Those who are looking to improve their smile and the overall look of their teeth usually turn to orthodontic treatment to help. The most common treatment is metal braces to help align their teeth. The main goal of orthodontic care is to line up your upper and lower jaw by aligning your teeth. Braces are a common choice for those that want straight teeth, but there are other options, including clear aligners.
At Hendersonville Family Dental, we offer SureSmile Aligners that are fit for our patients orthodontic needs without the discomfort and look of metal braces. The clear aligners are obviously more appealing than the look of metal braces, and more comfortable. Clear aligners perform the same task as braces in helping to straighten your teeth into their ideal positional in the shortest time possible. Deciding which option is right for you or your child can be a tough decision. Here are some pros and cons of SureSmile Aligners vs. braces.
Appearance
The appearance of clear aligners is obviously more aesthetically pleasing than metal squares on your teeth. Braces may offer the choice of colored bands or clear bands, but aligners are virtually invisible and are easier to keep clean so as to not draw attention to your teeth if something were to get stuck in your braces.
Convenience
For both types of orthodontic treatment you will need to have a significant first appointment to mold your aligners and apply your braces. Both treatments will require follow up appointments to track the progress of your teeth. Similarly, your final appointment at the end of treatment will be longer to remove your brackets or ensure that your teeth will stay in this position.
Your orthodontist may also apply a permanent retainer, or give you one to wear at night to ensure that the process of braces was not wasted. Although clear aligners might require less appointments, both will require you to see your orthodontist frequently.
Moving to the next set of aligners is required to be approved by your orthodontist. So if you lose or break one while you are out of town, this could affect your progress or the time it takes to get a new aligner.
Dedication
For those who are younger, about 8-14 years old , braces are a better option because they don’t require accountability of the patient. Clear aligners require you to remove them for cleaning, eating and drinking. You should plan to wear your aligners around 18-22 hours a day and need to be diligent about putting them in each day, and after eating. The dedication to remembering is crucial to making sure your teeth are making the required progress. Failure to wear your aligners consistently could result in failure and treatment and change to the process of braces.
Comfort
Traditional braces are made of metal and can be pokey or create sores in your mouth. There is orthodontic wax that can help cover some of these more annoying parts of your braces, but the cuts may take a while to heal.
Clear aligners are plotted with a gradual plan from the beginning. This can limit the amount of discomfort because your teeth will only move onto the next set of aligners when your teeth are ready. Aligners are also more smooth and don’t have as many rough edges, but the tops of the aligners could still rub against the patients gums. Aligners can be filed down or smoothed to be more comfortable if they are bothering you, so contact your orthodontist to help get back to comfort.
Wrap Up
Overall, both braces and SureSmile Aligners have pros and cons and are ultimately up to the patient or their parents to decide what the best option is.
Braces or aligners can both get costly, so it is important to choose the best option for you before beginning treatment. Once you start with braces, it is hard to switch to aligners. Switching to braces from aligners can rack up costs when having to start all over.
Hendersonville Family Dental
Here at Hendersonville Family Dental we want to help all patients reach their smile goals. Thanks to our cutting edge techniques and equipment we give you a guarantee that you will feel more confident about your appearance.
We offer payment plans and other financing options for patients that need them. You can learn more about our dentists and our office team on our website. Contact us to set up an appointment today.