Straighten Your Smile: Invisalign or Fixed Braces?

Teeth straightening is one of the most common cosmetic dental treatments we undertake at the practice. There are huge benefits to having fully aligned teeth. Of course there are the aesthetic improvements which will enhance your smile but also the health benefits from being able to clean your teeth better and improvements in the bite. There are many options available and often, the decision lies between Invisalign and fixed braces. However, which one is best?

In reality, there is no one technique that we would consider the best one. We will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each option below.

There are many advantages of Invisalign clear aligners which include:

1. They are removable hence you can clean your teeth exactly the same as your current regime, maintaining gum health.

2. You can eat the same diet with having to worry about sticking to a soft or 'baby' food diet.

3. The treatment is generally pain free with very mild pressure from the aligner.

4. The treatment is planned digitally hence the the process is extremely precise. With the added benefit of being able to plan the treatment using 3D CBCT x ray scans and intra oral scans, the safety of treatment has never been higher.

5. Modifications and refinements are extremely simply.

6. Fewer appointments are needed as virtual monitoring is possible via AI hence less time at the dental practice for adjustments and reviews.

7. Generally more cost effective compared to fixed braces ( prices at Progressive Dentistry).

8. A 5 year warranty is available for Comprehensive treatments in case of any relapse ( within our Comprehensive Invisalign Package).

9. Virtually invisible hence aesthetic.

1. You must be 100% compliant and wear the aligners between 20-22 hours per day throughout the course of the treatment. Failure to stick to the regime will result in failure of treatment!

2. Some tooth movements may not be feasible with Invisalign and can only be achieved with fixed braces, for example severely rotated teeth.

3. You may lose the aligner, damage it by mistake or the dog may chew it!

Fixed braces have been used for decades and were the mainstay for all orthodontic treatment. The advantages include:

1. Being fixed, you cannot remove them and there are no compliance issues.

2. Most movements can be completed with fixed braces including severe rotations, extrusion and intrusion which may be more difficult with Invisalign.

1. Visible , classic 'train track' appearance with metal braces.

2. More difficult to keep clean and maintain. Oral hygiene must be meticulous.

3. Generally more painful with higher forces present, cheek and lip irritation.

4. Finer movements may not be possible especially toward the end of treatment.

5. Brackets can come off and need replacing.

6. Wires can fracture.

7. Regular review appointments are needed, more time at the dentist needed.

8. Virtual monitoring is not possible, wires need changing!

9. Generally more expensive than Invisalign.

In most cases, the choice between Invisalign and fixed braces will be down to personal preference. In some cases, we have to use the best of both worlds and combine the treatments. In our case of the month, the teeth were so crooked that our patient was told that he needed teeth removed and surgery for treatment by several other dentists and specialists. However, with careful planning and using both fixed braces and Invisalign, we were able to transform the smile without extracting teeth and certainly no surgery was involved. Just take a look:

If you are planning your own smile transformation, there is no better time to start. Book your free video consultation today. It could be the best decision you ever make!