Braces vs Clear Aligners
The aim of orthodontics is primarily to correct poorly positioned teeth to optimize the bite and improve both function and appearance.
Orthodontics is often associated with children. However, more and more adults undergo orthodontic treatment to realign their teeth permanently.
Deciding to have your teeth straightened is always a good idea, and not only to improve the appearance of your smile. Straightening also improves the functioning of the teeth and the jaw muscles in general. Misaligned teeth can contribute to a number of complications:
Increased number of cavities due to crowding or overlapping teeth
Fractures in poorly positioned teeth
Chronic inflammation of the gums
Temporomandibular joint problems (TMJ)
There are two kinds of orthodontic treatments: conventional braces and clear aligners.
Clear Aligners
Clear aligners are a solution for patients seeking a more discreet orthodontic treatment than conventional braces, as they do not use brackets or wires. Clear aligners are a modern and near-invisible method for correcting mild to moderate orthodontic problems. They align teeth just as braces do, but using a transparent, removable aligner. Just like with conventional braces, adjustment appointments are generally every six to eight weeks. However, clear aligners are changed every two weeks on average, based on your dentist’s recommendations. Each aligner adjusts your teeth according to the plan decided on by your dentist, by applying the required level of pressure.
In general, orthodontic treatment using clear aligners is faster than with traditional braces. Since patient compliance is essential to the success of the treatment, patients must be disciplined about wearing their aligners at all times to avoid prolonging the treatment or compromising the results. Treatment with clear aligners involves creating a virtual model of your teeth with a computer program to show you all of the steps involved, from the initial position of the teeth up to the final desired result. If this is something that interests you please call the office for a consultation.
