Invisible Braces Vs Metal Braces
Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that specializes in improving dental occlusion and correcting misaligned or crooked teeth, to bring about a healthy and aesthetically pleasing dentition. The most striking feature of a person’s aesthetics is their smile, and an increasing number of Indians are now concerned about their teeth appearance. Orthodontic treatment has been shown to have a significant improvement in the self-esteem and quality of life of an individual.
In the past, metallic braces were the only method of orthodontic treatment available. With greater numbers of adults who didn’t get orthodontic treatment done in their childhood, looking to improve their smile discreetly at a later age-clear aligners (invisible braces) have been introduced and are preferred by many people, although both are designed to straighten teeth.
The gold standard-metal braces
Metal braces consist of stainless-steel brackets that adhere to an individual tooth. A wire that passes through a slot on each of those metal brackets is held into place by small rubber bands, which come in a variety of colours. A light constant force is delivered for the alignment of teeth. This treatment option requires orthodontic adjustment every four to six weeks.
Invisible braces/clear aligners
Aligners are removable, clear trays that are custom designed to fit your teeth. No wires and brackets are used in aligner treatment. Depending on the treatment plan decided by the orthodontist, the number of trays used can range from 15 to 30, depending on treatment complexity. A new set is fabricated every 2 weeks and is recommended to be worn for at least 20-22 hours a day. Cleaning the aligner trays can be done with warm water or a special cleaning solution and brush. Invisalign aligners are the most popular aligners that are currently being used in the market.
Invisible Braces Vs Metal Braces-Which is a better choice?
Apart from the obvious difference in aesthetics, an added benefit of clear aligners is that they are removable. However, due to this reason, the success rate of aligners is largely dependent on the patient. If worn for a lesser number of hours than those advised, the treatment time may increase.
Clear aligners are far more comfortable than metal braces, -and require a lesser number of clinic visits for repair work because it does not have components like wires and brackets which often break or come loose. Oral hygiene maintenance is tougher in metal braces treatment because food gets stuck between the wire components and brushing gets problematic.
Cost comparison shows that metal braces are significantly more affordable than invisible aligners. Treatment duration in the gold standard metal braces is slightly longer than in aligners. Complex dental problems like rotated teeth and similar complicated cases may not be suited for aligners and in such cases, metal braces are the only treatment option. Retention in cases treated with metallic braces has been shown to be better than in cases treated with aligners.
The final choice in choosing between metallic and invisible braces is recommended by the orthodontist based on the complexity of the case, patient choice and cooperation, and the treatment goals.