Many
people have crooked or gapped teeth, and if you do, you know it can
affect the beauty (and functionality) of your smile and your overall
confidence. Luckily, braces have been around a long time to help
straighten teeth for improved functionality and aesthetics. More
types of braces continue to come out, such as invisible aligners.
However,
traditional braces are still the ideal choice for these four reasons.
1.
You Can't Remove Them
You
can't remove traditional braces yourself. You'll have to wear them
during your entire treatment, and only the orthodontist can remove
them after treatment. The braces are occasionally tightened to move
the teeth.
However,
aligners don't need to get tightened. Instead, you get a new set of
aligners every few weeks to reposition the teeth.
These
aligners, however, are removable, so you can pop them in or out when
you need to eat or brush your teeth. This makes cleaning your teeth
easy, but it risks slowing treatment. If you don't wear your aligners
enough (they are usually more comfortable than braces but can still
hurt), your teeth will quickly return to their old positon.
2.
They Fix More Problems
Depending
on your concerns, invisible aligners may not be an adequate choice
because they can't fix every problem. Therefore, you may end up
spending more money with worse results than if you'd chosen
traditional braces. Invisalign and traditional braces are both great
for crooked teeth, overbite, gaps, crowding, etc.
However,
if you have teeth that need to be raised to match the height of the
other teeth or if you have rotated teeth, invisible braces may not be
effective. Similarly, if you need to fix the midline of your teeth or
large gaps, traditional braces may be best. Also, some dental work,
such as dental bridges, prevent you from using Invisalign.
3.
They Are Usually More Affordable
Orthodontia
treatments aren't usually cheap, but traditional braces are
usually cheaper and/or
more cost-effective than Invisalign. You may pay between $3,000 and
$7,350 for traditional braces. If you choose ceramic or plastic
tooth-colored braces (which make them a little less noticeable), you
may pay $2,000 to $8,500.
With
invisible aligners, you may pay $3,000 to $8,000. Luckily, if your
insurance covers orthodontia, both traditional braces and invisible
braces are usually included, so you'll get a little help with the
cost. If you lose a set of aligners during treatment, you'll need to
spend a little more money to replace them.
4.
They Are Great for Any Age
Invisalign
is a common choice for adults because they can fix their teeth
without a mouthful of metal. Invisible aligners are also available
for teens. However, no options is available for children. Therefore,
if you want to improve your child's smile, traditional braces are
better because they can be used on kids, teens, and adults.
Even
if your child is almost a teen, waiting to seek treatment may be a
mistake. Fixing the problem early usually provides better results
because your child's mouth is still forming. With traditional braces,
you can get started on the procedures they may need before they can
even get braces. Plus, by identifying problems sooner, your child may
need less treatment time.
Not
everyone is born with a perfectly straight smile, but thanks to
braces, just about anyone can achieve the beautiful smile they want.
Invisible braces may have many benefits, but they may not be great if
you have severe concerns regarding your teeth. For more information
about braces and how they can better your improve your smile over
invisible braces, contact
us at
Donald E. Snyder Orthodontics.
