How Effective are Invisible Braces vs Traditional Braces?

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How Effective are Invisible Braces vs Traditional Braces?

If you’ve grown up with crooked teeth, an overbite or maybe even overcrowding, it’s likely you have considered getting braces to straighten your teeth. Or if you have children, your dentist may have recommended that your child needs braces.

Previously, the main choice for many patients was the traditional set of braces – you know, the ones with wire, tiny rubber bands and metal brackets. However, over the past decade, invisible braces such as Invisalign have grown as a popular alternative to traditional braces.

So what exactly is the difference between invisible braces and traditional braces, which type is more effective and what is better value for money? Check out the Pitt Street Dental Centre guide to invisible braces in Sydney below.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INVISIBLE AND TRADITIONAL BRACES?

Orthodontists often recommend braces as a way to improve problems such as improper jaw position, crooked teeth, overbites, underbites and crowded teeth.

INVISALIGN

As the name suggests, invisible braces, such as Invisalign, are designed to adjust your teeth without being seen. They achieve this invisible look with aligner trays made of BPA-free plastic, which sit comfortably over your teeth. A series of plastic aligners are provided to the patient, with each aligner designed to slowly and subtly move your teeth into the correct place.

This product is not available for purchase by the general public.

TRADITIONAL BRACES

On the flip side, traditional braces are made up of metal brackets that are bonded to your teeth, and then connected by wires and rubber bands. The brackets on the teeth are tightened every four weeks or so to align the teeth. The metal brackets are available in a range in colours, from shades that provide a closer match to your teeth colour to those that stand out.

ARE INVISIBLE BRACES & TRADITIONAL BRACES EFFECTIVE IN ALL CASES?

Both types of braces are designed to effectively treat your orthodontic problem and ultimately, leave you with straight teeth. However, the severity of your case will ultimately determine which type of braces will be more effective.

For more simple cases, such as crowded teeth, crooked teeth, overbites, underbites, open bites and gapped teeth, both invisible braces and traditional braces can be an effective treatment option.

However, with more severe problems such as malocclusions, extremely crooked teeth or crossbites, traditional braces are a more effective choice, as they are designed to provide more specialised alignment and treatment. Using the bonded metal brackets, wires and bands, traditional braces can adjust the teeth in a way that invisible braces may not.

As invisible braces are custom fit to suit your mouth, they are also a better choice for adults and teenagers, rather than young children. Most young children are losing baby teeth and growing their adult molars, which makes fitting a tight custom aligner a difficult task.

WHAT IS THE COST OF EACH OPTION?

When it comes to cost, investing in your smile provides more than just a cosmetic benefit – straight teeth are easier to clean, can make eating easier and can improve your gum health.

While straightening your teeth can certainly be considered an investment, patients will find that Invisalign treatments typically cost more than traditional braces. However, the overall cost of each type of braces will differ, depending on how extensive your treatment is.

At Pitt Street Dental Centre, we recognise the importance of straightening your teeth, so we offer payment plans to assist our patients to pay off the treatment over time.

LENGTH AND IMPACT OF THE TREATMENT

A huge selling point of wearing invisible braces in Sydney is the treatment time and the way they impact the teeth overall.

TREATMENT TIME AND CHECK UPS

With traditional braces, patients need to wear the braces for 24 hours a day, seven days a week for an average of two years, depending on the severity of the treatment required. In comparison, invisible braces such as Invisalign are worn for approximately 22-24 hours a day, for anywhere between six to 18 months in total.
Overall, Invisalign may take longer to adjust some problems, as the plastic aligners aren’t as strong as traditional braces and also require patients to follow their set schedule for wearing and changing aligners

When it comes to adjusting your braces to further your treatment, traditional braces require adjustment from an orthodontics specialist in Sydney every month, whilst the patient can change Invisalign aligner trays every two weeks, with a visit to your orthodontist for a check up every four to six weeks.

CLEANLINESS AND TOOTH DECAY

They say cleanliness is next to godliness, so which type of braces are better for keeping your teeth and mouth clean?

Traditional braces can often trap food under the wires, resulting in a build up of particles on your teeth, which can ultimately lead to staining. This type of braces may also be restrictive to the patient, making the consumption of sticky or hard foods difficult.

On the other hand, Invisalign must be removed before a patient eats. This allows the patient to consume food and drink without the build up around awkward wires and brackets, resulting in less chance of staining or tooth decay from bacteria build up.

However, keeping the teeth clean with Invisalign also relies on the patient brushing their teeth after each meal and flossing regularly. Without keeping up a basic hygiene regime after each meal, patients risk staining their teeth attachments – which leads many patients to having a “work” toothbrush kit, a “travel” toothbrush kit and a “home” toothbrush kit to ensure they keep their invisible braces, well, invisible!

PAIN AND DISCOMFORT

Unfortunately, any treatment that requires the altering and adjustment of your teeth will come with some discomfort.

If patients opt for traditional braces, they may experience some pain, discomfort and potential sores from their brackets, wires or general tooth movement.

With Invisalign braces in Sydney, patients may, at most, have discomfort from the gradual tooth movement. The aligner trays are smooth and made from plastic, resulting in less pain from unfamiliar wires or brackets.

INVISIBLE BRACES IN SYDNEY

Take the first step in achieving that perfect, straight smile with Invisalign braces in Sydney, brought to you by the professional team at Pitt Street Dental Centre.

Our team are experienced in providing quality Invisalign treatments to our clients, with the aim to give you a confident, flawless smile.

So if you’re ready for a brand new smile, contact the team at Pitt Street Dental Centre today to find out more about invisible braces in Sydney!

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