Do you have crooked teeth? Are you suffering from a misaligned bite pattern? If so, you are not without your orthodontic treatment options. Modern dentistry has advanced to allow patients to choose between traditional metal braces and clear braces like Invisalign to address mild to moderate orthodontic concerns. Learn why patients often prefer clear braces instead of traditional metal braces below.
How Metal Braces Work
Metal braces utilize a system of brackets and wires to apply pressure to your dental structures and encourage them to shift into a straighter position. Patients with metal braces must attend monthly tightening appointments to allow their orthodontist to tighten the wires and change the elastic bands securing the wires to the brackets. These tightening appointments are essential for maintaining pressure on your dental structures.
Otherwise, your treatment plan will not progress as intended. Orthodontic treatment of any kind can take several months or even years to complete. In the meantime, patients with metal braces are unable to remove their orthodontic hardware for the entire duration of their treatment plan. To prevent damage to the orthodontic hardware, patients with metal braces are encouraged to abide by certain dietary restrictions, avoiding excessively chewy or crunchy foods that may damage the braces.
Additionally, patients with metal braces should take additional oral hygiene precautions to ensure that there is no food stuck between the orthodontic hardware after meals. If you are looking for a discreet alternative to metal braces, clear braces are a good option to consider.
How Clear Braces Work
With clear braces, patients will utilize sets of see-through aligners that are virtually invisible while in use. No one should be able to tell that you are undergoing orthodontic treatment unless you remove the aligners in front of them. Worn of your teeth while in use, similar to a retainer, clear braces apply pressure to your teeth and encourage them to shift into a straight position.
Patients are encouraged to remove their aligners whenever they need to eat, drink, or brush their teeth. This means no dietary restrictions or oral hygiene hazards are associated with clear braces. Patients enjoy the removability of clear braces the most on special occasions like weddings, job interviews, or first dates. As long as you wear your aligners on average of 20-22 hours per day, your treatment plan will progress as intended and you will still end up with the same beautiful results.
Best of all, your dentist will provide you with all sets of your clear braces and instruct you on when to change to a new set, usually once every two weeks. This means you will spend less time in the dental chair with clear braces than you would with traditional metal braces.
Invisalign in Austin, TX
Looking for Invisalign in Austin, TX? Austin Dental Care provides cosmetic dentistry solutions for patients looking to straighten their teeth. Invisalign is meant for patients suffering from mild to moderate orthodontic concerns while traditional metal braces may still be recommended for severe cases. Schedule an appointment online to find out if you are a candidate for Invisalign. To learn more about cosmetic dentistry, see Cosmetic Dentistry.