Hi, I’m Dr Michael Cai, the principal dentist of Pitt St Dental Centre here in Sydney CBD.
Last week, one of our long term patients, Marcus from Mosman, came in to discuss getting his crowded teeth fixed. He was trying to decide between braces and Invisalign.
This is such a common question. So, I decided to make this short video.
Let’s start with braces.
The con though is that they are less comfortable and less discreet than Invisalign clear aligners.
With Invisalign, it is a much more enjoyable process. You’ll be able to take them out when you eat. You can take them out if you have an important social meeting. It is less uncomfortable. But it does mean that you must be disciplined and wear them for 20 to 22 hours a day. Otherwise, the results won’t be perfect.
Invisalign has come a long way in the last 20 years. I’ve treated over a thousand patients with Invisalign, and I can confidently say that we can treat about 95% of cases with Invisalign. So if people want braces, in the majority of cases, it’s a personal choice, rather than case complexity.
Here at Pitt St Dental Centre, we provide both treatment options. We offer traditional metal braces, ceramic braces which are more discreet, lingual braces which sit on the inside of your mouth, as well as Invisalign clear aligners.
In terms of treatment time, whether it’s Invisalign or braces, what’s limiting us now is the biology of teeth moving, and not the treatment itself.
So I hope you’ve found this short video useful, and have gained a better insight on the different ways to fix crowded teeth.
If you or your child are looking for a dentist to help realign the smile, we would love to look after you.
See you in the next video.
