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Invisalign Pros and Cons- Why You Should Choose Invisalign Over Braces
Feb 14, 2020
About one in five young adults
between 18 and 34 years cut down on socialization due to dental problems.
Misaligned teeth are one of the dental issues that can go beyond taking away your beautiful smile. If you’re unsure about your smile, you will indeed have trouble interacting with others.
Fortunately, you don’t have to wallow in depression over a set of crooked teeth. Invisalign is a life-saver when it comes to restoring your smile.
If you are looking to straighten your teeth, Invisalign is an option you can’t afford to ignore. Here are some of the Invisalign pros and cons that will guide you when making the decision.
What Is Invisalign?
Before we delve into the benefits of Invisalign and the shortcomings, it is crucial to understand what this dental treatment involves. Invisalign refers to custom-made, clear braces, which cover your entire teeth to pull them into the right position over time. While they function as the traditional metal braces, they are clear and less noticeable.
At most, orthodontics recommends wearing the braces for 12 to 18 months. However, the type of correction required determines the period of treatment. For the teeth aligners to be effective, you might need to wear them for 22 hours each day. More importantly, you’ll need to visit your dentist regularly to change the aligners. As your teeth take the position, fresh aligners are necessary. Within a few months, you'll have a restored smile.
If you've been wondering about the options you have when wearing braces as an adult, Invisalign is an option that could work. You don’t have to limit yourself to the standard braces. While at it, it’s crucial to know that Invisalign has its pros and cons.
Invisalign Pros
When compared to the traditional braces, Invisalign is the better option. Invisalign makes you smile confidently when still on treatment. Braces, on the other hand, can be too conspicuous to go unnoticed.
The pros of Invisalign go beyond appearance. Keep reading to know why Invisalign might be a better option to the standard braces.
1. Pleasing Aesthetics
One of the reasons why most people prefer Invisalign to braces is the appearance. Metal braces can be unattractive. The unsightly chunks of metal in your mouth make your dental formula appear awkward. Conversely, Invisalign trays are almost invisible and transparent. People can’t see wires or brackets when you smile. Invisalign is a great option, especially if you are self-conscious.
In case you aren’t in a position to have Invisalign, you can research to know more about porcelain veneers, which is another alternative that will guarantee you desirable aesthetics. When you go for your dental consultation, your dentist will determine the orthodontic treatment depending on the extent of the problem.
2. Improved Hygiene
If you've been wearing metal braces for long, stains around the rims are imminent. Worse still, braces can cause darkening of gums and cavities. Flossing and brushing around braces is almost impossible. Maneuvering around the wires of the typical braces is hard. In fact, you might end up hurting your gums. Removing food particles that are stuck between the teeth is impossible when you have braces.
With Invisalign, poor oral hygiene would be an excuse. The fact that you can remove the aligners makes it possible to brush and floss as recommended. What’s more, you can even whiten your teeth to add to the sparkle.
3. No Food Limitations
According to the World Health Organization, more than 3.58 billion
people across the world have at least one type of oral disease. Consumption of unhealthy foods, mostly laden with sugar, is the main culprit. That's not to mean you can't enjoy your sweet snacks; unless you have braces.
When you have metal braces, forget about popcorn, candy, taffy, or pretzels. While it is recommendable to avoid such foods, whether or not you're in braces, enjoying a candy occasionally isn't a big deal. However, when your doctor fits you with the metal braces, the list of foods you will have to avoid might be distressing.
Invisalign won’t limit your food consumption. With these teeth aligners, you don’t have to worry about damaging the brackets or breaking the wires after biting a crunchy apple. You can remove your aligners when taking your food, which also enables you to brush your teeth thoroughly before replacing the aligners.
4. Safety
When outlining the Invisalign pros and cons, safety is a factor that ranks high on the list. Metal braces have protrusions that can scratch and puncture your gums and the rest of the mouth. With the sharp edges of the conventional braces, you might need to be keener when chewing and brushing your teeth.
Using oral pain relievers isn't a permanent solution for the discomfort caused by the metal braces. Dealing with constant mouth pain can be distressing. If you opt for Invisalign, the discomfort will be a thing of the past.
The BPA-free plastic that makes the Invisalign aligners is comfortable. These aligners don’t have metal pieces, wires, or brackets. As such, you don’t have to worry about scraping your gums.
5. Sports Restrictions
If you're a sports enthusiast, you might want to avoid the typical metal braces. A blow on your mouth can damage your teeth. It can further cause significant injuries due to the popping metals.
Invisalign is not limiting. You can choose to remove the tray of aligners when you're playing and replace them later. Keeping them in is another option, which wouldn't hinder your sporting activities. What's more, you can travel to compete in another continent without worrying about a doctor's appointment. Keeping several sets of Invisalign trays ensure that you have adequate replacements. If they ran out, you could use the last set as a retainer until you get time for a dentist's visit.
6. Digital Scanning
When you check out some of the reasons
why you need to see an orthodontist, you'll realize the extent of issues that these specialists address. As such, a typical orthodontic clinic might have tools such as pliers, forceps, retractors, and distal end cutters, among others. If you're like most people, anxiety might set in.
Invisalign treatment might appear less complicated. Specialists use 3D digital scanning, which is non-invasive and painless. The tools used during the procedure will help you relax. The computer software used for Invisalign treatment allows unmatched precision.
The orthodontist can make real-time adjustments for a comprehensive and accurate treatment plan. With the 3D scanner, the visual representations show you the anticipated outcome, which gives you more confidence throughout the process.
7. Invisalign Improves Self Esteem
A beautiful smile makes you approachable. On the contrary, crooked or protruding teeth can make one overly self-conscious, leading to less smiling. If you feel unattractive due to the appearance of your teeth, interacting with others can be daunting.
Worse still, young people are at risk of teasing and harassment following teeth abnormalities. To avert such cases, Invisalign aligners can come in handy. The fact that they're inconspicuous makes them more desirable, particularly for teenagers.
While crooked teeth are unsightly, metal braces that scream for attention might not be effective in addressing one's self-confidence. People would want to have the best set of teeth without the world, knowing they have aligners.
Cons of Invisalign
While Invisalign has a myriad of benefits, it is far from perfect. However, it remains more suitable when compared with other forms of orthodontic treatments such as metal braces. Here are some of the cons of Invisalign.
1. Cost
A survey by the National Poll on Healthy aging found out that about 69% of adults
aged above 50 years feel that the cost of dental care is a significant barrier to seeking orthodontic treatment.
Invisalign treatment is arguably more expensive than typical metal braces. With the type of technology used in this treatment, the cost implication is inevitable.
If you’re in Mississauga, you’re in luck. Daas Family & Cosmetic Dentistry accepts all types of insurance. You can use Healthy Smiles Ontario and Government Plan to get the most coveted Invisalign treatment.
2. Easy to Lose
The removable nature of Invisalign is both an advantage and a disadvantage. If you don't store your set well, the risk of losing your Invisalign is real. You need to have the Invisalign in a case most of the time.
3. You Need to Wear Full-time
The effectiveness of Invisalign depends on your commitment. You have to wear the aligners for at least 22 hours every day. Since you can’t eat with your set of aligners, you need to have a strict schedule that allows you to remove your Invisalign, eat, brush your teeth, and replace the aligners.
The process can be overwhelming, especially for kids. Yet, failure to wear the Invisalign as recommended will hinder the treatment process.
The Invisalign Pros and Cons Guide You in Knowing If They Can Be the Best Fit for You
If you need to straighten your crooked teeth perfectly and discreetly, Invisalign aligners are the best deal.
When you check the Invisalign pros and cons, you'll realize that the benefits outweigh the cost. Visit your orthodontist to know if you're the right candidate for Invisalign and start the fantastic journey as soon as possible.
If you are in Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, or Etobicoke, Daas Family & Cosmetic Dentistry is here for you. Contact us
today to book your appointment. We have a team of experienced and highly skilled dentists to attend to all your dental needs.
Dr. Ehab Daas
Meet your doctor
Dr. Ehab is a passionate dentist with 15 years of dental experience. He received his D.D.S in 1997, and has practiced dentistry for 6 years since then. Immediately after that, Dr. Da'as moved to Paris to get his Orthodontics and Prosthodontic diploma's in which he specialized in fixed bridges and crowns. He graduated from France with remarkable achievements in 2005, and went on to work for 9 years, focusing on difficult orthodontics cases and satisfying his ortho patients. Dr. Ehab moved to Canada in 2014 to continue his career, where he is proud and extremely honoured to provide his patients with the highest quality service.
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