Invisalign and Braces – Which one to choose?
Very often our patients need orthodontic treatment, but it is a difficult decision for them as they are unsure whether braces or Invisalign is a suitable option for them. Dr Gullotta has exception experience in both Invisalign and braces.
With the help of Dr Gullotta – you can make an informed decision. The type of orthodontic treatment that is suitable for you also depends on the type of orthodontic problem you need to have corrected – sometimes the patient wanted to get Invisalign treatment. However, it isn’t always the best option for some patients, which is why getting expert advice from Dr Gullotta is essential.
Braces are traditionally made of metal and attached to the outside of the teeth, although there are now different options for braces including ceramic and lingual (behind the teeth) braces. Metal wires and rubber bands are attached to the brackets to manipulate your teeth to correct orthodontic problems.
Invisalign treatment uses clear, plastic aligners. The aligners are customised for each patient following a 3D scan of their mouth. Customised aligners are then made to move the teeth in small steps until the correct position is reached.
Reasons why patients opt for Invisalign
- Invisalign Looks Better
The biggest benefit of Invisalign is that the retainers are virtually invisible. Adult patients love that friends and work mates can’t see they are undergoing orthodontic treatment. Self-conscious teens do too.
With Invisalign your treatment is not noticeable compared to braces. You won’t be worried about your smile in photos – all you will see in photos is the progress of your ever-improving smile.
- You Can Take the Aligners Out to Eat
For best results Invisalign needs to be worn for 20 – 22 hours each day, which means you can take your aligners out when you are eating. This means you don’t have to change what you eat or how you eat it. With braces people find some types of foods difficult or uncomfortable to eat.
- Easy Brushing and Flossing Your Teeth
You can continue brushing and flossing as you did previously.
- Fewer Visits Required
We use Dental Monitoring (DM) to monitor our patients with Invisalign treatment. With the DM app on your phone, you can take your teeth selfie and change the multiple sets of retainers on Dr Gullotta’s directions. There is no need to visit us, so visits are kept to a minimum to check on progress. Few means less time off work or school.
- Comfortable to Wear
Moving teeth around with Invisalign can be uncomfortable and painful for some patients, much like traditional braces. However, there are also fewer mouth and gum problems with Invisalign. Invisalign aligners are made of a special plastic and fitted to each patients mouth, so – unlike braces – there are typically no cuts on the inside cheeks.
- Peer influences
Their friends are wearing Invisalign and they look cool and they want to be the same.
Reasons why Invisalign can be unsuitable
- Patients Need to be Disciplined
Being able to remove your aligners is both a pro and a con. If you aren’t someone who is disciplined with putting your aligners back in your mouth after eating or brushing, you aren’t going to wear them the required 22 hours per day. Your treatment may not produce the best results if the aligners aren’t worn as long. The major reason for Invisalign treatment failing primarily relates to lack of patient compliance with wearing the aligners.
- Taking your Aligners In and Out Can be Inconvenient
Aligners need to be removed before eating and drinking anything other than water. When you are out in public, you need to remove your aligners discreetly and not lose them. Before replacing your aligners, you need to brush your teeth. Food particles can affect the fit of your aligners and can stain your aligners. You are also at increased risk of cavities and bad breath.
- Attachments
Most Invisalign patients require attachments to help the aligners grip and move teeth into place. You may need only a couple or you may need them on most teeth. While the button-like attachments are similar to the colour of your teeth, they can look like you’re wearing clear braces.
Reasons why patients opt for braces
- Suitable for All Treatments
With braces it doesn’t matter how difficult your case is. You may have multiple dental and facial issues that need correcting – braces can be used to fix each one so you finish treatment with an incredible smile. Braces use anchors and an arch wire to pull the teeth into place. They are the most powerful treatment method in moving teeth into a desired position.
- Possible to Achieve a Perfect Result
For some users, braces can achieve a better result than Invisalign. Braces have more force to move teeth into the desired position. Invisalign can be limited in terms of how much teeth can be moved at a time.
- Peer influences
Their friends are wearing braces and they want to be the same.
Reasons why Braces can be unsuitable
- Aesthetics of Braces
Some people don’t like the look of braces. They are worried they will feel self-conscious about their appearance, especially teens and adults.
- Brushing Your Teeth
Both brushing and flossing your teeth is a lot more difficult with braces. If teeth are not properly cleaned, there is risk of having plaque build-up around the braces which can lead to staining and decay. Our Oral Health Therapist will give instructions on how to correctly brush and floss while your braces are on.
- Diet and Food Preparation
Hard and sticky foods can cause the arch wire to break or a bracket to dislodge from a tooth. Once this happens, the braces won’t work until you have the breakage repaired. Multiple breakages can prolong the treatment time.
- Regular Appointments
More regular visits to the orthodontist are required with braces to check on progress and have them adjusted. Dr Gullotta will check on teeth movement and make changes, so they continue to move your teeth in the direction they need to go.
So, which one to choose?
There’s a lot to consider when you are weighing up the options of orthodontic treatment. Decide what suits your lifestyle will help make your decision easier. Make sure you have all the information you need to make an informed decision.
At Gullotta Orthodontics, we charge a little more for Invisalign compared with braces. We offer flexible interest free payment plan and work around your family budget. This makes it easier to get the treatment option you really want.
Some specialist might charge a higher price for Invisalign, but we want to keep it simple so that cost is not a factor when choosing the most suitable treatment for yourself.
If you are considering invisalign treatment or metal braces or clear braces treatment for yourself or your child and is not sure if Invisalign or Braces is more suitable, please contact us at (07) 5532 3433, email us, [email protected] or book a free consultant directly. Dr Gullotta and his team will be looking forward to giving the right advice and options.