Both treatments come with the initial adaptation time, and you could feel discomfort for several days. However, once you get used to metal braces, you should manage them easily. And while brushing your teeth regularly is imperative, the maintenance of actual braces is minimal.

Disadvantages of Using Metal Braces

If you thought about ordering your treatment from home, that wouldn’t be possible with traditional braces. Instead, you’ll need to visit the dentist on multiple occasions. Not only should a professional dentist install the braces, but it’s also mandatory to go to regular check-ups.

You don’t have an option to remove these braces yourself. If you have a scheduled meeting or an important date, you’ll need to navigate them while wearing your braces. Please note that patients must adjust their diet, too. Crunchy, sticky, and hard food comes with an increased risk of breaking the brackets. That leads to at least another visit to the dentist and probably increases overall expenses.

And what if you feel nervous and just want a small break from wearing those brackets on your teeth? We are sorry to say that the only option is to push through it until the treatment ends. Another problem is that treatments can last for a long time, especially when compared to Invisalign. You’ll probably need to wear metal braces for at least 12 months, and it’s not uncommon for the treatment to last two or more years.

Clear Braces – Overview

Treatment with clear braces involves wearing aligners that put gentle pressure on your teeth. That pressure slowly moves them to the desired position. Clear aligners are an advanced orthodontic solution and a modern treatment that attracts new patients constantly. You usually receive multiple aligners at once, along with a wearing schedule.

Advantages of Using Clear Braces

From a patient’s perspective, clear aligners come with multiple advantages. Here is a detailed overview of this treatment’s benefits.

Order from Home

The fact you can order your treatment remotely offers many advantages, including:

• It’s safe – we are living in times of pandemics, and ordering from the comfort of your home is a safer option.
• It’s easy – it only takes filling out a simple form and taking a few photos to sign up for this treatment.
• You can still count on professionals – most companies, such as Byte, ensure that a licensed dentist designs and monitors your treatment.
• The complete schedule is pre-defined – patients receive all aligners and a complete schedule on when to switch between them. You can always check the schedule, so there’s no room for a mistake.

The Importance of Removability

Clear braces are easy to put on and take off when necessary. That removability feature is critical for many patients. It could be that there’s an important business meeting and you won’t look serious with braces. Perhaps you are going on a date, and wearing aligners doesn’t exactly look dazzling.

Another advantage of removability is that you can eat anything. You remove the aligners before you eat and put them on after you finish. That being said, you should still avoid sugary drinks and other processed foods that could harm your oral and overall health.

Pick Between Day and Night Plans

Clear braces are discreet and convenient. Teledentistry companies like NewSmile took that to the next level by offering day and night aligners. Those who want maximum discretion can go with night braces, which you only wear for ten hours during the night. If you want to speed up the results, daily braces require 22 hours of wearing.

Comfortable and Easy to Use

Invisible aligners are surprisingly comfortable. It’s normal to experience some soreness, but since these only apply gentle force, getting used to them won’t take a lot of time. Additionally, the process of placing the aligners on your teeth is simple. Once you try it a couple of times, you’ll become comfortable with it. After some practice, it shouldn’t take more than seconds to place or remove your aligners as necessary.

Disadvantages of Using Clear Braces

The key disadvantage of clear aligners is potential unsuitability for the treatment. Not everyone qualifies for these aligners, and a professional will decide if you are the right fit. Most teledentistry companies allow a free assessment. It involves a simple questionnaire you fill, and a licensed dentist looks at it to determine whether you can use aligners.

Invisalign and similar treatments can be more expensive than the traditional options. That’s why clear aligner providers offer monthly payment methods and insurance plans. Many patients don’t mind the higher price because they appreciate the convenience offered by this treatment. It’s imperative to store and clean the aligners properly, which is specific to invisible aligners, but you’ll get used to this after a while.

Invisible VS Traditional Braces

Check out this table to learn how the two treatments compare in major areas:

It’s easy to understand why clear aligners have become so popular. They are a convenient solution perfect for a working person and those who want to keep their teeth alignment treatments discreet. Clear braces have a simple ordering process, and they don’t require frequent visits to the dentists. They are more tailored to modern times, and it’s evident why they are a favorite.

Conclusion

Your dentist or a licensed teledentistry company will confirm your suitability for any treatment. If you qualify for clear aligners, they can deliver results quickly while staying discreet and not being a hassle. The only thing remaining is to pick the right platform for your needs.

We selected top invisible brace services and conducted detailed reviews of those companies. Our Byte review indicates that their HFV technology can shorten the treatment to only three months. Make sure to check out other platforms, too, as that guarantees you’ll pick one that perfectly meets your expectations.